 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi all, keeping it all crossed we can actually get to the Alps for New Year. We are driving and hoping to take as much food etc as we can as we have a large group including babies and eating out all week isn’t going to happen. Can anyone tell me how strict the taking no food into France is? We will be able to take anything? Prepared meals? Ingredients to prepare meals? Or is it a definite no and have to shop once there? Thanks 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
We took stuff this summer in an electric cool box. No one paid the slightest interest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Again, nobody checked here when we passed through in August. But you do need a plan B in case they do…
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Yeo no one was bothered in August either - I guess its like displaying a UK plate on your car - no one cares until something attracts attention...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Our of interest does Amy one know if peanut butter is ok to bring in to Europe from the UK?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I have had reports on the Animal Health Certificate Facebook group of some people having their dog food and fridge contents confiscated. Anecdotal third-hand reports though. Strictly speaking, no dairy and no meat, but you can take 12kg of fish. No-one asked or checked our car contents though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Hells Bells, so lots of smoked salmon and a few fish pies for Christmas!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Hells Bells, I saw a comment about camper van fridges/freezers being stripped - but apparently that's standard practice for drug/contraband checks...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
@boredsurfin, only ever had someone check our gas bottle was turned off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
That’s great thanks all 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Just come back, this time via Rotterdam but same as our earlier experience via Calais. No interest at all in our sandwiches for lunch.
But ... ahead of us in the queue entering Holland was a camper van which was pulled aside for searching. You can't guarantee an easy ride.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
If you're talking about substantial groceries for the week, then it's also worth having a contingency plan in case of problems, or even if you start to realise there's stuff you haven't got. An option is to either stop at an Autoroute superstore, or any small supermarket off the motorway. For us, this means either (a) going to the massive E.Leclerc at Reims Champfleury by the A4 Jct.17 (Calais +270 Kms), or (b) a small Atac we've found, right on the road just before we enter Switzerland at Jougne (Calais +713 Kms). Having a target destination reaady, just in case, can avoid a lot of driving 'round trying to find the nearest supermarket. On the way back we either drop in at the Atac, or for a wider choice, go to the Leclerc. Or if we're concerned about time, we may shop at the Auchan just off the A26 Jct.17 exit to St. Quentin Nord. The latter is a lot closer to Calais (180 Kms).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We often stop off at the supermarket just off the autoroute at Nuits-St-George. It is almost next to the toll booths, so not far to detour, it conveniently happens that it is where we also need to refuel, and there's the nice Café du Centre in the town for lunch with amazing 3 courses for 15€.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@feefee,
Tinned & packaged food should be OK. Don't know about fresh food.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
We did the tunnel twice this summer. The first time we were a bit tentative, but still took some raw frozen dog food, plus some groceries. No issues. The second time we packed just as we would have pre Brexit - so emptied the fridge of contents and took cheese, milk, ham, veg, fruit, plus 7 kgs of raw dog food (the latter boxed up and secreted behind passenger seat). Not a flicker of interest at the tunnel, and there doesn’t seem to be any formal customs “aisle” on the U.K. “french” side post passport check. Once in Calais the exit to the autoroute has returned to the old version, I.e. very direct, with no obvious customs check facility either. There were a couple of crossings we did in the run up to Brexit where it looked like there was a change to the road layout on the Calais side, and I did wonder if that was with a view to setting up some customs facility for cars but it seems not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Anyone remember where the security checks take place, and so who runs them/who's rules they are checking at the Eurotunnel? On a practicle level getting pulled there, either because you're dodgie or just a random would be the only real risk point for tourist traffic (commerical is a different kettle of fish). If they are before the French boarder then they would guess they are UK checks rather than French but after the French boarder, French rather than UK.
Even then if you're stopped on a random "rub the car with a stick" test unless you're sat there stroking a leg of lamb while swigging from a bottle of milk you're unlikely to get a deeper check - but if you aren't subtle and the staff are bored you could be asking for a trip to the Shed Of Unpacking Shame...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Our plan is to have the in-car fridge obvious and empty - on the basis that we're going to fill it up when we stop at a French supermarket - but have the milk, meat, veg etc hidden under the dog bed or similar waiting to be transferred at the first stop...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
They do have a x-ray machine, but again it is between the UK and French passport controls and is run by the UK.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 8-10-21 16:04; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I am just getting reports in from Mrs WoC that French supermarkets DO actually sell food.
So you'd probably just need enough for the journey.
Some dry food and water for the dogs, and a jar of baby food / milk.
You can get a sarnie and a can of pop from the service area when you recharge your EV / fill with diesel.
No harm taking the contents of your fridge to save chucking it - worst case is its gets confiscated, other alternative is it rots at home and you chuck it when you get back.
If you're organised you might be able to give it to a neighbour / needy person before you go to save it going to waste.
If you have teenage children your fridge will be empty anyhow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Matt1959 wrote: |
| Our plan is to have the in-car fridge obvious and empty - on the basis that we're going to fill it up when we stop at a French supermarket - but have the milk, meat, veg etc hidden under the dog bed or similar waiting to be transferred at the first stop... |
Risks being picked up on a random check and accused of having concealed it (i.e. you knew it wasn't allowed and hid it so therefore clearly attempting to breach regulations) whereas in the in-car fridge you can just claim to be stupid and didn't realise. Suspect latter means stuff chucked and "On your way, sonny". Former far more likely to end up with a "procedure"
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Genuine question and not taking the pi55.
Why would you not travel empty saving fuel and then get all or the bulk of the food in a supermarket in France?
Granted if you want something specific you can only get in the UK but I can't think of anything off the top of my head apart from your particular baby food. I believe baby food is exempt from customs checks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| GlasgowCyclops wrote: |
| Why would you not travel empty saving fuel and then get all or the bulk of the food in a supermarket in France? |
I used to take milk to have with cereal for breakfast in the overnight stop hotel. The one I usually used is next to a supermarket but it will still mean hitting the road later on the second day. Used to take a sandwich for the second day too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@DJL, When I say plan, of course I mean half-baked idea that I haven't thought through yet.....
And in response to those who are saying 'why don't you buy in France?' - we do. Shopping for food in France is one of the great pleasures of being there, but after a 2 day 1,000 mile drive we want to have something in the car we can just chuck in the oven and be sorted for breakfast the next day too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
The only 'banned' stuff we normally take is English Sausage (Lincolnshire and/or Cumberland), smoked Bacon, Black Pudding and Lard (for fried bread). You simply cannot do a proper English breakfast without these, and you can't get acceptable alternatives in France without a lot of aggro. And don't say bacon is from Denmark, and Boudoin Noire.
Dairy produce we can do without taking - Local Cheddar and Scrumpy are obviously the worlds best and impossible to beat, but when in Rome eat a roman. Or something. The French do passible immitations of cheese, butter, milk etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We've never carried a lot of food with us, although when we are camping we have more in the fridge. Some pork pies for our picnic lunch on the train , chipolatas for the dogs, and milk for the flask of coffee. Maybe some curry pastes for using while we're there, and sometimes limes and ginger, but not a lot in the way of breakfast ingredients as above. We had a seafood supper last time we travelled, and had the remains of that in there this time too. No-one checked, but we can't always assume that will be the case, and there were groups of French Douanes just past the passport control.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
The rules are there and if you break them you have to be prepared to take the consequences. Going on past experience at Calais ferry port, pre and post Brexit, most times there is no-one manning customs and you just drive straight through. We have had occasions when they have stopped everyone for a couple of questions, where are you going?, how long are you staying? with the odd vehicle pulled over for inspection. One time just after the Brexit vote nearly every vehicle had a cursory inspection and it took us nearly 2 hours to get out of the docks.
In our experience here has been a very obvious connection between the political atmosphere and the number of customs officers on duty in France.
| GlasgowCyclops wrote: |
Genuine question and not taking the pi55.
Why would you not travel empty saving fuel and then get all or the bulk of the food in a supermarket in France?
Granted if you want something specific you can only get in the UK but I can't think of anything off the top of my head apart from your particular baby food. I believe baby food is exempt from customs checks.
|
I'm with this, unless there are specific or medical dietary needs I can't understand why anyone would bother taking food to a country which has some of the best produce in the world.
Want something quick, simple and filling for the first night? Then hit the supermarket for a microwave ready meal of Parmentier de Canard or Confit de Canard or many others. Want to feel like you've cooked something then try the Panzani 3 minute pasta with the Barilla bolognese sauce (it already contains meat so nothing to do other than heat it up). It's a lot quicker than heating up a pre made Lasagne. It's France, even their convenience food is good quality.
Food shopping in the UK is a chore, in France it is a pleasure.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 8-10-21 22:17; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
| Timc wrote: |
| It's France, even their convenience food is good quality. |
Interesting comment and have to say I disagree. I think the vast majority of French convenience food is either tiny portions or just very poor quality compared to the UK.
To me, the whole concept of convenience food is anathema to the French and the quality reflects the class of people they think will buy it, i.e. desperate (not saying you are but if you've been driving 10 hours you might be ) Same as the quality of sandwiches in a French service station or supermarket as opposed to a proper boulangerie which are awful.
I've spent the equivalent of two calendar years in France, mostly self-catering, and 12 years in the Middle East with additional self-catering trips to NZ and Central Europe. IMO if there's one thing the UK leads the world in, it's the quality of microwave or ready-to-cook meals from a supermarket. It's easy to become blase about them if you live in the UK full time but trust me, if you lived permanently abroad you'd be begging for a Tesco Finest aisle or an M&S with a full selection instead of just the fish products (because beef and chicken exports are both still banned just about everywhere outside the UK due to past mad-cow disease/bird-flu issues).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We slowly migrated to taking down more and more from home for three reasons. Firstly, to be self-sufficient en route, on arrival and on the next morning, because delays are always possible, and we might be arriving too late for shops. Second, because as far as some ingredients go (like dried pasta, rice and favourite breakfast cereal) it was just easier and cheaper to get our usual item in the weekly shop: there's wasn't anything at the destination that was going to be intrinsically better. Thirdly, taking down bulky items made it easier to do the shopping on foot at the destination.
However, with the new regulations, we have perforce transitioned back to doing a shop en route, even if it's just a 30-minute dash into a small supermarket for essentials (like my Pelforth brune and wife's Crémant de Bourgogne).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Top tip:
Wrap your cheese and ham sandwich in marijuana leaves and pack it in the middle of a case of cocaine. The cheese & ham sniffer dogs won't find it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Raceplate wrote: |
To me, the whole concept of convenience food is anathema to the French and the quality reflects the class of people they think will buy it, i.e. desperate (not saying you are but if you've been driving 10 hours you might be ) Same as the quality of sandwiches in a French service station or supermarket as opposed to a proper boulangerie which are awful.
|
I sort of agree and disagree with you at the same time, inherently motorway food is bad, just in my opinion French is slightly better than English. UK ready meal choices are dominated by spicy Indian and Chinese cuisine and bland pasta dishes which generally leaves me little choice which is why we never buy in England. The point I was trying to make was that for that first night in resort there are a lot of quick easy alternatives compared to worrying about bringing stuff from home. Fully agree that boulangeries are better than supermarkets which are better than motorways the same that local market produce is better than supermarket.
| Raceplate wrote: |
| I've spent the equivalent of two calendar years in France, mostly self-catering |
We've been lucky enough to spend considerably longer so maybe we've had longer to find the products that suit us and also identify our failures. Forgot to mention the cassoulet and choucroute in my previous post.
| Raceplate wrote: |
if you lived permanently abroad you'd be begging for a Tesco Finest aisle or an M&S with a full selection
|
Definitely not for France and Italy, don't use them when we're home so definitely wouldn't be begging for them when abroad, although we haven't been to the Middle East so I suspect you would be right in that scenario.
Food shopping in France is an art form in itself and if done properly can take considerable time. It's not difficult to spend a whole morning in a good market which is why on ski holidays our food choices tend to more supermarket based while our summer holidays are quite different
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@Timc, fair play, a decent enough rebuttal of my points. I agree that there's no need to bring stuff with you for the first night in resort. Much easier to pick up stuff locally especially if you're coming through around 6pm when they reduce the rotisserie chickens etc. in Moutiers.
I suspect the main difference in our outlook is whether you're a single or a couple. All your comments are referenced as, "our" whereas I'm a single. I'm a reasonably competent cook but inevitably if I'm doing anything other than steak and frites, I'm cooking multiple portions and freezing some for later. Things like Tesco's Finest aisle are 70% aimed at singles and invaluable for the days when I can neither be bothered to cook nor pay restaurant prices for dinner.
I've never walked down a French supermarket aisle thinking, "Ooh, what shall I have? Chinese, Indian, Italian, Greek, French, English?" That kind of choice just doesn't exist pre-cooked to a decent quality. It's usually some variation on duck confit/cassoulet or Italian pasta/pizza and not much else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
We took meat with us for two reasons. Firstly, and accept not case now, it was a lot cheaper to buy in uk. Secondly we often went after Xmas so took leftovers for sarnies during week.
Going after Xmas this year, may risk a few cold cuts and accept get chucked if found.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I normally drive down a chest freezer, full with food for the season. Some things that you can’t get in France, which is all my daughter eats and otherwise lots of meat from Online butchers and lots of large meals that my wife has cooked in advance. We normally have around 20 people staying for half term, so the ability to throw something in the oven a couple of nights in the week makes her life easier. I’m not sure what we’ll do this year, may just risk it, but probably with less than normal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@Timc, @Raceplate, I'm with Tim here, and I live in France ... e.g. Picard's scallops in shells or pastry are really rather good. We don't eat much of ready meals, but keep a few of these in the freezer for contingencies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I was on the 7.40 Dover to Calais ferry this morning. At Calais where the final exit lanes are, there was what looked like a mobile team (with van) of four Customs Officers who appeared at the car lane giving everyone a good look. I was about the eighth car off , mainly brits and no one was stopped in front.
I can’t remember seeing this before at such quiet times and I travel a fair bit outside COVID. I hope they were there on an intelligence led operation rather than to turn out brits. Having done the job myself at Heathrow in the 1970’s, food seizures were the last thing you wanted to do let’s hope the french feel the same.
I did empty the fridge before I left, no one wants to see it go to waste so I had a very small quantity of prohibited diary items. I wasn’t worried given the quantity but I wouldn’t want to take more than this. There are of course quite a few items that you can bring across.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pre brexit we took frozen meals by car to our alpine apartment which made family meals easier after long days on the slopes. Not sure of rules on this now. Assuming that if cooked frozen food contains meat and milk products it is not allowed going into France but would appreciate comments.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ive travelled twice in the last few weeks through Folkestone, and I cant even recall seeing any customs control at all. Certainly no one was being stopped far less even a visible presence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Take whatever makes your life easier-within customs limits* especially if traveling with kids.
We frequently arrive late on a Friday night and the last thing I want to do is go shopping. I want to open wine and crisps and feed tired and whinging husband and kids quickly (oooh hey there fresh filled pasta and sauce). Not dick about with a chicken.
French supermarkets on a sat/sun morning are like scenes from an apocalypse and best avoided.
Use services like Carrefour Drive (a click and collect) to reduce your supermarket hours. Take EVERYTHING you need for babies in terms of nappies, Ellas pouches, calpol etc - the choices are crap in France in comparison.
Have a good drive down.
*no idea what they are.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the technical level you are correct @Stamfordhatter, you can't take any "produxts of animal origin" from the UK to the EU unless you have all the origin/etc paperwork.
On a practical level you're highly unlikely to be stopped and even if you are if it's clearly "personal consumption" quantity reqlly unlikely to face more than having them confiscated.
So your choice - either follow the letter of the law and don't take any, or take it, just not in your best Tuppaware.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
