With the foot and mouth outbreaks in 2007 and 2011 there were severe restrictions put in place. This has always been possible under EU rules.
You make a very reasonable point.
This isn’t an area I’ve researched, but my expectations would be that free movement of goods trumped border security for disease except where there was a known and identified outbreak. There was always a risk, primarily for British farmers, although it could work in the opposite direction too, of shipping diseased produce. In this instance Brexit may have actually enabled taking control of borders in a meaningful and useful way, but no-one is taking about the real benefit.
It’s not necessarily that the threat is different just that, before Brexit, the UK was in the club and trusted and that’s no longer the case. The UK is just being subject to the same rules as any other 3rd country. Actions have consequences.
I absolutely love bacon!
I was fortunate to find this in Le Clerc, and it’s really good!
I like my bacon crispy and this works really well in an air fryer. This bacon on a tradicion baguette is as good as anything at home.
I have not had any look finding any pork and apple sausages though.
I agree with you Robert, the bacon / gammon can be cooked nice and crisp just like any UK/Danish bacon for a good sandwich. Surely Denmark can ship to France…
The only problem is the poor sausage issue - British butchers bangers rule.
Don’t get me started on ribeye steak Vs ‘entrecote’ which is total fairy talk - eat a ribeye in the USA or UK and it’s not full of rubber sinew, thin fast cooked beef rib steak is crap, no time for the fats to melt and transform. Most ‘entrecote’ steaks seem to come from cows that ate Dunlop tyres for breakfast.
T Bone however - can’t be argued with, they are fine, because you can see exactly what part of the animal it came from
Get a 2kg T bone and cook it from room temp - the same anywhere in the world.
I’m afraid I can’t offer any useful legal advice, but I fully support your noble quest to keep the French supplied with proper British bacon and Cumberland bangers.
If the customs officials do stop you, just tell them it’s strictly medicinal and you’re suffering from a severe bout of homesickness.
Good luck with the grandkids — and the smuggling operation!
Is that because unlike French ones they’re usually about 20% non-meat additives -rusks, breadcrumbs whatever?
Some of that industrially produced pork where the pigs spend their lives in stalls and the bacon is cured with automatic brine injections…
But that’s what gives it the texture and flavour? (Sausage issue reply) the UK banger never sold itself as 100% pork as that’s not mixture/ product?
So are are you saying French bangers are 100% pure pork/hooves/teeth? If so why are there so many variations and colours / sizes in the supermarche?
interesting you avoided the rib eye query, maybe you agree but wouldn’t admit it ![]()
Well, I don’t think bread crumbs contribute to the flavour and butchers use different bits and techniques for different charcuterie products. I never buy meat from supermarkets, we get all our pork charcuterie from local farms where the the pigs are able to live outdoors.
Re the ribeye, it’s nearly seven years since I was last in the UK, so I really wouldn’t know. All I can say is that our beef is from the Cantal, and our butcher chooses his animals on the farm then hangs the steak for longer than is normal in France. He also makes a fine beef saucisson that has a flavour similar to beef biltong.
However, we might agree on British lamb being superior and French pork chops often being too cut thin…
You may be missing something then. The butcher counter at both our local Carrefour and Spa supermarkets are a concession to local butchers and the locally sourced meat is excellent. By contrast, the meat in our local Aldi is dire.
Somehow, I don’t think so, our butcher is third generation ‘nose to tail’, the local Cantal/Aubrac beef and veal is superb, and perhaps more importantly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any porc fermier meat or charcuterie in a supermarché.
OTOH, we’re a long way from the Med and our Intermarché’s fish is OK.
20% ? And the rest …
You are so lucky. We had a brilliant butcher who understood exactly what cuts of meat I liked and was full of useful advice. Unfortunately he retired.
One day I waited behind an old lady who spent a long time choosing a sausage and small piece of meat. Then she asked for some bones for the dog which arrived in a big bag. She carefully counted out some coins to pay and left.
When it was my turn to order, the butcher nodded towards the door and said “she hasn’t got a dog”
Our butcher’s beef is the same price as the supermarket, and much superior. It’s a delight to watch him carefully trim it (doubtless the bits go for merguez).
Same with us at Colruyt - local butcher and much local meat. As good as, if not better, than local butcher.
I go to SE UK by car from the middle of France, where I live, every month or two for a few days. I have to get my UK fix as for me, and my interests, French life can be quite dull! I always take a cool box and bring back packs of pork sausages, occasionally bacon and some pork pies. M&S comes in handy sometimes too especially for the fabulous sarnies which I munch en route back! Oh and I stock up on PG Tips also!
That’s ridiculous.. so it was ok before Brexit then?
No, not when there were outbreaks. Go and talk to some farmers about the devastation of having to cull a herd because some dimwit did something stupid.
I’ve never understood culling because it seems to me we never find the resistant genetic pool that way.

