Hi Teresa,
We are coming in 4 weeks and as we are flying out it’s a nightmare trying to squash teabags and books etc in the suitcases!! If you have any room for any extra tubs of white paint let me know!!!
Good luck with the move.
Gill
kidnap your local curry house chef and keep him chained in the barn as its the only way you will get a decent one …I did and he loves it out here now he cried for the first year but he was OK after that …seriously get a book called the curry secret by kris dhillon its the nearest you will get to a proper curry as all the French curry houses serve a bit of a spicy heinz lentil soup and call that curry…not good
? and you wonder why cats feel so superior to dogs!
our dog is not allowed on the bed either, but stupid as he is, on occasion he manages to open the door…
Nothing to be ashamed about… aren’t you moving down here to increase ‘creature comforts’, after all? Just make sure it’s packed.
Here it’s the cat that has figured out where the ‘hot spot’ is… the dog (Labrador) is not allowed on the bed.
CJ
June, thanks for such a well-thought reply! I’ve just about got it down now to Paint, Marmite and Paracetamol. Everything else we can live without and adapt - except sausages… So once we’re settled i’m officially “getting pigs”… i’ve been looking into sausages casings and they have a great shelf life so i may pack some too…
wish me luck if the lorry gets stopped and searched!
Christian, I’m ashamed to say we got one for xmas - our drafty sussex cottage has been snowed in 3 times in the last year… we got one with dual controls too… a near life-changing product, and the dog is pretty chuffed too xt
Paint, paint, paint along with two Versailles tubs that would look great outside my garage door, plus a small stone garden statue.
Other than that on gets by.
Nicola
The fresh milk outside our supermarket is 'Lait Cru" so presumable not pasturised or sterilized in any way - worth looking into if feeding to children.
If you have a Leaderprice near you, they sell Porridge oats for just over half the price of Le Clerc, so I wouldn’t bother with them, I pay about 80 cents a box.
I would also keep an eye out for Lidl - they have special products, Every few months they have oriental foods, so great for Noodles, sweet & sour sauce etc. Also have Mexican, ( Tortilla kits are expensive in the supermarket (€5) but only about €2 in Lidl ) American ( Bagles, ) and English ( Baked Beans - not like Heinz but almost as good and only 70 cents, Salt & Vinegar Crisps, Millionairs shortbread and Bakewell Tarts!) You can see their offers on their website.
As for stuff to pack - Yes Marmite small jars here are the same as large jars in the UK, Creme Eggs - in fact any cadbury except fingers and animals. Definately Paracetamol and Codeine tablets if you use them €4.95 for 12 only from the pharmacy.
Paint also - We have mainly plaster walls and I want to paint some furniture - I am looking at Chalk type paint and it is cheaper for me to order and have it sent from UK than to buy here.
Normal Muesli is hard to find, the french love their Granola type. Also any breakfast cereal that is not either covered in sugar or chocolate flavoured.
Horseradish and Tartar sauces are not readily available. Mint sauce is in our supermarket.
Hot chillis are few and far between too, so some lazy chilli would be a good option - Also Chili Powder.
Can’t think of anything else at the moment - I have just given MIL a list as she is over next weekend so I have been thinking about this for a few weeks!
We are not exactly in downtown Lyon
Prices were from Ecomarché/Carrefour Market which are 8/12 kms away
Perhaps it’s your side of the country that is expensive , too many expats perhaps ? We only have 1 or 2 families per village.
Teresa,
I don’t know the heating arrangements in your new abode, but I would suggest bringing an electric blanket.
This may seem like an odd suggestion for the South of France, but…
- it can get pretty cold in the winter, and there’s nothing more pleasing than to put your cold feet into a warm bed at night:
- they are near-unobtainable here in France - we got ours via mail-order in the end - and IIRC they’re cheaper in the UK.
CJ
Bargain, bizarre that fresh milk is so expensive out in the sticks, you’d expect it to be cheaper, definitely going to check out the dairy cooperative!
I am 50 kms NW of Lyon
I think the fresh milk in the machines costs 1€, 1L of milk from inside the supermarket is 80c.
I do buy it for us but here fresh milk is 1.28€ a litre whereas the UHT stuff is 59centimes and 2 adults and 2 kids get through a lot of the white stuff. Part of the reason I switched the kids to UHT was I didn’t want them to be different to their friends and now they actually prefer UHT and wont drink fresh.
The fresh milk dispensers sound great though, how much does it cost and where are you? I actually spotted a cooperative dairy last week (next to the cooperative wine place) and am going to go in and check it out as it has a door for ‘vente aux particulars’
Well I think you’ll find they do in the UK job market - they’re just not so overt about it. Anyway - what’s wrong with being jolly & middle class? That sounds a bit of an ism to me!
Why do you not buy fresh milk then ?
It does seem to be making a come back round us, there are fresh milk dispensers (in twee wooden sheds) springing up in front of the supermarkets so you can get fresh milk 24/24.
Yes, saw a brief preview of a comedy show last night. A young comedian was poking fun at employers who look through CVs:
Mohammad? Arab (bin)
Aishia? Arab (bin)
Jean-François? haha, you nearly had me… handicapped (bin)
etc.
similar for anyone over 50 and anyone under 30.
I put THE most bizarre things in my quiches and they always work!
Last night’s effort included radishes and slightly rancid raclette cheese 
I got chickens for Valentines day a couple of years ago…!
i’m so ashamed… this is what he’s got lined up for my “moving to france” present… i’m getting the chickens for my birthday. who said romance was dead?
So true! Pastry and lardons - couple of eggs and you’ve got a great quiche!