What food can I take to France?

[andyinluton]

Why was the steering wheel swabbed?

The swab is for explosives or so we were told by the chap who did it last year.
Last couple of trips it’s been every single vehicle that’s been swabbed.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

So the moral of the story is... if you are going to take recreational drugs always wear gloves and don’t touch your steering wheel.

Haha - It might potentially trigger a full search; They can probably dismantle a Cali quicker than any salvage yard & will know about the ‘hidden’ compartment behind the sliding door table!

The often bored looking customs official has alot of power and can interfere with travel plans with one call on his radio.

Hence always best to be polite, they are only doing their job.

 

[dazcleveland]

We travelled across on the Eurotunnel in October last year and followed the rules re: no dairy, fresh veg, meat etc and nobody asked or checked - wish we had taken some because everything is more expensive in the Alps! In fact, they were barely interested in checking our Covid vaccination certificates! French official asked if we had them and we handed paper copies across for them to scan the QR codes but they just waved us through! Like others have said, they don't have the time or resources to check everyone but be prepared you might just be the unlucky one who gets their food stuff confiscated!!

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Haha - It might potentially trigger a full search; They can probably dismantle a Cali quicker than any salvage yard & will know about the ‘hidden’ compartment behind the sliding door table!

The often bored looking customs official has alot of power and can interfere with travel plans with one call on his radio.

Hence always best to be polite, they are only doing their job.

I can’t remember saying anything about not being polite. If they are going to search everyone I will make my way down to the ferry now in time for my September sailing.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

I can’t remember saying anything about not being polite. If they are going to search everyone I will make my way down to the ferry now in time for my September sailing.

Sorry - was a general comment not aimed at you personally.

If people just follow the rules and avoid smuggling (whether it be food, booze, cigs, people, drugs, firearms, exotic animal parts, used banknotes, etc) then the queues will flow alot faster for all.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Sorry - was a general comment not aimed at you personally.

If people just follow the rules and avoid smuggling (whether it be food, booze, cigs, people, drugs, firearms, exotic animal parts, used banknotes, etc) then the queues will flow alot faster for all.

Think I will take my chances with a tin of spam and bottle of milk. For 50 years it’s been no problem.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Yes it occurred to me that the French authorities had no facilities to search that I could see. They only seemed bothered about vaccinations. There didn’t seem to be a pullover area.

The bit where they pulled us over, asked if everything in the van was ours, checked gas and swabbed steering wheel seemed to be mainly about security and safety and staffed/run by Brits. All in the ‘no man’s land’ just before you get to the French douniers and technically enter France. I guess it’s our responsibility on Folkstone side?

I’m not sure if we’ll take food with us next time. I pulled out lots of stuff that had milk as an ingredient. I doubt I’ll worry about that next time.

 

[B J G]

Bit of off track thinking about coming back to UK.

Personal use for EU sourced item has no obvious restrictions.

Should travel/purchase be made outside the EU then > (in practice/theory you wouldn't get into the EU with these on the way back)

From countries outside the EU​

If you’re bringing food from a country outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, the following rules apply.

You cannot bring in:

• meat or meat products
• milk or milk-based products, except powdered infant milk, infant food or special food (including pet food) needed for medical reasons

You can bring in up to 2kg per person of:

• honey
• powdered infant milk, infant food, or special food (including pet food) needed for medical reasons - you can only bring it in if it does not need to be refrigerated before use, and is in branded, unopened packaging (unless in current use)
• shellfish, such as mussels or oysters
• snails - these must be preserved or shelled, cooked and prepared
• frogs’ legs - these must be the back (hind) part of the frog with the skin and internal organs removed
• insect meat

You can bring in up to 20kg per person in total of fish, including:

• fresh fish - must be gutted
• fish products
• processed fish - must be dried, cooked, cured or smoked
• lobsters
• prawns

You cannot bring in caviar that’s from certain protected species, such as salmon caviar.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Bit of off track thinking about coming back to UK.

Personal use for EU sourced item has no obvious restrictions.

Should travel/purchase be made outside the EU then > (in practice/theory you wouldn't get into the EU with these on the way back)

From countries outside the EU​

If you’re bringing food from a country outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, the following rules apply.

You cannot bring in:

• meat or meat products
• milk or milk-based products, except powdered infant milk, infant food or special food (including pet food) needed for medical reasons

You can bring in up to 2kg per person of:

• honey
• powdered infant milk, infant food, or special food (including pet food) needed for medical reasons - you can only bring it in if it does not need to be refrigerated before use, and is in branded, unopened packaging (unless in current use)
• shellfish, such as mussels or oysters
• snails - these must be preserved or shelled, cooked and prepared
• frogs’ legs - these must be the back (hind) part of the frog with the skin and internal organs removed
• insect meat

You can bring in up to 20kg per person in total of fish, including:

• fresh fish - must be gutted
• fish products
• processed fish - must be dried, cooked, cured or smoked
• lobsters
• prawns

You cannot bring in caviar that’s from certain protected species, such as salmon

Nobody mentions any fruit or vegetables. I know early on you were banned from exporting any fruit and veg, does this still apply I wonder?

 

[andyinluton]

Rather than that long list above - its far easier to just go by the paragraph above it on the .Gov site:



From the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland
You can bring in the following for personal use:

meat
dairy
fish
other animal products - for example, eggs and honey
You cannot bring in food from other countries on a connecting flight.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Just take whatever you want…
If they find the time to check and discover a rotten apple, it will go in the bin and you will be on your way.

Seems like a lot of unnecessary worrying. I bet you fit headlight deflectors too…

 

[WelshGas]

Just take whatever you want…
If they find the time to check and discover a rotten apple, it will go in the bin and you will be on your way.

Seems like a lot of unnecessary worrying. I bet you fit headlight deflectors too…

Always.

 

[B J G]

Nobody mentions any fruit or vegetables. I know early on you were banned from exporting any fruit and veg, does this still apply I wonder?

Most regulations relate to commercial quantities but you never know when a 'purge' will be on for anything in particular.

I'm adopting the take essentials for a day or two and anything else on a does it warrant the risk basis.
It's down to you as to what you carry across the Border.

An example of how uncertain checks can be

After decades of Caravan Ferry crossings I once had a check in the caravan when I was asked "any guns, knives or dangerous weapons?" to which I replied that I had a cutlery drawer full of the usual kitchen knives etc. Reply was "Oh that doesn't count".

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Most regulations relate to commercial quantities but you never know when a 'purge' will be on for anything in particular.

I'm adopting the take essentials for a day or two and anything else on a does it warrant the risk basis.
It's down to you as to what you carry across the Border.

An example of how uncertain checks can be

After decades of Caravan Ferry crossings I once had a check in the caravan when I was asked "any guns, knives or dangerous weapons?" to which I replied that I had a cutlery drawer full of the usual kitchen knives etc. Reply was "Oh that doesn't count".

The knives question they ask everyone with a motorhome, caravan and campervan and they get the same reply “I’ve got a draw Full” ... ok on your way mate..

 

[orbital]

Not being able to take dog food that is meat based is a pain.

Time for your dog to become vegan then!

 

[orbital]

A lot of these rules are there for valid reasons eg. stopping the transmission of disease, introduction of novel pests etc. Also, this thread may well trigger a greater ‘interest’ in campers by customs agents. The internet is trawled by the border authorities in most countries with the capability to do so!

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Time for your dog to become vegan then!

Mine would eat me instead!

 

[Ozzy Pete]

A lot of these rules are there for valid reasons eg. stopping the transmission of disease, introduction of novel pests etc. Also, this thread may well trigger a greater ‘interest’ in campers by customs agents. The internet is trawled by the border authorities in most countries with the capability to do so!

So all of a sudden after 50 years Brits are to start transmitting deadly diseases and bring in pests? What a load of rubbish. We are being made to pay because we left the club it’s as simple as that.

 

[Wesel]

In French there is an expression that says you can't have the butter, the money for the butter, and the smile of the creamer

 

[B J G]

The knives question they ask everyone with a motorhome, caravan and campervan and they get the same reply “I’ve got a draw Full” ... ok on your way mate..

To clarify why I put the comment --There are Laws and regulations that you are supposed to comply with but they aren't always enforced, the food one seems to be in that category of not guaranteed.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

I will just say that if you are the customs inspector that is reading these posts on this forum and many thousands of posts on hundreds of other forums , good luck to you matey you are going to earn your wages......See you at the docks in Dover. Or Portsmouth or Plymouth or Santander or Bilbao or Caen.........

 

[Lambeth Cali]

And of course, we ended up bringing half of it home.
As usual

 

[Ozzy Pete]

And of course, we ended up bringing half of it home.
As usual

I’ve had packs of bacon that have had lovely holidays in France and Spain.

 

[calibusje]

Your cider and compare with theirs; should be interesting.

 

[Wesel]

Your cider and compare with theirs; should be interesting.

It can be interesting, but I find that these are 2 different things.
When I was young ........ my English friends introduced me to "stout and cider". Half a pint of stout and half a pint of cider. Very good memories!
Is this still done?