Vegan in France

[smallscreenvideo.com]

Are there any vegans out there?

My girfriend and I are both vegan - no meat (including fish, which is still a meat!), dairy, egg, honey, or any other products derived from animals.

At the moment we're relying on imports from the UK, but would like to buy French where possible.

Even basics like breads may not be vegan (cooked in animal fats, ovens are rumoured to be coated in fats - is there any truth to this?!) and dairy products may be added to the dough, and eggs used in some products.

Our main problem is the listing on food packaging ingredients of "aromes" - even if a product appears to be vegan, these flavourings may contain animal products.

So far all we've found (other than raw ingredients) is Bjorg green vegetable soup and Bjorg tofu, and Gerble mushroom/grain cutlets.

I've been in touch with Gerble foods, who sent an interesting booklet which completely failed to answer my question as to which of their products are suitable for vegans. Does anyone have a list from any other food manufacturer?

Many thanks

Anthony

[tmto]

There's a vegan shop and restaurant in Marseille called Country Life, it's probably in the yellow pages. I think the owners and most of the clientele are foreigners though so I doubt you'll be able to buy many actual vegan French products if that's what you're after. The chef is French, but he's not a vegan; I often bump into him in the brasserie next door eating a steak.

[Viv]

 http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/638507/ShowPost.aspx

If you can plough through the websites listed on the above thread, many of them sell vegan products by mail order.

 

[KathyC]

Surely if you buy fresh ingredients and avoid processed foods you will be able to not only buy French goods, but shop locally,save money and eat more healthily. I hope that this doesn't sound critical as it was not meant to be.

[suein56]

Hi

I am vegetarian and find the nearest bio shop to be the most helpful. I don't know where you are but bio shops generally come under 'diététique' in the yellow pages, then under 'produits biologiques, naturels et de regime' Obviously everything for sale is organic, but the food is all carefully and copiously labelled with ingredients etc. Their own packaged products are usually the most reasonable but generally there is a good range of branded products too. Advice is freely available if you have any doubts.

Sue