French food in the UK

[Neilc]

Anyone got any tips for good places to buy french food in the UK. I often get french cheese at Borough market the guy selling comte is particularly good, Also get cheese at La Fromargerie in Islington which is good. I'd love to find someone who sold jambon de Vendee and those three packs of 70% chocolat at such cheap prices. Anyway give us your top spots for french foods in the UK

[Will]

LAST EDITED ON 05-Aug-04 AT 08:37 PM (BST)

I feel a bit of a fraud trying to answer this question as I live in France and quite enjoy the frequent UK visits because there's much more variety in food (French food is lovely, and although the locals manage fine it does get a bit boring just eating what's in season).

However when in England I often seem to come across a French market somewhere - regular ones are at Gun Wharf Quays in Portsmouth (well worth a visit before catching the ferry) and Horsham, in Sussex (where our maison secondaire is situated). I'm sorry to say I usually buy something. There are always stalls selling French cheeses, hams, saucisses, even fresh bread and croissants (it seems a bit superfluous, because Horsham has a wonderful cheese shop and one of the most authentic French restaurants outside France). Oddly, the stallholders never bat an eyelid when I speak to them in French, though maybe that's because my French is typically English - i.e. vache espagnole (now I'm hopelessly confused too).

Will (50)
Forum moderator

[BruceR]

We have a French market that tours Surrey twice a year calls at Guildford, Godalming, Cranleigh etc. Bread is fine, pate is a rip off and an ok fromager. Waitrose seems to be a good place for French cheese though it depends on volume and the manager at a particular branch.
As a digression has anyone else experienced the Beaufort from the Fromager by Place Dalton Boulogne and Le Touquet market???

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

There used to be a good cheese shop near Reading, but that was years ago - I've not been in that direction for years. I think it was at Streetly??!! I think they did mail order.

Jill (99)