Can we buy kefir in France?

[Binky Profile]

Kefir is part of our daily diet, but we are going to France for two weeks and will miss it if the shops don't stock it.

Do our ex-pat posters know if it is readily available?

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I’ve never looked for it in France but it’s on the Carrefour supermarket website. Brand name Öing in this case

<can’t get a working link>

Leclerc seem to sell it but call it Laite fermenté

[Pepper Pig Profile]

One of my swimming chums always buys hers in her local Polish shop. (Polish as in Polish people not polish furniture). She says it is much better and cheaper than Waitrose! So you might be in an area where there is one? Maybe?

[Joanbunting Profile]

I've never seen it in this part of France and there isn't a Polish communtiy here either. Mind you, Tofu has only just arrived!

There are quite a lot of bio -organic - shops around thses days so perhaps you could get it there but if not how about taking a starter with you and making your own?

Where are you going?

[Joanbunting Profile]

I've been doing some research ie I knocked on my neighbours door! He is very much into bio foods and is also a veggetarian. He said he has heard about kefir and understands it is very popular but he has never seen it in France.

If in doubt about anything our rules is "ask Francois"

[Binky Profile]

Joan, we are starting in Honfleur, then down to Dinan. After that, who knows? It all depends on the weather, available hotels en route and how I bear up to travel.

I haven't been well (understatement) and this will be our first foreign trip this year. Insurance costs prohibit us from islands and cruises due to the cost of repatriation. Anywhere mainland Europe will probably be OK, and the MacMillan nurses advise going somewhere where you are comfortable with the language. So my schoolgirl French will be polished up, just in case I need a trip to Urgences. We were in Bordeaux/Arcachon last year and my husband fancies trying that area again but we have no firm plan.

[Linnet Profile]

I'm currently in SW France where there is a very mixed population (just within commuting distance to Airbus!), so I had a look when I was in our large local Intermarche this afternoon and found they have as Sue says lait fermenté. It is called 'Yorik' and is by Yoplait, in litre cartons next to the fresh milk and cream, not the UHT, but sorry, I can't remember the price!

[Linnet Profile]

Cross posted with you, Binky! You may be down as far as this, it seems.

[Alexandria Profile]

Binky,

As I am lactose intolerant,
so, I have never noticed, as I
do not eat Yogurt, Kéfir
or icecream, however,
here is a list of the Health Food
shops / organic markets I have
been to in Marseille:


Marseille Health Food Shops:

1) Biocoop Organic Stores

2) Epicure Naturelle

3) L´ Eau Vive

4) Active Dietetique

5) L´ Ardamone @ The Hotel de Ville

Perhaps, Biocoop Organic Stores are located
in other regions of France ( ? ) ..

Have a lovely and safe trip.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Binky.
Why don't you take some - it sounds like you are going in the car?
Kefir will last a while, and you will be able to put it in the minibar. Or ask reception to put it in their fridge - it's not an uncommon request I'd have thought.

Homemade, lasts about 5 days outside the fridge - probably longer. I used to make it with soya milk, so my idea of lasts 5 days may be different with some milks.
Homemade is too messy to travel with though.

I'd be looking in the Turkish/ Latin quarter of towns for it, as I toured around.
And you've made me smile. We've been in France before trying to find TCP. Fat chance.
Spain, witchhazel.
These readily available products are sometimes illusive over there.

Personally.
I'd sub live yoghurt. It's a culture - I'm thinking it's the culture that you really like, Binky.
If I'm ill on holiday, it's the first thing I eat, live (greek) yoghurt, to sort out my tum. That or a whole lemon, skin pith and all.

[Alexandria Profile]

Lidl has a large selection of international products.

The new Lidl in Barcelona has large Eco / Bio
sections and the one in Madrid Capital too.

Might be worth a browse in Lidl.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Nothing remotely similar in our Lidl and I did ask at our big Leclerc this morning but all I got was a garlic shrug.

As Gill and I suggested you could take your own in a chiller bag with an ice block. I have always found hotels more than willing to stor things in fridges and to refreeze ice blocks. They would be even more willing if you explained it was for health reasons - always a big thing for the French!!

[Alexandria Profile]

Binky,

My inlaws are French and
Kéfir is widely available in
Paris at Russian and Eastern
European Shops as well as
Moroccan Markets, and Heath
Food Shops.

1) La Grande Epicurie - Paris ( goat milk Kefir )

2) The Bio Coop Organic Outlets - throughout Paris and Marseille

[MariaK Profile]

Binky
Sorry you’re having such a rough time – poor you.

I’d say you can pretty well forget milk kefir in France. There are lots of references to kefir de fruit (water, kefir granules + a bit of fruit – mostly dried figs & the like for flavour), but not milk. The fruit kefir seems to be the new must-have health food. I googled Polski shops but most of them are in or near Paris and even those don’t always have kefir.

Fermented milk (lait fermenté orBreton lait ribot) is widely available. Lait ribot is very much part of Breton food culture and available in every respectable Crêperie – ideally go for “lait ribot fermier”.e.g

Crêperie la Bigoudène in Dinan
https://www.tourismebretagne.com/offres ... r-1972502/
A la carte, qui change souvent, on trouve des coquilles Saint-Jacques d’Erquy, des moules de Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer, du lait ribot fermier, des cidres artisanaux, …..

I also came across this :
La ferme de la Renaudais, ferme laitière près de Dinan en Bretagne (Côtes d'Armor 22)
http://fermedelarenaudais.fr/

Where to buy their produce – covers quite a bit of Brittany
http://fermedelarenaudais.fr/ou-trouver-nos-produits/

or get in touch – visit the farm .
http://fermedelarenaudais.fr/contact/

They sell pasteurised and unpasteurised unskimmed milk (lait cru) if you want to make your own kefir

Their lait ribot is made with whole warmed milk+ ferment.
http://fermedelarenaudais.fr/savoir-faire/

Binky, hope this helps a bit. If you have any questions I can easily phone them.And do feel free to PM me. We live on the Loire estuary, in Loire Atlantique – the bit that got lopped off Brittany.

Not sure what you like doing, what you’re interested in but if you want any “places to see” tips – just ask. Monsieur is very good at suggesting places off the main tourist track, but to stick to foody matters the Guerande salt sites and some of the restored tidemills along the coast or the Rance valley are worth a visit.

Look after yourself

Marja