Gifts for french family

shadej

If this is in the wrong place please feel free to move it, thanks.

My son and I are off to Provence in France on Saturday to spend a few nights with a
french family. We got in contact with them through a hospitality site where people offer
to host others from around the world, by giving them bed and showing them around town. We have hosted many people from around the world and they often bring us gifts. This will be my first time being hosted and I would like to bring a gift that is truly english that the whole family can enjoy. A friend suggested english tea, which I will bring. I just want something else that they can all use.

Any suggestions?

They are a couple with 4 kids aged 8,9,11 and 12

robpw2

not cheese or chocolates or wine . lol i know peeps that have done that,
how about a plant, or a guide book to somewhere famous in england

Horace

A game of monopoly - a traditionally English game that everyone can play.

Some nice biscuits - scottish shortbreads perhaps.

some English wine or better still some perry (pear cider).

Hope you have a fab time.

robpw2

Ok tea - i dont know many french people who drink tea,
Wine is a no no even english wine , i mean they are one of the great wine producing countrys giving them a bottle of wine from here would be so wrong.

Biscuits is a good idea,- but check to see if you can take them over there
Monoply - they have this in france so would defeat the object

robpw2

You want to find something that they can not get in france,
So maybe some great british souvenirs, A photo of you guys outside each one would make it that bit more special .

shadej

My husband suggested Monopoly, but I thought it might be hard for there children who understand little english. I didn't know they have french Monopoly.
I had no idea England made wine, why?
Shortbread is yummy so I will take that, thanks.

shadej

We were at the south bank last night and took some photos by the London Eye, so thats handy.

maman

I have many French friends and whisky is always a popular gift. Also custard and things like horseradish or mint sauce.

robpw2

well you can call it wine ....... http://www.beechesvineyard.com/?gclid=CKLa1cn-k5cCFc0a3godFzNVJA
this is one uk vineyard .

But as i say it i feel it would be slightly innapropriate to give it as a gift in this instance.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/106404
this is the french monoply that i know of

you could take something like lace, or royal daulton they are quite good gifts

shadej

I must try this English wine, but I agree, its not right to take it to somewhere that already produces great wine. Thanks for the links.

BillScarab

Why is English Wine inappropriate? It's been produced in England since Roman times. If they like wine they may aprreciate trying something differrent. The same with cheese really, France is a great cheese producing and consuming nation but there are more varieties produced in Britain so take them something they may never have tried.

Would you be offended if someone from France gave you Brie or Camembert?

Personally I would take proper English beers as they are very different to the sort of beer produced in France.