First, what do you like to buy when you are in these regions?

Second, what's the latest practical approach to getting things you bought onto planes for the trip back? Specifically wine and other delicacies? Cans and jars I assume are best into checked luggage as long as you're not over the weight limit. I can imagine tossing (or shipping) all my clothes in favor of more valuable booty.

When I was in Paris two years ago I brought a small insulated pouch with me -- which ended up being quite handy for day trips and also for shopping at local markets while I was out and about. I was staying in an apartment and for the trip back I bought two blocks of french butter (yum!!) and froze them. Packed a variety of cheeses into my pouch with the frozen butter and put it in my checked luggage. Still frozen when I got home. Success!

Is there a good way to bring wine back on a plane???? I'll be headed back to the US.

I wrap wine and olive oil in bubble wrap and wrap some of my clothing around them. Put it in the middle of my checked luggage so they're protected on all sides.

Like Joannyc I pack bottles and jars in bubble wrap and also wrap in clothing. Always hoping that my suitcase won't come across some stressed out airport employee . Also, when I travel, I bring some tupperware with me. I usually put things that might smash up in the suitcase such as boxes of cookies, chocolates, etc. Tupperware is light and it keeps things in place.

I use these flexible wine shaped plastic bags that are bubble wrap lined and have a very durable exterior and adhesive closure strips at the top. You don't need scissors or tape and I have used them over and over for several years. I just put them in between clothes in the center of my suitcase. They are called wine skins and you can get them online. If you don't buy wine, they are still great for housing confiture, honey, must and and other items in glass or breakable containers...I just use tissue between the items and stack them inside the wine skin.

I like the colorful Basque linens. No problem packing them.

How much wine are you bringing back? You can find cardboard cartons that will hold anywhere from 3 to 6 bottles at some wine shops.
Bubble wrap is good, but I would put cardboard around the whole thing to stabilize the neck of the bottle more securely. You can ask for free cardboard boxes at supermarkets and restaurants. Use more tape than you need.

Remember to check what is and what isn't allowed in the canned or jarred products you intend to bring home. You wouldn't want them to be confiscated when your bags are X-Ray'd.

Anything that is put in checked luggage will remain close to the freezing point during the flight. If you have a long layover, it's a good idea to freeze anything that might melt and keep it in an insulated container. Don't freeze the cheese - you'll kill it!!!

I also buy Basque linens and my favorites are from a shop in Saré

You can carry cheese in your carry-on. No problem.

We bring canned goods (bonito del norte, sandines, etc.) when we get a good price savings, as well as pâtés and foie gras. And Alubia de Tolosa are worth the extra weight, as are Asturian green beans.

Wine can be difficult, unless packed in a temperature controlled container. If we want to bring some home, which we don't do very often any more because of the availability, we have it shipped. A number of bodegas will ship the wine for you, or you can check with UPS.

Thanks, all, for thoughtful replies.

Linens are on definitely on my list for this trip, and I would love to hear anyone's favorite shops!

This is the most gastronomy-focussed trip I have ever planned, and it has my attention and imagination running wild. I can (and will) collect beans, canned goods and chocolate along the way, but the last three days in Toulouse (sat-sun-mon) will be where I pick up any cheese jamón etc for my insulated container (which I am planning to maximize). Robert2016, do you have favorite shops or markets in Toulouse? I'm sure I'll explore Marché Victor Hugo and, even though I am up against the sunday/monday dilemma, I won't be completely without options.

Have been kicking around the wine question especially, with three distinct wine areas to explore. Last trip I bought two bottles from a tour and while I hated the idea of them bouncing around in my luggage, I did enjoy them greatly as a reminder of the trip. I suspect I will want a couple bottles from the ADOS where I am staying, but now that you mention it shipping would surely be the better option. Now that I think of it, I should check with a wineshop here at home before I go to see the best way to go about that. I know just the place. Super!!

It can cost a small fortune to ship wine back to the USA. You also need to know whether your state allows importation.

I don't have to ship or lug anything back to the USA anymore, thankfully, but things that I buy in France and used to take home included pâtés and rillettes; honeys; mustards; condiments of all kinds like truffle mayonnaise and wild bear garlic paste; small bottles of unusual liqueurs like walnut, peach, fig, plum, chocolate-pear; truffle oil, hazelnut oil, and walnut oil; chocolate-dusted walnuts; flavored vinegars; essential oils; Caudalie and Yves-Rocher beauty products; small kitchen implements....you name it. I also haunted (and still do) vide-greniers for amazing finds on old hardware like door knockers, porceleine wall hooks, small framed pictures, door handles, etc.

From Spain and the Basque Country, I brought back espadrilles, pareos, hammocks, piment d'espelette, saffron, tinned salt cod, sardines, anchovies, jars of sauce for poulet basquaise, and linens mostly. We'll be in Spain again in a few weeks and will be looking for more interesting finds.

Generally, the cost of shipping wine from the Rioja back to the USA is around 12€/bottle, so select something that is not available back home if you want to send a few bottles. What we ship home is well worth the money.

I usually have a folding duffle bag in the bottom of my suitcase and then I fill that with my purchases and carry it on. I'd rather loose my dirty clothes than my new stuff.

I have not been to Spain but when in Paris I get linens at Galeries Lafayette and Bouchera which is right across the street.

I find scarves all over the place and always buy some, various prices from very inexpensive to pretty pricey. I can certainly buy scarves at home, but Paris has them every where, just much more choice.

Maille mustards, always looking for something new, clothes for So's grand kids and my grand niece and nephew at Monoprix. Reasonable prices and really cute clothes.

I love the food courts and hit several and get seasoned salt, sea salt, jams and just about anything that I fancy.

I have several paintings from street markets, some reproduction posters, reproduction etchings. Those things are cheap and are at just about any souvenir store and there are plenty of those.

Robert2016, you are a great wealth of information. I'm closer to StCirq on thinking that would add up to something pretty astronomical for me and my wine knowledge. I may still check with my favorite Capitall Hill wineshop to see if they could facilitate something for me

StCriq, that's a very very good list.

crefloors, yours too, and i was forgetting about scarves. Fleur de sel is top of my list, and already an early request from a gal pal. Too bad I don't layover in Paris long enough to get to La Grande Épicerie. Their little shopping totes are fantastic travel gifts.

Lots of great tips here:


http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...from-spain.cfm

ekscrunchy, what a fantastic resource! Thank you for linking it here. I will be going back through a few more times, with side-trips into the other links (especially grateful for the links to the various jamon discussions)

Another idea to safely pack wine/olive oil bottles, etc. is the bring along inflatable swimming wings that the kids use.

Spanish almonds!

Pimenton de la Vera -- smoked paprika, but only from this region. You can get it in small cans for about 1.5 euros, it comes in sweet, sweet&sour, and spicy. My son in law puts it on popcorn and uses up a can in no time. I also am a fan of the local dried beans, I find in some towns -- some from Gredos, Puebla de Sanabria has a lot, Galicia has some. Just ask someone in a shop which beans are from the region if you like them. Even beans as common as garbanzos and white beans have an amazing variety in Spain.

remember you can't take containers with fluids in excess of 100ml into the plane with you.

so bottles of wine, oil, vinegar etc have to go in your checked luggage in the hold.

we bought back some risotto rice from Valencia and it was delicious.

For ease of clearing Customs, be aware that you must declare any and all foodstuffs. Then you'll need to go through the agricultural inspection, separate from the rest of Customs; sometimes it can take quite a while. We've learned to put foods into a separate suitcase for inspection if the x-rays turn up something questionable.