Before Brexit, it was routine for expat Brits in France to buy the fixtures and fittings for any new kitchens and bathrooms they had in mind from the UK rather than from local suppliers. B&Q and Homebase were, they claimed, miles cheaper than their French equivalents. The fact that they might have to drive an additional 500 miles and meet the cost of a car and trailer both ways on Brittany Ferries was, literally, a matter of no account.