Taste your way through France, a foodie’s heaven
France’s reputation for cuisine precedes it, and for good reason. Spend even a few days here and you’ll understand exactly why chefs all over the world still look to French kitchens for inspiration.
We can’t fit everything we’d like to tell you about French food and drink onto one page. Instead, these are our top local tips, introducing you to how the locals like to eat.
North meets south
Paris and the north have a cooler climate, so they lean into butter, cream, and slow-cooked comfort. Think steak frites, coq au vin, and onion soup thick with melted cheese. Perfect for long lunches spent in bustling bistros.
Head south, and you’ll notice changes on your plate. Olive oil replaces butter. Tomatoes, garlic, and herbes de Provence take over. In the Camargue, the black bulls and paddy fields combine to create gardiane de taureau – a rich beef stew served with steaming rice.
As you reach the Riviera coast, onion soup gives way to bouillabaisse: a saffron-gold stew packed with the day's catch. Instead of steak, order the moules frites here, the mussels steamed in garlic and white wine until they crack open.
So many dishes, so little time
Despite so many French dishes being considered classics, you’ll be astonished by the variety of menus offered all over the country. Ask 10 French chefs for a recipe, and you'll likely get 10 regional variations.
Wherever you’re staying during your trip, order whatever dish the region is known for. The produce will be fresh and locally sourced, the recipe handed down through generations. You can’t go wrong.
Indulge in the cheese course
France produces over 1,000 varieties cheeses, and locals will happily argue that that number is too low. Order the cheese board after your main meal – it's not a replacement for dessert, but a delicious break between the two standard courses.
In Paris, and Brie de Meaux takes centre stage, soft, rich, and best eaten at room temperature. In Provence, look out for Banon, wrapped in chestnut leaves and tied with raffia. And along the Riviera, goat's cheese turns up in salads, drizzled with local honey.
One rule the French prefer to abide: pair each cheese with bread, not crackers, and enjoy them at room temperature. Cold cheese is a missed opportunity. And if you're unsure which to try? Ask what's made nearby.
Raise a glass
France is wine, wine is France. Just like with regional food, ask your waiter which bottles come from local vineyards – that way, you’ll taste depths of flavours from the surrounding landscape with each sip.
Some of the most famous French wines come from come from the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, and, of course, Champagne. But each département has its own preferences, and the locals will often recommend different tipples depending on the time of year.
Coffee and a sweet treat
We can’t talk about French food and drink without mentioning café culture. Pausing for a piping hot espresso (or café au lait, milkier but still strong) with a pastry is practically a religion in France – you'll want to make it part of your daily routine while you’re here.
Locals also buy their pastries fresh from boulangeries, where you usually don’t stop to sit. The smells wafting from their doors will draw you in from the street – great ovens baking rounds and rounds of golden croissants from early morning until afternoon.
