22 Foods to Eat in France

France is one of the most influential culinary destinations in the world. The country’s whole culinary repertoire, from the infamous croissant to ratatouille, has helped shape the way people cook around the world. Meals and foods in France are precious to their culture, making it that much more important to understand when you’re partaking in a dining experience there.

The regions in France vary as much as their foods. Some of the coastal areas focus on seafood, while Paris serves many of the dishes we think of as quintessential French food. Think roasted chicken, meats and cheese, baguette sandwiches, and long lunches with a glass of red wine.

While you likely won’t be able to cover every food item on this list, it’s a good guide of the general foods to eat in France while you’re there. Picture yourself sipping red wine on the terrace of a traditional French bistro, grabbing a pain au chocolat as a midday snack, or slurping down a snail (escargot, if you will) at a bouillon. Whatever your choices are while visiting France, you will be delighted.

I do want to mention Lyon, as many (especially the people who live in Lyon) consider it the culinary or food capital of the country. The city is known for its traditional restaurants called bouchons, where you can try local fare. Pair it with some red wine and you’ve got yourself some authentic French cuisine you won’t find anywhere else.

When you’re heading to France, expect to spend much longer at a meal than most other places. They leave you alone to enjoy your meal, making it a much calmer and more enjoyable experience, if you let it be so. Remember that this is the way the French do things, and since you are in France, it’s good to do as the French do. Don’t rush your meal times, and definitely don’t snap at your waiter.

Something to remember when choosing a place to eat is that some of the smaller bistros with less offerings on a menu can be some of the best experiences. “Go where the locals go” is a good rule of thumb anywhere, and especially in France. Look for hand-written menus with 10 items on it rather than tourist-filled spots near main attractions that have pages of options. You might just discover your favorite dish you have while visiting comes from the most unsuspecting eatery.

If you are visiting, this guide to foods to eat in France will help you know how to order some classic dishes, and give you some confidence to know what you’re ordering. Get adventurous. We’re eating in France!

Classic (French) Onion Soup

Regional Diversity

Each region in France has its own specialty, making it one country with many options. If you’re in Alsace, you’ll get typical Alsatian food. In Provence you’ll discover a more similar Mediterranean style. Burgundy has its wine-based sauce dishes. While France is one country, it has many different specialties of dishes.

Classic Cooking Techniques

Regardless of where a chef lands, many times he or she learned with a French “tutor.” France’s style of cooking has inspired anyone from Gordon Ramsey to Julia Childs. Learning how to sauté, braise, and create sauce reduction is all French, and important to dishes all over the world. Thanks to these techniques, you can have the simplest ingredients taste the most flavorful. Take French onion soup. Who would’ve thought onions could be so amazing?

Focus on High Quality Ingredients

Something I learned from spending so much time in France is the importance of high quality ingredients. It’s inspired me to shop at farmers market rather than supermarkets for vegetables and meats. There is a major difference, and it can be tasted in the dishes we cook. French cuisine has this focus of high quality ingredients, which is why every dish tastes like a top chef made it.

Strong Culinary Traditions

Because food is not just about putting fuel into your body in France, the culinary traditions are important and remain that way for each meal. Having food is a complete experience, socially and culturally. They are slow, deliberate, and shared with a book if you’re dining alone, friends, and family. Pair it with a glass of red wine and you have the most perfect moment. In France, this is the norm, and it couldn’t be more amazing to experience.

Paris-Brest Dessert

When choosing what to eat, some of your options will come with natural likes and dislikes, dietary issues or needs. There is something for everyone. One thing to keep in mind is that unlike American culture, the French do not particularly like modifying their creations. Order something that you can eat in totality, and tell them (in the kindest way) what you can and cannot eat ahead of time. It’ll make for a much smoother dining experience.

Croissant

The croissant must be one of the most iconic French foods you can eat. It’s very subjective of what makes a croissant “the best” but for me it’s the flakiness. Eat one with a flat white coffee and think you’ve gone straight to heaven.

Pain au Chocolat

Pain au chocolat is one of the best things I have ever had in my life, but only in France. Called a chocolatine in other regions outside of Paris, it’s essentially a croissant with chocolate wrapped in the middle. Try them all!

Baguette

Bread, particularly the baguette, can be seen hanging out of any French person’s bag or mouth. This is an item that is on the daily menu in French people’s houses, and you must tear it and not slice it with a knife. Day old baguettes do not exist in France, so pick yours up and eat it immediately.

French Onion Soup (but just onion soup there)

One of my favorite foods to eat in France is the onion soup. This is a classic in French cuisine, and one that is found at any classic French restaurants. The caramelized onions in beef broth and melted cheese on top is addictive. I love trying this everywhere.

Steak Frites

My American friends, this is not French fries with steak on top. It’s steak and fries side by side, and a very classic dish that pairs deliciously with red wine. Find this at any classic bistro.

Poulet Rôti (roasted chicken)

I’ll never, ever forget my first poulet rôti. I was 20 years old, bopping around Europe, and stuffing my belly with roasted chicken in Paris. As I’ve gone back, it’s a dish I order over and over. There’s nothing like it, truly.

Coq au Vin

Many of us have heard of coq au vin, which is chicken braised slowly in wine with mushrooms and herbs. Its origins come from Burgundy but it’s served all over. This is one that would be fun to make at home.

Ratatouille

Don’t worry, a rat didn’t make this one. (I’m retiring this joke right now.) This is a delicious vegetable stew that comes from Provence and includes eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and herbs. Maybe even herbs de Provence. I need to get out of this section before more bad jokes fly.

Escargot

Some will turn their noses up at the snail dish, but I can vouch for the little guys and say they are absolutely delicious and worth a try. You can hardly get more classic French than this, and you’ll have some fun wrangling them out of their shells.

Frogs Legs

Shockingly (or maybe not) frogs legs are a popular French dish. Served with garlic and herbs, they are reminiscent in texture to chicken. I can’t say it tastes like chicken, but they aren’t bad.

Crêpes

Ah, crêpes. Frankly, this is a dish I eat over and over when I visit the Christmas markets in Europe, but specifically the dessert kind. In Paris, I love eating at Breizh Cafe on my solo trips, where I get savory ones and drink a glass of wine alongside it. You might wonder is it safe to go to Paris alone, and I’ve written a complete guide on that.

Quiche

I am a quiche fanatic when I go to France. There is nothing better than trying out the different quiches in classic French restaurants for me. Choose whatever they have on the menu. Somehow, I have yet to try a bad one.

A Traditional French Restaurant 

Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse originated in Marseille but is sought out as a dish to eat many places in France. It’s a delicious seafood stew made with multiple types of fish. Yum.

Duck Confit

You’ve got to like duck to like duck confit. They are duck legs cooked in their own fat until tender and crispy. It’s a dish that takes time to prepare, and one that is very French.

Tartiflette

If you’re going to the Alpine region, this is a hearty dish for you made of potatoes, bacon, onions, and melted cheese. It seems very close to the way Germans in Bavaria eat.

Cheese

Do I need to expound? Cheese in France is like water to fish. It’s served after the meal, not before like in America, and they tend to be more pungent than what we are used to. I love getting salad with cheese in it, or going to the cheese shop (fromagerie) to choose a couple to pair with…you guessed it…a glass of wine.

Macarons

Can you go to France and not get a macaron? If you’re me, yes. But if you like these little desserts, you can find them almost anywhere they sell desserts. If you’ve not had one, France is the place to have your first one, and I love that they come in many flavors for your choosing. It's definitely one of the most popular desserts in France.

Paris-Brest

The Paris-Brest is similar in shape and size to a bagel, but it is dessert. It’s filled with praline cream, and created to celebrate a famous bicycle race between Paris and Brest. Every food has a story in France!

Tarte Tatin

Tarts are a French thing, did you know? This apple tart is worth a try, particularly if caramelized apples are your jam.

Moules Marinières

My love of mussels is strong, and the moules marinières are no exception. Cooked in white wine, garlic, and herbs (this is a very typical set of ingredients in France), the mussels are perfection. Get them with frites to top it off.

Foie Gras

When someone loves foie gras, they love foie gras. It’s duck or goose liver that you can eat alone or with bread, and it’s very rich. It could be a whole meal.

Croque Monsieur

Essentially an elevated grilled ham and cheese sandwich, this yummy concoction is topped with creamy béchamel sauce, making it a very rich dish indeed.

If this guide hasn’t caused you to book your flight to France, I don’t know what will. Whether you consider yourself a foodie or not, this list of foods will satisfy the most particular of eaters. Remember that when you enter France, you are going to experience it the way they experience it: slower and more intentional. Embrace it while you’re there, and you might find yourself taking some of those habits back with you. France is an amazing culinary experience, and one that I know you’re going to love. Bon appetit!

If you enjoyed this guide, you may also want to know what to buy in Paris France or discover the best boutique hotels in Paris.

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