A good Bordeaux wine, freshly-baked croissants, and a nice meal like Coq au vin are just a few of the delectable delights that you get to enjoy in France. It’s difficult to visit France without experiencing the cuisine deeply ingrained top culinary culture. The markets aren’t just for collecting ingredients but also for mingling and interacting.

Casual lunches, extended dinners, and countless hours spent embracing the place’s beauty in outside eateries are the norm, and cooks in this metropolis are as well-known as pro athletes. While French food may appear expensive and sumptuous on the outside, it is not about looking fancy or snooty. It’s about rich flavors, technical expertise, including the season’s offerings, and sharing every bite with people.

Despite popular belief, French cuisine was not invented in establishments with white tablecloths. It has considerably more humble origins. French food’s humble beginnings are rooted in cuisine du marché (preparing meals by acquiring produce from the market) and cuisine du potager (garden preparing meals by using garden-grown produce). Such needs arose out of economical need and good judgment.

This mindset remains at the core of French cuisine and makes it one of the best culinary destinations in the world. Say bye-bye to your diet and make room for some delicious treats in France. It’s one of the greatest travel and food destinations in the world. Let’s dive into some of the tastiest dishes France has to offer.

Cheese? Yes, Please!

Let’s begin with the well-known French cheese! As cheese has deep roots in the country, the skill of creating it has been refined. This is why France is the best cheese-making country in the world while having over 365 types of cheese.

If you’re a cheese sampler like moi, then I suggest having a cheese platter as an appetizer or dessert. Some famous kinds are Brie de Meaux, Munster, Camembert, Comté, Chèvre, Roquefort, Époisses de Bourgogne, Reblochon, and many more.

Hot Tip: Complement your cheese with a glass of French red wine. You’ll thank me later!

Charcuterie

Something the French adore is charcuterie or cured meat. Among the various options are saucisson, pate, jambon cru, and rillettes. I bet you haven’t heard of these glorious meat options. Saucisson is the Frenched take on dry salami, and it’s utterly fantastic.

One of the things I have learned during my incredible travel experiences is that the French do it bigger and BETTER! If you want to make a sandwich with this amazing meat, pick up some charcuterie, fresh bread, butter, and cornichons (small French pickles) at a local food market. I also recommend trying out a classic charcuterie board consisting of cured meat, fruits, nuts, a variety of cheeses, veggies, and an array of dipping sauces.  

Les Moules Marinières

This is a national delicacy and is a favorite among the French (including myself!). Mussels are a popular dish in France, and there are numerous methods to prepare them. They are served in a simple but wonderful French sauce with shallots, wine, garlic, cream, butter, and fresh herbs.

Pro Tip: If you’re a foodie like me, then this tip is for you. You can locate a restaurant that serves limitless mussels for less than 15 Euros. So, loosen that belt and eat up!

Foie Gras

For some, it might have an unappealing aesthetic, but this meal is full of taste. It’s prepared from the fattened liver of a goose or duck and is a buttery treat. The meal offered as pate, mousse, or parfait is rather pricey but well worth it.

When you’re in one of the best culinary destinations in the world, you deserve to savor all the treats that France has to offer. Tasting this excellent piece of bird liver is a must when in France.

Bœuf Bourguignon

Once thought of as a peasant’s dish, this amazing portion of meat is cooked over two days. This allows the meat to soften up and absorb the juices. This popular beef stew originated in Burgundy and has been a hit ever since.

The classic meal is crafted with the best Charolais cattle, mixed with red Burgundy wine, and combined with beef stock, salt, pepper, onion, butter, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, etc. Since introduced by Auguste Escoffier in 1903, chefs have been adding their personal spin to the classic meal.

Bouillabaisse

What began as a simple fisherman’s stew cooked from leftover fish trimmings has evolved into one of France’s most renowned dishes. It’s a two-part dish that originated in the Marseille fishing port.

They first prepare a broth from fish, onion, olive oil, tomatoes, saffron, fennel, and sometimes potatoes. Sounds delicious already, but wait, there’s more! It’s served with croutons and a nice garlicky breadcrumb sauce. This broth is topped with 3-4 huge fish as the main meal.

Some restaurants still follow the rule established in The Marseille Bouillabaisse Charter, which says that the fish must be sliced in front of the diners. There are also guidelines on what kind of fish you should use. This includes red mullet, John Dory, white scorpionfish, conger oil, etc.

Chez FonFon has been serving Bouillabaisse since 1952, while modern restaurants like L’Aromat add a special spin to the classic by placing it into a burger. You learn something special when you have incredible travel experiences under your belt.

Bugnes Lyonnaises

These amazing French beignets were initially a gastronomic delicacy of the Duchy of Savoy, but their delectability expanded throughout the region, beginning with Lyon. These one-bite fritters take after the Chinese name bunyi, meaning doughnut.

These treats take over the bakeries in February to commemorate the start of Lent and Mardi Gras. Best part? It comes in two shapes and forms: the golden, straight, and crunchy “Lyon” as well as the curled ribbon-style “St-Etienne,” which is heavier.

If you’re thinking “so, it’s just a doughnut in a different shape,” you couldn’t be more wrong, my friend. These aren’t just powdered and sweet doughnuts; they have lemon and orange blossom flavors that give a burst of tanginess in your mouth.

Escargots

Burgundy’s juicy snails, discovered in its vineyards, may be featured on menus around the nation. The hallmark dish is à la Bourguignonne, which means it’s cooked in white wine, packed with aromatic parsley-shallot butter, and cooked until bubbly.  

If you want to make France one of the best travel experiences in the world, then you have to try these specialties. They’re given in groups of six or eight on porcelain escargot platters known as escargotiéres, with tongs and a small fork. If you find this slimy and not your cup of tea, you can have its chocolate counterparts sold in local candy stores and patisseries.

Cassoulet

In the mood for some stew? Get this bean stew which comprises white bean, duck, pork, confit, and sausage. Cassoulet’s origins can be traced back to the Languedoc region, where Prince Edward conquered the place in 1355. he townspeople gathered sufficient food and made a large stew in a pot.

The food gets its name from the local pottery used, i.e. casserole. It can be made by following three basic rules.

• You need some high-quality beans.
• The water must be “hard”.
• According to folklore, the layer of pork skin boiled over the cassoulet must be cracked seven times to make a flawless meal.

Buckwheat Pancakes

This excellent dish is gluten-free, and while it does not look exactly like a pancake, it tastes heavenly. It is traditionally eaten with a salad and loaded with bacon or eggs for dinner and the occasional breakfast. The nutty flavor will transport you to various French regions. It appears to be a work of timeless beauty, enticing you to nibble on its gorgeous exterior.

Quiche Lorraine

This meal is relatively simple to find, as it appears on most restaurant menus. It includes bacon, heavy cream, and eggs folded into a delicious pie-like dish. Some of them include cheese, although it is more genuine to leave it out.

The French were living in the future when they thought of this dish, satisfying our desire for such an inventive mixture. Any foodie would love to dive right into these after seeing their delicate texture.

Tartiflette

This dish was created in the 1980s, and from there onward, it’s become popular in the sphere of French gastronomy. This popularity came because it united all people’s favorite comfort meals on one plate. It’s made of onions, potatoes, bacon, and Reblochon cheese. The delectable ingredients will have you requesting seconds or perhaps thirds as your tummy begs for more. It’s a country favorite. That’s the reason why you should put it on your ultimate checklist of French cuisine to try.

Are you wondering how I acquired all of this knowledge of French cuisine? Let me introduce myself. My name is Irina Bukatik, and this is my local food travel blogging website. I’m an avid traveler, and I provide my readers and admirers a taste of my greatest travel experiences.

If you’re a foodie who loves discovering the secret getaways in the world, this is the place for you. If you want to share your experiences with me, you can get in touch with me here.