The Iconic Foods Of France – And How To Cook Them At Home

Foie gras from Dordogne, escargots from Burgundy, oysters from Brittany & baguettes from the corner boulangerie! Whether it's a simple sandwich jambon or a 5-course meal, the foods of France should be a highlight of your trip to Paris, and we're here to help make it so.

It's a truism that the best of the foods of France find their way to Paris, the capital of gastronomy. And that food is one of the reasons we love to be in Paris. From an impromptu picnic on the Champs de Mars with a 5€ bottle of Bordeaux and a wedge of creamy Camembert, to a multi-course meal at La Grande Cascade, it will also be your duty (and pleasure) to discover the bounty of best of French food.

Food & Wine Activities

Have we made it clear that food is an important part of French and Parisian life?. It should also be an important part of your visit. You'll get a great head start by reading the guides we've mentioned in this article, but if you want to really get into the culinary culture, we always recommended you sign up for a couple of food activities while you're in Paris. These are great ways to quickly immerse yourself in the food scene of the city.

We've collected our top recommendations of the most enjoyable, and most highly-rated, food activities. Remember, be sure to book in advance, before you leave home. These gourmet tours are very popular.

The 10 Best Pastries to Savour in Paris

When you're visiting the City of Dessert it's time to toss out your diet and food fetishes and enjoy the wonders of Paris baking — particularly since there are a so many delicious choices. We've made it a bit easier to get started by sharing our list of the ten best pastries to sample while you're here. You can thank us later.

The Food Markets of Paris

If you've ever wondered what iconic French foods you might encounter in a typical Paris street market or at one of the city's covered markets we've got the perfect guide for you. The tradition of weekly and daily markets in France goes back perhaps 2,000 years, to the Romans and the Gauls, and it's still strong today. Markets are where we find the greatest selection of the freshest, best-looking, and tastiest products.

Join us on a virtual walk as we learn all about the top Paris food markets, unearth the mysteries of the French food-classification system, and find out what all those mysterious produce signs mean.

The 10 Top Cheeses Of France

With something nearing 1,000 types of cheese produced in the country (and at least 56 of them with the coveted AOC designation) it can be hard to choose when you drop into your local fromagerie. To get you started, read our easy guide to ten of the top cheeses made in France, from Comté to Pont l'Évêque.

The 10 Best Cheese Shops In Paris

Now that we've told you about the top cheeses of France you're going to want to know where to find them. That shouldn't be a problem since there are at least a couple of hundred dedicated cheese shops in the City of Food. We know you don't want to visit all 200, so we've narrowed it down to the ten best cheese shops in Paris. Les fromageries par excellence.

By the way, most of them are run by women. No surprise there, really.

Bread Winners – The Best Baguettes in Paris

Bread is taken seriously in Paris. Every year, the Office of the Mayor holds a competition for the best baguette, the results are published, the list is debated in the media, and Parisians flock to the winning bakeries. The grand prize winner of the Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris has the honor of supplying baguettes to the President of France at the Élysée Palace for the entire year.

Guide to Paris Gourmet Food Stores

Caviar, foie gras, oysters, cheese, champagne and of course, truffles. For many regular visitors to Paris (like us!) and for would-be travelers, French food has an irresistible pull to the City of Light. To get the biggest bite of French gourmet food plan your culinary itinerary in advance, starting with our guide to the best of Paris food stores, including icons like Ladurée and La Grande Epicerie de Paris.

Eat Drink Paris – Top Parisian Culinary Tips

Paris is not only the center of French food, but a world culinary capital. You may not have realized just how much food and wine are vital parts of the country's culture — but you certainly understand it once you get to Paris and discover the sheer number of quality food sellers. We've put together eight ideas to help you get inside the culinary culture of Paris.

The Aligre Market in the 12th Arrondissement

Paris is filled with street markets — where stalls line the street on certain days of the week — and market streets — les rues where food shops have concentrated. They are found in every arrondissement and every neighborhood. But perhaps the greatest food market experience in the city is in the 12th Arrondissement along Rue d'Aligre.

Here you'll find stalls and stores and even a covered market, all of them filled with the best products of France. A true food-lovers paradise.

10 Foods Not To Miss At Your Local Epicerie

Paris cuisine is the thing that keeps us coming back time after time after time. One of great things about Paris food culture is that these ten French gourmet staples can be found at virtually every Paris epicerie — small grocery store. Our line-up starts with duck confit, includes crepes, and ends with escargots. There may just be a surprise in store as well! (See what we did there — "store"?)

Scoop Up the Best Paris Ice Cream

In Paris ice cream isn't some gaudy-colored industrial product. It's made with the same skill and care and attention to flavors that goes into all the best French foods. Let's find out where to scoop up the best ice cream on the Right Bank and on the Left Bank and even on the Paris Islands.

Iconic French Foods

As everyone knows, the food of France is word famous, and justly so. No matter where it originates in the country, the best French foods make their way to Paris where the largest hungry population awaits.

So, it's worthwhile before you hop on the plane to learn a little bit about some of the fabulous foods you'll find that may not be all that common — or quite as good — back home.

Our Guides to the Most Iconic French Foods

• French Cheese…	• Baguettes…
• Croissants…	• Caviar…
• French Butter…	• Oysters…
• Truffles…	• Beef, Poultry & Seafood…

Easy French Recipes to Make at Home

After all this talk about the great French food in Paris you probably want to eat some right how. (At least if you're like us.) It's easier than you might think to turn your kitchen into a French bistro — we do it every night! We're happy to share our recipes with you. So have a look at ten or so staples of French cooking.

Easy French Recipes to Make at Home

• Quiche Lorraine…	• Quiche Pastry Dough…
• Steak au Poivre…	• Coquilles Saint-Jacques…
• Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing…	• French Bread…
• Parisian Roast Chicken…	• Sole Meunière…
• A French Omelette…	• Duck Magret…

French Dessert Recipes You, Too, Can Make

The only really good way to end a French meal is with a French dessert. Some of the desserts you've eaten in Paris restaurants may have looked complicated, but they're really not that hard to make. We'll share with you four fairly simple recipes that will delight your friends and family. Just don't let on how easy they were!

Four Fabulous French Desserts

• Crême Brûlée…	• French Chocolate Truffles…
• Profiteroles…	• Molleux – Chocolate Cakes…