The Food of France
Region by Region

The food of France is a wonderful entryway into learning about French culture and the characteristics that define France from one region to the next. Culinary history stretches way back in France and each region has its own unique story to tell.

Regional differences are of course gradually disappearing in France, just as they are everywhere in the world. But by observing and enjoying foods and recipes of each region, we can help perpetuate a little longer the wonderful gastronomic traditions of the Hexagon. Vive la France and all the great food that helps define it as a culture.

Here is a fast and furious tour of French regional cuisine and the food of France.

Nord-Pas-de-Calais

• Bière - Beer - the regional drink of choice
• Carbonnade - Beef braised in beer
• Chicorée à café - Roasted chicory root beverage
• Gaufres - Waffles of all sorts
• Genièvre - Juniper berry alcohol
• Hochepot - Beef and vegetable stew
• Maroilles - Soft, washed rind cheese
• Moules-frites - Mussels and French fries

Picardie

• Anguille - Eel, which is often smoked
• Confiture de lait - Milk and sugar "jam"
• Ficelles Picardes - Ham and mushroom crepes
• Flamiche - Leek, egg and cream tart
• Gateau battu - Tall cake made with lots of eggs
• Haricots de Soissons - Large white beans
• Macaron d'Amiens - Made from almonds, honey and egg white

Normandie

• Fish including sole, limande, turbot
• Shellfish including scallops, oysters and mussels
• Moutons de prés salés - Sheep grazed on salt marsh
• Tripes à la mode de Caen - Slow cooked beef or pork stomach
• Cheese including Camembert, Livarot and Pont L'Evêque
• Tarte Normande - Apple tart
• Bénédectine - Herb liqueur
• Calvados - Apple brandy

Learn more about the food of France in Normandie soon.

Ile de France

• Asperges d'Argenteuil - Asparagus
• Champignons de Paris - Mushrooms
• Cerises de Montmorency - Cherries
• Moutarde de Meaux - Mustard
• Brie - Cheese from Meaux and Melun
• Paris-Brest - Wheel shaped choux pastry cake
• Grand Marnier - Orange flavored Cognac liqueur

Champagne Ardenne

• Andouillette de Troyes - Pig intestine sausage
• Boudin blanc de Rethel - Pork, egg and milk sausage
• Pied de porc de Sainte-Ménehould - Slow cooked pigs' feet
• Chaource - Soft, uncooked cheese
• Biscuit rose de Reims - Crispy pink cookies
• Vinaigre de Reims - Champagne vinegar
• Champagne - Sparkling wine

Lorraine

• Quiche Lorraine - Bacon quiche
• Bouchées à la reine - Creamed chicken in puff pastry
• Baba au rhum - Rum soaked cake
• Vittel and Contrex - Mineral waters
• Madeleines de Commercy - Tea cakes
• Potée Lorraine - Cabbage, bacon and sausage
• Soupe à l'oignon - Onion soup

Alsace

• Bretzels - Pretzels
• Choucroute Garnie - Sauerkraut with sausage, ham and potatoes
• Foie Gras d'Oie - Fattened goose liver
• Munster - Flavorful soft cheese
• Spatzle - Noodles
• Wines including Riesling, Muscat and Gewurztraminer
• Charcterie - A wide variety of sausage
• Flammekueche - Bacon, onion and cream pizza

Learn more about the food of Alsace France.

Bretagne

• Crepes or Galettes - Flat filled pancakes
• Far Breton - Flan like cake
• Kouign amann - Caramel and butter cake
• Sel de Guérande - Sea salt
• Cidre - Apple cider
• Seafood including crabs, shrimp and lobster
• Beurre - Butter

Pays de la Loire

• Soupe Angevine - Sparkling wine punch
• Vegetables of all sorts
• Rillettes, rillauds, andouilettes - Pork products
• Le muscadet - Lightly effervescent white wine
• Beurre blanc - Butter and wine sauce
• Crémet d'Anjou - Cream and cheese dessert
• Berlingots - Pyramid shaped hard candies

Centre

• Fromages de chevre - Goat cheeses
• Huile de noix - Walnut oil
• Cotignac d'Orléans - Quince jelly
• Lentilles du Berry - Lentils
• Poirat du Berry - Black pepper spiked pear tart
• Sanciaux - Thick apple crepe
• Tarte Tatin - Upside down apple tart

Bourgogne

• Crème de cassis - Black currant liqueur
• Gougères - Cheese puffs
• Moutarde de Dijon - mustard
• Boeuf Bourguignon - Beef Bourguignon
• Coq au vin - Chicken cooked in wine
• Pain d'epice - Spice cake
• Epoisses - Washed rind soft cheese
• Anis de Flavigny - Tiny anise candies

Learn more about the food of France in Bourgogne soon.

Franche Comté

• Saucisse de Montbéliard - Smoked sausage
• Fromages - Cancoillotte, Comté, Mont d'Or, Morbier cheese
• Kirsch de Fougerolles - Cherry liqueur
• Jambon de Luxeuil - Smoked ham
• Potée comtoise - Cabbage, potatoes, sausage and ham
• Gâteau de ménage - Cream topped brioche
• Fondue comtoise - Cheese fondue made with kirsch

Poitou Charentes

• Huitres - Oysters
• Pomme de terre de l'île de Ré - AOC potato
• Mojettes - White beans grown in the marshes
• Cognac - Brandy
• Pineau - Cognac fortified wine
• Angelique - Angelica - an herb
• Chabichou de Poitou - a goat cheese
• Tourteau fromager - Goat cheese cake

Limousin

• Châtaignes - Chestnuts
• Champignons - Wild mushrooms
• Boeuf Limousin - Limousin beef
• Agneau Barronet - Lamb
• Cochon cul noir - Pig
• Clafoutis aux cerises - Simple cherry cake
• Gâteau Creusois - Hazelnut cake
• Pâté de pommes de terre - Potato filled puff pastry

Auvergne

• Cheese: Cantal, le Bleu, Salers, St. Nectaire, Fourme d'Ambert
• Lentilles de puy - Green lentils
• Aligot - Cheesey mashed potatoes
• Potéé Auvrgnate - Thick cabbage and meat stew
• Tarte de Carladès - Tomme cheese tart
• Pompe aux grattons - Pork crackling bread
• Truite au lard - Trout cooked with bacon

Rhône Alpes

• Gratin Dauphinois - Scalloped potatoes
• Reblochon - Soft washed rind cheese
• Cheese fondue
• Tartiflette - Potatoes and bacon topped with Reblochon
• Salaisons sèches - Raw cured sausage
• Volailles de Bresse - Bresse poultry
• Nougat de Montélimar - Honey and almond candy
• Beaujolais wine

Aquitaine

• Cannelés - Small rum cakes
• Confit de canard - Duck confit
• Foie Gras - Fattened duck or goose liver
• Pommes salardaises - Potatoes cooked in goose fat
• Tourin - Garlic and onion soup
• Armagnac - Brandy
• Bordeaux wines

Midi Pyrénées

• Roquefort cheese
• Cabécou - Soft goat cheese
• Saucisse de Toulouse - Sausage
• Cassoulet - Slow cooked beans and meat
• Haricots tarbais - White beans used in cassoulet
• Cèpes - Porcino mushrooms
• Noix - Walnuts
• Gâteau à la broche - Cake cooked on a spit

Languedoc Roussillon - Food of France

• Bleu des Causses - Somewhat dry blue cheese
• Brandade - Salt cod and potato puree
• Crème catalane - Caramel topped flan
• Millas - Corn flour cake
• Fouace - Orange flower water brioche
• Seiches farcies - Stuffed cuttlefish
• Saupiquet - Spicy wine sauce

Provence Alpes Côte D'Azur

• 
• Aïoli - Garlic mayonnaise
• Anchoïade - Anchovy puree
• Beouf en daube - Slow cooked beef
• Bouillabaisse and bourride - Seafood soups
• Rouille - Red pepper and garlic sauce
• Soupe au pistou - Soup served with a basil-garlic paste
• Tapenade - Olive paste
• Calisson - Fruit jellies
• Pastis - Licorice flavored liquor

La Corse

• Brocciu - Fresh white cheese
• Gateau à la farine de châtaigne - Chestnut flour cake
• Bière la Pietra - Chestnut beer
• Sanglier - Wild pig
• Charcuterie - All sorts of sausages and hams
• Clementines - Small oranges
• Fiadone - Cheesecake made with brocciu

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