French Food Facts: 55 Fun Facts About Food in France
Are you a Francophile foodie like me who can’t get enough French food facts? I’ve spent a lot of time eating in France, writing about French food, and I’ve even studied French cuisine to become a chef.
After all, in the culinary world, France is considered the gastronomic capital. So, culinary schools around the world teach French cuisine and techniques as the standard. However, the most interesting facts about French food are never discussed.
So we made a list! From medieval times to modern haute cuisine, here are the fun facts about food in France every Francophile foodie will want to know.
Best French food fact: The food tastes as good as it looks.
55 French Food Facts
1. French Fries May Not Be French
One of the surprising facts about French cuisine: No one can agree on the origin of french fries. Belgium and France both lay claim to the creation of “pommes frites,” which translates to “fried potatoes.” Both countries have “proof” full of holes. So, the best strategy is to enjoy french fries wherever you are.
2. Moules-Frites ARE Not Originally French
It is a more widely accepted fact that the super popular dish Moules-Frites (mussels and fries) hails from Belgium. But you’ll find this dish everywhere in France, from the cafés in Paris to the restaurants in Nice. It may not be a French invention, but it has become a beloved traditional dish.
One of the undisputed French food facts is that Moules-Frites hail from Belgium.
3. How French Fries Came to the United States
It wasn't until Thomas Jefferson tried french fries during his time as an American minister to France that the recipe made its way across the pond. Jefferson loved this new dish so much that he introduced it to America upon his return home. He later served french fries at a White House dinner when he became president.
4. The French Ketchup Ban
There are a few fun France food facts that involve governmental laws. Back in 2011, France banned ketchup in its school cafeterias; the only exception was if it was being served with french fries.
Even though it’s not a law in restaurants, it might as well be. The French believe that each dish should be savored as it was intended, so asking for ketchup is seen as disrespectful to the chef.
5. 500,000,000 Snails
Escargot sounds like a French delicacy, but when you say snails, depending on where you’re from, it could sound more like a weird French food. They are a common appetizer and can be found in almost every French restaurant. French people love eating snails, and each year, they consume over 500,000,000 of them.
The reason French people love eating snails is because they are drenched in garlic butter.
6. Frogs as Fish
This is one of my personal favorite top 10 facts about French food! Frog legs have a fascinating history in French gastronomy, dating back to the 12th century. Crafty monks managed to have frogs reclassified as fish so that they could eat them during periods when meat was prohibited by the Catholic Church in France. I wonder if they knew frogs tasted like chicken . . .
7. Feasting on Foie Gras
Foie gras, the “fat liver” of a duck or goose, is a popular French delicacy that can be a main dish or starter. The French produce the majority of the world’s foie gras, over 23,500 tons annually. They also consume the majority of it—18,450 tons, or 78.5% of France’s yearly production.
Seared foie gras can be a starter or a main dish in France.
8. Opposites Attract
French restaurant menus usually list foie gras as an appetizer. Ironically, it is often served with Sauternes, a French dessert wine. The combination of the sweet wine and smooth richness of the liver are considered a perfect pairing.
9. Famous French Food Accident
What do you do when your sauce accidentally catches fire? You taste it. That’s what Henri Charpentier, a 14-year-old assistant chef did in 1895. He discovered that the flames had caramelized the sugar in the sauce. When he poured it over crepes, the dish was an instant hit. He named the dessert Crêpe Suzette after one of the dish’s first admirers.
10. Crêpe Day
While Americans await the groundhog on February 2nd each year, France is eating crêpes for dinner. The holiday called "La Chandeleur” or “Candlemas” is also known as Crêpe Day.
This special day is a combination of marking the halfway point of winter mixed with the religious celebration ending the Chrismas/Epiphany season commingled with age-old superstitions. The crêpes are said to represent the sun, the circle of life, and the pancakes given out by the Pope to the poor on this day.
But no matter when you find yourself in the French capital, you could make it your own personal crêpe day by ordering this famous Paris food at one of the city’s many excellent crêperies.
A great place to spend Crêpe Day in Paris, Le Crêperie
11. French Pastries With Austrian Roots
French breakfast pastries like croissants and pain au chocolat are known as “les viennoiserie” because they have roots in Austria. They were perfected and popularized in France in the early 20th century.
12. The French Chef Was Not French
Julia Child, star of the hit TV show “The French Chef,” was not French, but American. She moved to France in 1948 and attended the Cordon Bleu. In 1961, she co-wrote the book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” which became a massive bestseller and is still in print today. For more about her time in France, read her book “My Life in Provence.”
13. Gastronomic Meal of the French
One of the most impressive French cuisine facts is that UNESCO acknowledges the “gastronomic meal of the French” as an intangible cultural heritage. Gastronomic French meals include a set of skills, knowledge, and practices related to food preparation, presentation, and wine pairing that should be preserved. A French gastronomic meal typically consists of several courses with different types of wines that complement the flavors of each course.
Presentation is an important part of the gastronomic meal of the French.
14. The French Bread Law
In 1993, the French government passed a law regulating the production of traditional baguettes to ensure their quality and authenticity. The law mandates that baguettes can only be made with four ingredients: wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt. Moreover, bakeries are required to make baguettes on-site rather than being delivered from factories. Every town must also sell baguettes. In small villages where there is not a boulangerie (French bakery) you may find vending machines dispensing fresh loaves.
15. The Iconic Baguette Kicks It Up A Notch
Following in the footsteps of the gastronomic meal of the French, the traditional baguette made it onto the UNESCO list in November 2022. Maybe the French bread laws aren’t so crazy after all.
Another impressive French cuisine fact: The baguette has been recognized by UNESCO.
16. Nutty for Nutella
The French are obsessed with Nutella, and I can’t blame them. Even though I’m not a chocoholic by any stretch, I’m a big fan of the the chocolate hazelnut spread that is a product of Italy. According to Nutella’s parent company Ferrero, French people eat 25% of all the Nutella produced, more than any other country.
17. The First Blue Cheese
The earliest known blue cheese is Roquefort, which has been made in France for over 1,000 years. According to legend, Roquefort was discovered when a shepherd left his lunch of bread and sheep's milk cheese in a cave while he went off to tend his flock. When he returned to the same cave several months later, he found that the cheese he had inadvertently left behind had turned moldy—but tasty.
Sheep are raised to make cheese in the French mountains.
18. Cheesy Facts About French Food
The French consume more cheese per capita than any other county, about 57 pounds per person per year. With good reason: I think French cheese is the best in the world. I’ve never kept track of my personal cheese stats, but I bet I could compete with the French.
19. Too Many Cheeses to Count
The many varieties of cheese produced in France may have something to do with the impressive consumption numbers. It is estimated that there are more than 1,200 different types of French cheeses, but the exact number is not known. Cheese production is one of the great variables that distinguish French regional cuisines, and some families have been faithfully producing the same recipe for generations.
20. Cheese for Dessert
In the States, it is common to have a cheese board before a meal. The French custom differs. The gastronomic meal of the French includes a separate cheese course, after the main course and before dessert. But when there are three courses or fewer, cheese can simply be dessert.
A sampling of the wide variety of French cheeses
21. No-Food-Waste Policy
This is one of the more recent interesting French food facts to come into being. In 2016, France was the first country to implement a no-food-waste policy. The policy requires supermarkets to donate unsold food to charities or food banks instead of throwing it away. The goal is to reduce food waste by 50% by 2025.
22. Tossing Vegetables
I know I just said that the French don’t “toss” food, but I’m sure you’ve seen chefs tossing vegetables in a frying pan. In French, this cooking method is called sautéing, which comes from the verb “sauter,” meaning “to jump.” It seems that in French kitchens, both chefs and veggies get a workout.
23. Brasseries versus Bistros
The original meaning of “brasserie” comes from the French word for brewery, but the term’s meaning was later expanded to refer to eateries that brewed their own beer. Brasseries typically serve traditional French fare and stay open from morning to late at night.
The word "bistro" comes from the Russian for "fast" or “quickly,” and became known as a place to have a quick meal. Bistros are usually closed between lunch and dinner.
Brasserie Lipp, one of the most famous brasseries in Paris
24. Restorative French Restaurants
The word "restaurant" is of French origin. It comes from the French verb "restaurer," which means "to restore.” In the early days of French restaurants, they were more health oriented than a place for foodies.
25. A French Restaurant in a Church
The Church of the Madeleine in Paris has a restaurant located inside it. It is the only church with a restaurant in France. Foyer de la Madeleine offers three-course meals at bargain prices. All proceeds are donated to charity to help the poor and the homeless.
26. From Rags to Riches
The signature dish of Marseille, Bouillabaisse, began as a pot of leftovers from the day’s catch. Today, a bowl of this seafood stew is considered one of the best French dishes and fetches at least 75 euros for a decent bowl.
Bouillabaisse being prepared table side in Marseille.
27. When Is an Entrée Not an Entrée?
In North America, an entrée is typically considered the main course of a meal. However, in France, an entrée refers to a small dish served before the main course, what we call an appetizer or starter.
28. Le Petit Déjeuner Is Not a “Little Lunch”
Breakfast is not considered the most important meal in France. The traditional French breakfast, known as "petit déjeuner," literally “little lunch,” typically consists of a croissant or a piece of bread with butter and jam, accompanied by coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
A typical French breakfast
29. Black Pudding Is Not Dessert
One of the most traditional French dishes, Boudin Noir, often translated as “Black Pudding,” is a type of blood sausage. The dish is a popular main course commonly served with potatoes and onions.
30. French Toast for Dessert
While French toast is popular in many countries, it is not commonly served for breakfast in France. Instead, Pain Perdu, as they call it in France, is more commonly served as a dessert. The name means “lost bread” because the dish was made from stale bread that would otherwise be thrown away.
In France, Pain Perdu, or French toast, is usually served as dessert, not breakfast.
31. Brunch is Trending in Urban Areas
Despite the lack of emphasis on breakfast in France, brunch has become increasingly popular in urban areas of the country. Many restaurants now offer brunch menus on weekends that often include both sweet and savory dishes along with coffee or tea.
32. Drinking Coffee From a Bowl
At home, many French people start off their day drinking coffee from a bowl rather than from a cup or mug. A bowl usually holds more liquid than do cups, so I’m all for that. Plus, a French breakfast often involves dipping your bread or pastry into your coffee, which is much easier to do with a bowl than with a cup.
33. Breakfast for Dinner
For many Americans, this French food fact is an unwelcome surprise: Omelettes, quiches, and most egg dishes, are not part of a typical French breakfast. They are most often eaten as a lunch or dinner.
In France, egg dishes are usually eaten for lunch or dinner.
34. Ham and Butter Sandwich
Jambon Beurre, the ubiquitous French sandwich, is simply ham and butter on a baguette. It’s one of the most popular French street foods and can be found at most any sandwich shop. But here’s the part of this French food fact that amazes me: The French eat 3,000,000 of them EVERY DAY!
35. Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame
In addition to ham and butter, the French adore ham and cheese. This combination is the base of the quintessential café snack, Croque Monsieur, a creamy, cheesy, crispy, hot ham and cheese sandwich. The French love it so much they had to create a second version with a sunny-side-up fried egg on top. They thought this rendition looked like a woman’s hat, so they called it Croque Madame.
Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame, staples of French cuisine
36. Lunch Is The Most Important Meal of the Day
In France, lunch is considered the main meal and most important meal of the day. Lunch time is an important social event where colleagues and friends gather together to enjoy good food and company.
37. Let’s Do Lunch
Eating in France is seen as a social activity, with meals lasting a long time and being enjoyed with friends and family. It's not uncommon for lunch breaks at work or school to last up to two hours so that everyone can relax and savor their food without feeling rushed or stressed.
A popular spot for a lingering lunch in Antibes
38. Wine at Lunchtime in France
Wine is an integral part of French culture. And since lunch is the most important meal of the day, it's no surprise that many French people drink wine during lunchtime.
39. Wine Can Be Cheaper than Water
I have to admit, I didn’t always like wine. But when I visited France for 3 months in my twenties, it became my drink of choice at restaurants. What 20 something wouldn’t start drinking wine when it was cheaper than bottled water?
My favorite lunch in Paris, Duck Confit and red wine.
40. Cheers to Champagne
Champagne can only be produced in the Champagne region of France. The name "Champagne" is protected by French law, and only sparkling wines produced in the region named Champagne can carry the designation of the same name. If it's a bubbly made elsewhere, it's technically not Champagne, but rather just a sparkling wine.
41. French Schools' No-Alcohol Policy
While wine may be an essential part of French culture, schools have strict policies against alcohol consumption during lunch breaks. This policy applies to both students and teachers alike.
42. Legal Drinking Age
The legal drinking age in France is 18, or 16 in the presence of adults. Wine is a huge part of French food culture, and it’s common for young adults to learn about its role in meals.
43. A French Epiphany
La Galette des Rois, or King Cake, is the traditional French cake eaten on January 6th to celebrate the Epiphany. The Epiphany is the Christian feast day that commemorates the visit of the three kings (or Wise Men) who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.
Many traditions surround the cake, including that it comes with a crown. Interestingly, after the French Revolution and the abolishment of the monarchy, the Epiphany cake eaten at the Élysée Palace (the French president’s residence) no longer contains the crown.
The traditional La Galette des Rois, or King Cake
44. Let Them Eat Cake
In all likelihood, it was not Marie Antoinette who said the famous phrase “Let them eat cake.” In fact, there’s a long list of historical arguments as to why it was not her. One of the most compelling is that it wasn’t until 50 years after the French Revolution that anti-monarchists attributed the saying to her.
45. Let Them Eat Cake, Part 2
The original French saying was "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche," meaning “Let them eat brioche,” which is part breakfast pastry, part dessert, and part sweet bread. So, let’s face it, as a crowning flourish of political rhetoric, “brioche” does not pack quite the same punch as “cake.”
46. An American in Paris
When I’m traveling, I usually only enter American fast food chains to use the restroom. But I do find it somewhat comforting that in France, McDonald's serves some French specialties that you won’t find in other countries. These include macarons and croissants.
McDonald’s advertising one of their French menu items
47. Pulp Fiction
In the movie “Pulp Fiction,” John Travolta explains that in Paris, McDonald's Quarter Pounder is called a “Royal with Cheese” because the French use the metric system. He was mostly correct: The name is actually “Le Royal Cheese.”
48. Butter vs Olive Oil
While butter plays a major role in traditional French recipes, the Provençal cuisine of southeastern France and cuisine Niçoise rely more on olive oil. Sandwiched between the world’s two largest olive oil producing countries (Spain and Italy), the south of France is full of olive trees that produce premium extra virgin olive oil.
49. Where There’s Olive Oil . . .
Where there’s olive oil, there must be olives, and France has over one hundred different types! You’ll see large, small, green, and black at farmers markets in Provence, sometimes in large vats. In addition, many restaurants in the region begin your meal service with a small complimentary bowl of olives accompanied by bread.
Vats of olives at the farmers market in Aix-de-Provence
50. where to find french milk
This is one of my favorite scientific facts about food in France. On my maiden voyage to the country, one of the first things I noticed at French grocery stores was that milk was on regular shelves, not stored in refrigerators. This is because the milk is ultra-pasteurized. The process involves heating the milk to much higher temperatures than those reached in regular pasteurization in order to kill off any bacteria and extend the shelf-life of the milk. The practice is just an extension of the late-19th-century innovation by French scientist Louis Pasteur.
51. The Father of the Mother Sauces
Marie-Antoine Carême was a highly influential French chef who contributed immensely to French haute cuisine in the early 19th century. Most notably, he standardized the four "mother sauces” (a fifth was added later) that begin with a roux—a mixture of heated butter and flour.
Because these were the building blocks for all French sauces, all French chefs have had to master these sauces ever since: Béchamel sauce, Velouté sauce, Espagnole sauce, Tomato sauce, plus the newcomer, Hollandaise sauce.
52. An Italian in Paris
One Italian in particular had a great influence on French gastronomy. In the 16th century, the wife of Henry II of France, Catherine de Medici, left an indelible mark on the cuisine of France. She brought her Italian chefs with her to her new residence and introduced a range of new dishes.
Many of these dishes evolved into some of France’s most famous foods. Even some iconic French desserts, like macarons and profiteroles, can be traced back to Catherine.
French food history says macarons came to France with Catherine de Medici.
53. The King of Chefs
Nicknamed the “King of Chefs,” Auguste Escoffier is considered the father of modern French cuisine. He revolutionized the restaurant industry, from recipe replication to kitchen set-up and meal production.
54. The Mother of Modern French Cooking
Eugénie Brazier is widely celebrated as the “Mother of Modern French Cooking” and one of greatest chefs in French history. She was particularly well-known for her poularde demi-deuil, a succulent dish made with chicken and truffles that became a hallmark of her Lyons restaurants.
She achieved acclaim as the first woman to earn three Michelin stars and the first person to earn six stars. She also trained some of the greatest French chefs of our time, including Paul Bocuse and Alain Chapel.
55. France’s Foodie Capital
In 1935, the “Prince of Gastronomy,” better known by his pen name Curnonsky, dubbed Lyons “the global capital of gastronomy.” It has been so ever since, and today, Lyons has more restaurants per capita than any other city in all of France.
Quenelle de brochet at a bouchon in Lyon
Favorite Fun Facts About French Food
As I’ve said, French cuisine is near and dear to my heart. I love the traditions, the French food history, and the things that make it so different from the cuisine in my home country.
And as much as I love Michelin star restaurants, it’s the peasant food I miss when I return to California. How I wish I could walk to the nearest corner and order my favorite duck confit for 12 euros!
Sharing my list of French food facts let me reminisce a little, and I’m so happy you’ve made it to the end!
There are obviously more than 55 food facts about France, but I tried to pick the ones that are most interesting. I truly hope you enjoyed them as much as I did!
Which of these France facts did you like the most? Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!
Bon appétit!
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