French food is recognised by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible heritage. From the daily baguette to the great cheeses and wines, here is where it all comes from.
Many French people buy their bread fresh once or twice a day. The “baguette de tradition” is made with flour, water, salt and yeast only, and is protected by law from additives.
Croissants and pains au chocolat at breakfast, tarts and éclairs on Sunday: the local bakery is the heart of the village or neighbourhood.
Starter, main course, cheese and dessert, with bread on the table and time to talk. Lunch can last two hours, and the meal itself is on UNESCO’s list.
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A hard cow’s-milk cheese from the Jura mountains in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, aged for up to 24 months.
A soft, creamy cheese with a white rind from Île-de-France, called the “king of cheeses”.
The best-known Norman cheese, soft and rich, with a bloomy rind.
A blue sheep’s-milk cheese ripened in the caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in Occitanie.
Washed-rind cheeses from the Alps and from Alsace, essential for tartiflette and for a hearty cheeseboard.
Crottin de Chavignol, Sainte-Maure and Valençay are goat’s cheeses that go perfectly with Sancerre.
Blends of Cabernet and Merlot from the Médoc, Saint-Émilion and Pomerol; sweet Sauternes. Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Côte d’Or and Chablis: small plots, big names. Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
The sparkling wine of Reims and Épernay, made only in the Champagne region. Grand Est.
Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris along the wine road. Grand Est.
Sancerre, Vouvray, Chinon and Muscadet, from crisp whites to light reds.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône, Provence rosé and the big, sunny reds of the Midi.