10 French foods to try in Paris
Sights. Sounds. Lights. Smells. Experiences.
A visit to Paris is a complete sensory experience, and it is also a smorgasbord of distinct tastes to indulge in and to enjoy. French foods are a journey all of their own.
French food is a dizzying array of sweet treats and hearty dishes, deep fried comfort foods and slow-cooked fine dining, ancient peasant dishes and flaky pastries. Even a freshly baked baguette can be a revelation here.
And don’t forget the cheese. All of the cheese.
As Anthony Bourdain said while visiting the French Alps with French chef Eric Ripert,
“God bless the French. They can’t go too long—not even down a mountain—without eating well.”
Let’s take a look at 10 French foods you have to try while visiting Paris.
1. Macarons
Macarons are quintessential French food – through-and-through. The meringue biscuits, often sandwiched together with cream, jam or chocolate, are beautiful, colourful, expertly-made and high-end. And delicious, of course.
The history of this distinctly French biscuit can be traced back over 1000 years to varying locations including Italy, but in the 16th century, the Medici family brought their own Italian pastry chefs with them to France to make macarons for them. The rest, as they say, is history. Macarons are available in a wide variety of colours and flavours and French “macarons” and “macaroons” in other parts of the world are often confused, but are entirely different treats.
2. Croque-monsieur
Forget the typical ham and cheese toasted sandwich, butty or sarnie – croque-monsieur is where it’s at! The hot ham and cheese sandwich’s name translates to “crunch / bite” and “Mister”, and is traditionally made using bread, béchamel sauce, ham, Gruyère cheese and Dijon mustard.
Croque-Madam is a twist on this classic dish, and is the aforementioned croque-monsieur recipe with an egg (poached or fried) added on top.
3. Duck confit
Duck confit is a true French food delicacy, originating in southwestern France but widely available in fine dining establishments across Paris.
In French, “confit” means “preserved” and is its own food preparation method, and duck confit is usually duck legs slow-cooked in duck fat and salt over a low heat, ensuring maximum flavour and tenderness. Generally served with potatoes and garlic, duck confit is just the ticket for a true Parisian culinary experience.
4. Croissant
Perhaps no food is as synonymous with France as the croissant, and now there isn’t a corner of the world you can’t find the classic breakfast pastry in.
Buttery, crusty and flaky, the croissant is a breakfast staple in Paris and beyond – best served with fruit, jam, whipped cream, ham, cheese or even on its own. The word “croissant” refers to the crescent shape the pastry is formed into.
5. Soupe à l’oignon
You may know soupe à l’oignon as “French onion soup”. And yes – it is entirely French in origin! Soupe à l’oignon dates back to the time of the Romans, when onions were widely available across Europe. In 1700’s Paris, the soup became an everyday meal and was introduced to diners in the USA a century later by French chefs.
A traditional soupe l’oignon found in the cafes and restaurants of Paris utilises onions slow-cooked in broth until caramelised, flour, sugar, butter, brandy, sherry or dry white wine, cheese (Comté, Gruyère or Emmental) and the result is broiled in the oven in small bowls until the cheese is perfectly melted. It is then served with crusty croutons or fresh baguette.
6. Fromage
No trip to Paris is complete without taking the time to sample some of the cheeses that France is world famous for. Depending on who you believe, France is home to between 400 and 1500 distinct cheese varieties, and the country is, unsurprisingly, also home to the largest population of cheese eaters in the world.
You can find high-quality French cheese across Paris, everywhere from supermarkets to cafes to artisan cheese stores. In France, cheeses are categorised into three separate groups. There’s soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie, blue cheeses like Bleu d’Auvergne and pressed cheeses like Comté. French cheeses are made using either cow’s milk, goat’s milk or sheep’s milk, and each unique cheese variety has its own fascinating origin story.
7. Steak frites
Both France and Belgium often argue over who invented steak frites, but the dish is widely available across Paris and France on the whole.
Translating simply to “steak and fries”, it feels like many countries have their own variations on this comfort food classic. Rib eye or rump steak is usually used, served with deep fried potatoes and sometimes salad or other vegetables. It’s simple, filling and so delicious.
8. Cassoulet
Many of Europe’s most renowned dishes began as peasant foods. Pizza in Italy, paella in Spain, and many French foods – cassoulet being one of them.
Created in southwestern France by hard working farmers, cassoulet is a casserole traditionally made with meat like duck, pork, or goose and white beans slow-cooked in earthenware that the dish is named after. Different regions of France have their own takes on cassoulet, including using mutton, lamb, partridge or pork skin as the meat base.
9. Éclair
Nothing says mid-afternoon pick-me-up in Paris quite like purchasing a sweet éclair from a boulangerie to enjoy with a strong coffee.
The cream-filled pastry’s dough is similar to a profiterole in texture, and the cream thick and custard-like. Éclairs are traditionally long and iced with a chocolate fondant or ganache. Fun fact – éclair translates in English to “flash of lightning”!
10. Coq au vin
Rich, hearty and so comforting on a chilly night in Paris, coq au vin is a French culinary classic.
Originating from the Burgundy region, famous for its eponymous wine, coq au vin is a Parisian restaurant staple that translates in English to “rooster in wine”. The chicken stew is traditionally braised in a Burgundy red wine, and served with onions, mushrooms, lardon (French cubes bacon pieces) and sometimes garlic.