Day 2396 (Saturday) 30th December 2023

Today’s special photos…

This is the prom in Nice

and this is Place Massena in Nice.

There was a cruise ship in the bay this morning and it was nice and sunny.

We had to get up early to go and get the big apartment ready for a check-in this afternoon. We met Suzanne there and got it mostly done by 1am, Huw had to wait for the guests to arrive before coming home.

I found this article on food, just for a change, it’s quite long so I’ll post it over two days…

The one food you need to try from every part of France

A woman writes on the menu board in a restaurant in Paris in 2013 (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON / AFP)

From crêpes to aligot and ratatouille, French gastronomy has a huge range  - here are our suggestions for food (and a few drinks) to try when travelling in France.

Brittany: Crêpes

If you are visiting Brittany - the region furthest to the west in France, known for its rugged coastline - then you can count on fresh seafood being in good supply.

But the Bretons are especially known for their crêpes or galettes - delicious thin buckwheat pancakes served with a variety of savoury or sweet toppings (and yes, it’s absolutely OK to have savoury galettes followed by sweet crêpes for dessert). There are dozens of topping options, but we’re going to recommend the classic  - ham, cheese and an egg. 

If you want a sweet option, go for caramel au beurre salé, another speciality of the region. While eating your crêpe, be sure to order an authentic cider, often served in a small bowl. 

Normandy: Scallops

The Normans have a bit of a rivalry with their fellow cider-producers in Brittany.

While in Normandy, you might be tempted to eat oysters (the region is one of France's top oyster producers), traditional raw-milk camembert cheese or even tripes (tripe or cow's stomach. It's nicer than it sounds).  

However, we will recommend getting coquilles saint jacques (scallops). You ought to be able to get them fresh at just about any Norman market, or you can order them at a seaside restaurant. They can be eaten plain, mixed in with other seafood, or accompanied by a delicious garlic butter. Pair with a glass of chilled white wine, or follow it up with a shot of Calvados - the delicious apple brandy of the region. 

Hauts-de-France (Northern France): Moules Frites

This French region is found along the border with Belgium, and much of its cuisine is inspired by France's northern neighbours. 

It's famous for the savoury tart 'flamiche', which records show being served in medieval times and is usually made with leeks and cream.

While this would be a great option, if you find yourself in Lille you should try to order Moules Frites (mussels and French fries) at least once.

There are lots of different sauce options available but we think a classic moules marinières is the best  - a simple white wine, garlic and herb sauce lets you really taste the mussels. When you’ve finished your bucket of mussels, dip your bread and remaining frites into the sauce and let the juice dribble down your chin in a sophisticated and attractive manner.

Alsace: Baeckeoffe

The historic region of Alsace swapped back and forth between France and Germany for centuries and has a lot of unique gastronomy to explore. 

The classic dish is the sausage-and-cabbage choucroute garnie. It is very tasty and worth trying, but we are going to recommend Baeckeoffe (it's pronounced back-off-er because of the area's historic German links) which is a traditional casserole dish (potée) that simmers all day long. It usually mixes meat (often beef, lamb, and/or pork) with vegetables (typically carrots, potatoes and cabbage). 

You would pair it with a glass of Alsatian white wine. 

Paris: Croque-monsieur

There are several guides and books recommending the best restaurants worth trying out in Paris, so we won’t try and replicate that here.

Instead we're going to take a break from the rich meals and suggest trying France's world-famous fast-food - invented in Paris in the 1900s  - the croque-monsieur. 

You could say the sandwich is a fancier (and tastier) version of grilled cheese/ham and cheese toastie with cooked ham and béchamel sauce between two slices of bread covered in a layer of cheese au gratin. Alternatively, you can go for a croque - madame, which is the same but has a fried egg on top.

You can find this classic dish in just about any Parisian bistro or brasserie.

Burgundy: Boeuf Bourguignon

The historical eastern-central region in France is renowned for its cuisine, though most famous for the beloved boeuf bourguignon - a slow - cooked stew made of beef, vegetables, and braised in red wine (usually from the region). 

It would be tempting to recommend coq-au-vin - chicken braised with wine, lardons, and mushrooms - but boeuf bourguignon has earned its place as the iconic dish of the region (it's name literally means 'Burgundy beef'). 

Escargots (snails) are another speciality from Burgundy, and if you feel a bit squeamish, just remember that they are usually drenched in a mouth - watering garlic - butter.

We've heard that wine-makers in Burgundy make the odd decent bottle too . . .

Auvergne: Aligot

The historical region in central France, which is now part of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, is known for being rural and mountainous, home to a chain of dormant volcanoes, including the Puy de Dôme.

Auvergnat cuisine is quite meat-based, although the region is also known for good cheeses. To combine the two into one meal, we highly recommend aligot - a type of silky, creamy mashed potato with lots of stringy cheese stirred in  - topped with a sausage.

Have this at a restaurant with a glass of good wine or buy it from a street stall and go watch the town’s famous rugby team. Either way, the experience will be sublime.

Périgord: Salade périgourdine

The historic central France region home to Dordogne is known for all things duck-related, especially foie gras, and truffles. 

We are going to recommend the salade périgourdine as a way to sample some of the region's best local produce. It is typically made with foie gras and slices of duck breast, sometimes also duck gizzards, as well as croutons, walnut oil, raspberry vinegar and batavia lettuce. Beware  - this is not a light snack.