Day 3209 (Sunday) 22nd March 2026

This is Menton

and this is the Cascade de Gairaut above Nice.

Here are the rest of the best French dishes…

15. Best Food in France: The Raclette

If you’re visiting in the winter, raclette is one of the best things to eat in France. Think meat (lots of it), potatoes, pickles, covered melted cheese. Although it is a dish that originates from Switzerland, the minute a cool wind blows in the fall, the French start talking about raclette. It’s a fun French dish to share with friends.

16. Coquille Saint-Jacques

With all its coastal regions, seafood is plentiful in France. One of the best French dishes is Coquille Sainr-Jacques. Tender scallops in a creamy sauce often made with white wine, shallots, and herbs. All topped with a perfect gratin of bread crumbs and cheese.

I love buying scallops at the markets in France. The fishmonger will happily open the shells and hand over the scallops. Scallops are also found in many other French dishes. 

Some of the best scallops come from Honfleur, Normandy one of the must-see stops on a trip through this region of France.

17. The Classic: Croque Monsieur

It’s a classic French food. A French sandwich which is simple and yet indulgent. It’s a ham sandwich but, the addition of béchamel sauce takes it to a new level. Topped with grated Gruyère or Emmental and more béchamel sauce, it truly is one of the things to eat in France that you need to try – at least once.

And the Croque Madame? A Croque Monsieur with the addition of a poached or fried egg placed on top.

18. French Food: Ratatouille

Ratatouille, a dish from the region of Provence, is a vegetable dish consisting of eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and garlic. The vegetables are seasoned with basil, thyme, and oregano and slow-cooked until tender. It’s the perfect summer dish either as a side or a main. It’s a French food you simply must try, especially if you are in Provence.

19. Potatoes In France: Tartiflette

Tartiflette is the closest French food to scalloped potatoes. This delicious French potato dish hails from the Savoie region of the French Alps. Thinly sliced potatoes are layers with lardon (square pieces of bacon) and onions and then covered with layers of reblochon cheese. At the food stalls at the Paris Christmas Markets, there are huge platters of tartiflette. 

20. More Potaotes: Aligot

Aligot is a traditional French food from the Aveyron department in southern France. While staying in Peyre, an enchanting town nestled in the Aveyron’s Tarn Valley I first indulged.

This divine French dish is decadent and oh, so delicious. Aligot is made with mashed potatoes, butter, garlic, and melted cheese. Typically Languiole cheese is used but Cantal or Tomme work as well. The potatoes are whipped to a creamy and elastic consistency. It makes the perfect companion to grilled meat.

The cheese used to make Aligot needs to go stringy when heated which makes the potato dish super stretchy. You know how the French love their food. There is even a festival that includes a stretching contest to see who can make the stretchiest aligot.

The Cheese Platter

Of all the things to eat in France, cheese is a must. The cheese course in France typically follows the main course and precedes the dessert. But what to choose? With so many varieties of cheese, a trip to a French cheese shop (fromagerie) can be a bit overwhelming. Typically the French cheese course involves a selection of cheeses ranging from soft and creamy to firm and pungent. Here are some of my favourite French cheeses.

21. French Cheese: Comté

Comté, a renowned French cheese, comes from the Jura mountains in the Franche-Comté region near the Swiss border. An unpasteurised cow’s milk cheese, Comté has unparalleled flavour. It’s versatile and perfect for picnics, and cheeseboards and also grated or melted for a fondue. When you ask for Comté, you will always be asked for the age of the cheese that you desire. I usually go with the middle choice, around 14-18 months. Pair it with a crusty baguette. You’ll be in French heaven.

French Savoir-Vivre: Have you ever added butter to your baguette piece and then layered the cheese on top? I mean, it’s the ultimate in extravagance. And flavour. It takes the experience of partaking in cheese to a new level. 

22. Sainte-Maure de Touraine

Goat cheeses. It’s a tough decision for me. I love little rounds of Rocamadour cheese that hail from the pilgrimage town of Rocamadour.

But, my current favourite goat cheese is Sainte-Maure de Touraine. The cheese, named after the town Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine in the picturesque Loire Valley with all the châteaux, is renowned for its long cylindrical shape, a straw running through the centre and black rind. The cheese is rolled in ash and the straw running through the middle allows for air circulation during the ageing process. It has a nutty flavour and a creamy texture and is divine. Why not pair it with a Loire Valley wine?

23. Camembert de Normandie

Is anything more French than Camembert cheese? Perhaps a beret. A beloved French cheese that hails from one of my favourite regions of France, Normandy, this creamy, rich cheese is to die for, especially when it has been left out of the fridge for a while.

French Savoir-Vivre: When choosing a Camembert, open the round balsa box and push your thumb into the cheese. Soft? It’s ripe and perfect for eating.

24. Saint-Nectaire

Saint-Nectaire hails from the Auvergne region of France. What makes this famous French cheese so delicious is that it is made from the Salers cows that feed on the volcanic pastures in the region. 

French Food: The Desserts To Die For

25. The French Tart

Fresh fruit tarts are to die for in France. I love apricot. Or raspberry in season. Oh and there’s quince nda fig. The choice is endless. Taste many tarts and you’ll find your favourite and become very discerning about the buttery, flaky pie crust.

26. Tarte Tatin

Does French pastry get any better than the Tarte Tatin with its luscious caramelised apples perched atop a buttery crust? This upside-down tart is irresistible. The caramelised apples (or pears) make a perfect balance between sweetness and tartness. It all comes together to make for a scrumptious French dessert.

27. Crème Brûlée

This French food, Crème Brulée, is a timeless classic. The creamy custard topped with brittle caramelised sugar makes the perfect contrast. Crème Brulée. It’s so simple and yet irresistible.

28. Paris Brest

The Paris Brest is made of choux pastry, filled with praline cream which is piped in so that it looks gorgeous and then hidden on the bottom layer, is a buttery crunchy praline concoction. Sprinkled on top are sliced almonds and icing sugar. What’s there not to like.

29. French Food Favourite: Macarons

They’re small, colourful, and delicate. They are just the right bite-size for an afternoon snack. Macarons are indeed one of the delightful things to eat in France. Meringue-based cookies made with almond flour, and macarons have a chewy interior and a creamy filling. Head to Ladurée or Pierre Hermé for a wide selection of flavours of this melt-in-your-mouth French classic.