Day 3363 (Sunday) 23rd August 2026 

This is Menton

and this is Nice.

We had a lovely lazy day at home today and I sunbathed for a while and the temperature was perfect with no humidity.

As promised yesterday  here are the other French dishes… 

7. Croques Monsieur et Madame

The fancy Croque Madame is a French sandwich classic.Photo: Stepanek Photography / Shutterstock

A quintessential Parisian pair.

The only happily married sandwiches in the world—and proof that everything sounds better in French—the Croque Monsieur came first. A gentleman's sandwich (the name of which translates to “Mister Bite”), it's made from white bread, ham, cheese, and sometimes bechamel sauce—essentially, it's a fancy grilled cheese. A Croque Madame includes all of the above, except it's topped with a fried egg that's said to represent a lady's hat. Sample them both in Paris on a food tour.

8. Clafoutis

Rich clafoutis is a cherry-forward dessert.Photo: iskraphoto / Shutterstock

Limousin's famous dessert is traditionally made with cherries.

A hearty, baked dessert that combines grandmotherly cooking with French sophistication, clafoutis has the consistency of a thick pancake. The name clafoutis comes from “ clafir ,” which means “to fill.” Traditionally, the recipe uses cherries, but nowadays it can be made from any seasonal fruit. The fruit is then stacked up in a buttered dish between layers of batter before baking. Try it hot or cold.

9. Eggplant roll

This eggplant dip has nothing to do with Avignon's papal past.Photo: Nikonov Vladimir / Shutterstock

A classic French dish from Avignon.

Seven Papes , or Popes, have resided in Avignon , but papeton d'aubergines takes its name from the mould which the dip is made in rather than the religious heritage of the city. A flavourful eggplant paté served as a starter—and often featured on Avignon food tours —most recipes also include tomatoes, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, onion, and egg.

10. Ratatouille

Humble ratatouille has gone from side dish to star of the show.Photo: Kseniya Kovalets / Shutterstock

Hailing from Nice, this is one of the most popular French dishes.

The name may conjure images of an animated rodent working in a Parisian restaurant, but ratatouille actually comes from Nice and was created by poor Provençal farmers as a way to use up leftover summer vegetables. A brightly-coloured medley of peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes, it typically accompanies meat or fish, although it's increasingly eaten as a main. The flavour supposedly improves if consumed a day or two after cooking.

11. Canele

The canelé owes its existence to Caribbean rum and spices.Photo: Piotr Krzeslak / Shutterstock

Bordeaux's Caribbean-influenced cake.

Thanks to its status as a port town, Bordeaux saw the arrival of spices and goods from the Caribbean before other French cities. This rich blend inspired canelé , a fluted cake infused with rum and vanilla. The outside of a canelé is an almost burnt-looking rich, deep brown, while the inside is the colour of custard. It's slightly chewy in texture, and typically glazed with butter.

12. French onion soup

French onion soup is said to have been invented by a king. Photo: Cabeca de Marmore / Shutterstock

Champagne isn't the Champagne region's only claim to fame.

One of the most popular theories on the origin of French onion soup centres around King Louis XV. After a long day of hunting, the king was feeling peckish, so ransacked the cupboards to find them all but bare. 

All he found were onions (relatable), butter (likely), and … Champagne . It's lucky he wasn't a student, or this simple but indulgent soup might have ended up infused with cheap vodka instead.

13. Galette des rois

Whoever plucks out the porcelain figure must buy the next cake.Photo: JPC-PROD / Shutterstock

Step aside, New Orleans—here's how kings' cake is done in Besançon.

The galette des rois , or kings' cake, was invented in the 13th century to celebrate the arrival of the Three Kings at Jesus' manger. Made from puff pastry filled with frangipane, one of the slices contains a fève (small, porcelain figurine). The person who finds the fève is nominated king or queen for the day and wears a crown, although they also have the (dubious) honour of supplying the next cake.

14. Galettes Bretonnes

Accompany your galette with a glass of Breton cider.Photo: bonchan / Shutterstock

Brittany's take on crepes.

Crêpes are great, but galettes Bretonnes —dark, savoury crêpes made from buckwheat—are something else. Traditionally they contain slices of Emmental, ham, and a fried egg, and are folded in a square shape, but most crêperies offer up an extensive menu these days. Rather than being washed down with wine, or indeed Champagne, galettes are eaten accompanied by a bowl of Breton cider.

15. Teurgoule

Normandy's rice pudding is a melt-in-the-mouth treat.Photo: Fanfo / Shutterstock

A French rice pudding from Normandy.

If rice pudding reminds you of school canteen slop, Normandy 's teurgoule will change your mind. Infused with cinnamon and slow-cooked for at least five hours, the resulting dish has a caramelised crust and grains of rice so tender that they melt in your mouth. It was invented in the late 18th century when French baron François-Jean Orceau sailed into Normandy with a cargo of rice and can be sampled on several Normandy food tours.