I enjoy reading about your adventures and they make me appreciate my simple life with an easy chair, a laptop, an air conditioner, and an occasional food delivery.
Very funny! I’ve lived in France, and was treated wonderfully well, but this is an accurate account of a widespread attitude in French commerce.
In some ways I like their refusal to cow-tow to the tourist.
It’s about twenty years since I visited. The food was excellent everywhere we went, apart from the inedible, worst-meal-of-my-life, eaten in a remote cafe somewhere on our way to Roscoff on the home journey. The best also was in an unassuming health-spa restaurant off the road to Bordeaux, served without fanfare by friendly and welcoming staff. We had the most appetising salad, followed by roast lamb chops ( sorry Jenny) and an incredibly delicious prune tart!!
This really gave me a giggle this morning! French food not being the best in the world!? Oh, the cheek! But we were also underwhelmed when visiting France some years ago, when it came to restaurants (whether in villages, towns and cities) Especially with me being a vegetarian. However, at one point we stayed at a guesthouse where the owner herself cooked for the guests, and that was a sublime experience. Other than that, we were unimpressed, given the legendary status of French cuisine. If you ever make it to Hungary, you'd likely love the cuisine. It's hearty, filling, colourful and spicy and the Hungarians themselves are generally really hospitable.
My wife and I walked into a tourist office off the Champs d’Elyse a few years ago to enquire about booking a hotel or b&b in Normandy which was where we were headed next. The woman behind the counter responded “Yes, and I suppose you want something cheap” and walked away. Heavy emphasis on the word cheap. She soon returned with a brochure, literally tossed it on the counter at me and walked away again. It was for a dormitory/hostel called “Mr Bed.” We decided to take our chances and find something on our own once we got to Normandy. Some French people really go out of their way to live up to the stereotypes. Some of them work in tourism offices and restaurants. All you can do is laugh.
I've had nice food in France. I mean, I lived there for 25 years and I do remember a few nice meals. I think. Seriously though, you're not off in your assessment. The French are ridiculously rigid in their attitude to food and it's all too rare that everything comes together to make for a memorable meal. If you know an area well, it is easier but you can still find stinkers. For tourists, it can be almost impossible to find good food without recourse to guides.
Italy is much easier and the Italians are by nature, better hosts.
This is my experience of France, I have to say. The food is just okay and touristy. The waiting staff are rude, and will not speak to you unless you are fluent in French. (My French is not great, but more than adequate to order a meal.) The Italians are really really friendly, and there is always something delicious to eat.
Did you try the 3 "O" in Osse-en-Aspe? I had a very good experience there.
You really need to search and plan in order to discover the gastronomic experiences while travelling in France. With some knowledge you will be able to distinguish the good restaurants from the bad ones.
You were in Osse-en-Aspe too? I have zero recollection of the name of the restaurant, but there was not a single other business of any kind in the village. I was shocked at how barren French villages were. I’m used to Italian towns where there is life. But the food in the cities was pretty crap too! Like I said elsewhere, this was the year after all the covid restrictions, o think all restaurants were really struggling.
You're right. It is very difficult to find a restaurant in a small village of 350 inhabitants like Osse-en-Aspe. I was lucky to find the 3 O restaurant. I choose it, because it had very good reviews.
I know that if I travel in remote areas, I have to plan my stay if I want quality. Not only in Europe but also in the US.
The most memorable meal in France was at a resturant that insisted we could not share a plate of food, we must order two. It was two ginormouse mounds of food that were left less than half eaten.
Italy was much better for food. My only regret was not spending more on meals while we were there.
Your best bet when traveling anywhere, but especially France, is to use a guide. We used Patricia Wells's guide to France and found some beautiful places. Also Kermit Lynch has a book about the wine route that's very useful. Don't try to figure it out on your own.
It was actually a lot of fun, once we got into the swing of things. I’ll never forget how elated I was when we arrived across the border into Italy though!
Repeating the weird old lie that British food is bad really made me think the rest of your opinions must be just as half-baked and lazy, but this was a fun accounting so I’ll forgive you :)
Tourist slop is tourist slop everywhere, of course, and I too respect the French’s right to be sick and tired of tourists. Having lived in Edinburgh for ten years I could throw every tourist in the North Sea and feel no guilt.
I am shocked this was the *only* comment to this effect. I live in France, speak French, and my husband is French. *Even he* thinks a lot of food in Paris is bad. You have to really scrutinize restaurant reviews to find the good ones. I am somewhat surprised to hear you had such bad experiences in smaller towns, most of our *excellent* meals have been in Normandy, Tours, Brittany, and the SW. But, I believe you.
I do think the grocery stores have pretty high quality daily staples. A delicious meal can be made out of a baguette, cheese, and a few tomatoes. I hope you come back and have a better experience next time!
I have been going to France for extended periods my entire life and speak French. My experience in 2022 was unlike any other- I put it down partly to post Covid issues, but it was really quite shocking how pervasive the terrible food and terrible attitudes were. I can handle one of the two, not both! 😂
The supermarkets are pretty great but they are like that in most other European countries too. And you are right, the f you do your research before hand you will find the good stuff. My husband went on a mega hunt for a good croissant. It took work, but he found it: I naively thought that your would not have to work to find a good croissant in Paris. Bottom line, Italians are far more hospitable and accommodating. But I think we all knew that.
Hahahaha! We would have LOADS of fun over a couple bottles of wine (which I would choose because I'm a pro and know my shit) and well-paired homemade or artisan-made food.
It took you til 2022 to realize that the French are awful, they hate foreigners, their business hours are impossible, and their restos are 99% terrible? (And, sadly, the small towns have emptied out.) The French have deservedly been the punchline of jokes for...ever?
Are you still there? Go grocery shopping! You'll find fantastic ingredients (both in big supermarkets and local farmer markets). Go to a traiteur and get great pâtés, saucissons, and charcuteries. Go to an artisan bakery (not industrial bakery) for bread and croissants and more, depending on your region. Get wine from a cave. Cheese from a fromagerie. All the fantastic butter and semi-ripened cheese! The poultry! OMG! :-)
Lol totally! Next time I will show up at your door with wine chosen by my husband, who is also an expert and even though he doesn't drink loves nothing more than to buy me fancy wine! We found two incredible bakeries -- one in Paris and one outside Bordeaux -- and some great supermarches, but were somewhat hampered cooking-wise by the infernal heat. Even turning on the induction was too much. Brian (my husband) had plans to cook all sorts of things and buy all sorts of robust reds but in the end it was salads and rosé (which even the cheap stuff was delicious.)
It really brought home though what a poor state the food industry is in generally. I thought it was a problem more for the UK where industrial-scale food is hugely dominant. I guess I had romantic notions that French culinary pride would not allow such a crime to be committed, but judging from the number of terrible baguettes we bought, c'est ne pas vrai. 😱
Once I got used to the rudeness -- which, to be fair, I experienced many times when I would visit as a kid -- I found it quite charming. I'm a New Yorker after all! 🤣🤣🤣
Food industry is exactly the same as everywhere. Need to zero in on the FANTASTIC food. (Many people love a widely published American foodie in Paris, David Lebowitz. Maybe he's a good source for your next visit.)
Big Ag/Pharma (headquartered in Spain, France, and Germany) has covered France in glyphosate. Ninety-nine percent of Champagne, Bordeaux, and southern-region grapes (and all crops) are blanketed in pesticides/herbicides. Need to pick wines carefully (as with everywhere). So glad you had great rosé! Yay! Pick artisan bakeries by their signage to avoid terrible bread. Glad you found at least a couple good bakeries.
Sorry for rant! I do have that culinary/cultural pride, which is why I'm all defensive here, haha!
I enjoy reading about your adventures and they make me appreciate my simple life with an easy chair, a laptop, an air conditioner, and an occasional food delivery.
Honestly, the older I get the more appreciate not moving around. I've had a truly great trip, but I miss my couch! 🤣
Very funny! I’ve lived in France, and was treated wonderfully well, but this is an accurate account of a widespread attitude in French commerce.
In some ways I like their refusal to cow-tow to the tourist.
It’s about twenty years since I visited. The food was excellent everywhere we went, apart from the inedible, worst-meal-of-my-life, eaten in a remote cafe somewhere on our way to Roscoff on the home journey. The best also was in an unassuming health-spa restaurant off the road to Bordeaux, served without fanfare by friendly and welcoming staff. We had the most appetising salad, followed by roast lamb chops ( sorry Jenny) and an incredibly delicious prune tart!!
😂😂that was the exact kind of beautifully simple meal I was SURE we would encounter at some point on our road trip. Mais non 😬
Exactly. I have managed to encounter great food in France, the UK and even Brooklyn. Very often bad experience is due to a "You problem"!
This really gave me a giggle this morning! French food not being the best in the world!? Oh, the cheek! But we were also underwhelmed when visiting France some years ago, when it came to restaurants (whether in villages, towns and cities) Especially with me being a vegetarian. However, at one point we stayed at a guesthouse where the owner herself cooked for the guests, and that was a sublime experience. Other than that, we were unimpressed, given the legendary status of French cuisine. If you ever make it to Hungary, you'd likely love the cuisine. It's hearty, filling, colourful and spicy and the Hungarians themselves are generally really hospitable.
Hungary is now at the top of my list of places to visit!
I'm still giggling. Thank you for this.
Thank you!
“Wishful smelling.” Lol.
🥰🥰
A good French meal is cooked as if by a friend for a friend. How many friends can one have? For really good food, go to Belgium.
My wife and I walked into a tourist office off the Champs d’Elyse a few years ago to enquire about booking a hotel or b&b in Normandy which was where we were headed next. The woman behind the counter responded “Yes, and I suppose you want something cheap” and walked away. Heavy emphasis on the word cheap. She soon returned with a brochure, literally tossed it on the counter at me and walked away again. It was for a dormitory/hostel called “Mr Bed.” We decided to take our chances and find something on our own once we got to Normandy. Some French people really go out of their way to live up to the stereotypes. Some of them work in tourism offices and restaurants. All you can do is laugh.
I agree, it’s very funny. You have to admire that level of no F’s given.
I've had nice food in France. I mean, I lived there for 25 years and I do remember a few nice meals. I think. Seriously though, you're not off in your assessment. The French are ridiculously rigid in their attitude to food and it's all too rare that everything comes together to make for a memorable meal. If you know an area well, it is easier but you can still find stinkers. For tourists, it can be almost impossible to find good food without recourse to guides.
Italy is much easier and the Italians are by nature, better hosts.
Italians are very warm and hospitable, even in touristy areas if the food isn't top notch they are still quite welcoming by comparison.
This is my experience of France, I have to say. The food is just okay and touristy. The waiting staff are rude, and will not speak to you unless you are fluent in French. (My French is not great, but more than adequate to order a meal.) The Italians are really really friendly, and there is always something delicious to eat.
Did you try the 3 "O" in Osse-en-Aspe? I had a very good experience there.
You really need to search and plan in order to discover the gastronomic experiences while travelling in France. With some knowledge you will be able to distinguish the good restaurants from the bad ones.
You were in Osse-en-Aspe too? I have zero recollection of the name of the restaurant, but there was not a single other business of any kind in the village. I was shocked at how barren French villages were. I’m used to Italian towns where there is life. But the food in the cities was pretty crap too! Like I said elsewhere, this was the year after all the covid restrictions, o think all restaurants were really struggling.
You're right. It is very difficult to find a restaurant in a small village of 350 inhabitants like Osse-en-Aspe. I was lucky to find the 3 O restaurant. I choose it, because it had very good reviews.
I know that if I travel in remote areas, I have to plan my stay if I want quality. Not only in Europe but also in the US.
Yes, we definitely did not to enough forward planning!
The most memorable meal in France was at a resturant that insisted we could not share a plate of food, we must order two. It was two ginormouse mounds of food that were left less than half eaten.
Italy was much better for food. My only regret was not spending more on meals while we were there.
Your best bet when traveling anywhere, but especially France, is to use a guide. We used Patricia Wells's guide to France and found some beautiful places. Also Kermit Lynch has a book about the wine route that's very useful. Don't try to figure it out on your own.
This was fun. To read.
It was actually a lot of fun, once we got into the swing of things. I’ll never forget how elated I was when we arrived across the border into Italy though!
Repeating the weird old lie that British food is bad really made me think the rest of your opinions must be just as half-baked and lazy, but this was a fun accounting so I’ll forgive you :)
Tourist slop is tourist slop everywhere, of course, and I too respect the French’s right to be sick and tired of tourists. Having lived in Edinburgh for ten years I could throw every tourist in the North Sea and feel no guilt.
"I’m going to sound like a spoiled American princess"
Mission accomplished.
Ok Frenchie
I am shocked this was the *only* comment to this effect. I live in France, speak French, and my husband is French. *Even he* thinks a lot of food in Paris is bad. You have to really scrutinize restaurant reviews to find the good ones. I am somewhat surprised to hear you had such bad experiences in smaller towns, most of our *excellent* meals have been in Normandy, Tours, Brittany, and the SW. But, I believe you.
I do think the grocery stores have pretty high quality daily staples. A delicious meal can be made out of a baguette, cheese, and a few tomatoes. I hope you come back and have a better experience next time!
I have been going to France for extended periods my entire life and speak French. My experience in 2022 was unlike any other- I put it down partly to post Covid issues, but it was really quite shocking how pervasive the terrible food and terrible attitudes were. I can handle one of the two, not both! 😂
The supermarkets are pretty great but they are like that in most other European countries too. And you are right, the f you do your research before hand you will find the good stuff. My husband went on a mega hunt for a good croissant. It took work, but he found it: I naively thought that your would not have to work to find a good croissant in Paris. Bottom line, Italians are far more hospitable and accommodating. But I think we all knew that.
Agreed on all fronts.
Hahahaha! We would have LOADS of fun over a couple bottles of wine (which I would choose because I'm a pro and know my shit) and well-paired homemade or artisan-made food.
It took you til 2022 to realize that the French are awful, they hate foreigners, their business hours are impossible, and their restos are 99% terrible? (And, sadly, the small towns have emptied out.) The French have deservedly been the punchline of jokes for...ever?
Are you still there? Go grocery shopping! You'll find fantastic ingredients (both in big supermarkets and local farmer markets). Go to a traiteur and get great pâtés, saucissons, and charcuteries. Go to an artisan bakery (not industrial bakery) for bread and croissants and more, depending on your region. Get wine from a cave. Cheese from a fromagerie. All the fantastic butter and semi-ripened cheese! The poultry! OMG! :-)
Lol totally! Next time I will show up at your door with wine chosen by my husband, who is also an expert and even though he doesn't drink loves nothing more than to buy me fancy wine! We found two incredible bakeries -- one in Paris and one outside Bordeaux -- and some great supermarches, but were somewhat hampered cooking-wise by the infernal heat. Even turning on the induction was too much. Brian (my husband) had plans to cook all sorts of things and buy all sorts of robust reds but in the end it was salads and rosé (which even the cheap stuff was delicious.)
It really brought home though what a poor state the food industry is in generally. I thought it was a problem more for the UK where industrial-scale food is hugely dominant. I guess I had romantic notions that French culinary pride would not allow such a crime to be committed, but judging from the number of terrible baguettes we bought, c'est ne pas vrai. 😱
Once I got used to the rudeness -- which, to be fair, I experienced many times when I would visit as a kid -- I found it quite charming. I'm a New Yorker after all! 🤣🤣🤣
Food industry is exactly the same as everywhere. Need to zero in on the FANTASTIC food. (Many people love a widely published American foodie in Paris, David Lebowitz. Maybe he's a good source for your next visit.)
Big Ag/Pharma (headquartered in Spain, France, and Germany) has covered France in glyphosate. Ninety-nine percent of Champagne, Bordeaux, and southern-region grapes (and all crops) are blanketed in pesticides/herbicides. Need to pick wines carefully (as with everywhere). So glad you had great rosé! Yay! Pick artisan bakeries by their signage to avoid terrible bread. Glad you found at least a couple good bakeries.
Sorry for rant! I do have that culinary/cultural pride, which is why I'm all defensive here, haha!