FrenchDuck’s databank
French Food

Roscoff (29 Finistere, Brittany) celebrates its famous pink onions with a 2 day festival (Fete de l’Oignon Rose de Roscoff).

The local onion was the basis for a major trade in onions across the English Channel – and led to the hordes of “Onion Johnnies” with their berets, Gauloises cigarettes and strings of onions over the handlebars of their bikes. There is now a Museum dedicated to the “Johnnies” in Roscoff.

For more info see http://www.roscoff-tourisme.com – and the Maison des Johnnies et de l’oignon rose

In addition to strong regional influences which derive in large part from tradition and local availability of fresh produce, there are three main cooking styles you may encounter en France:-

Classical French cuisine (also known in France as cuisine bourgeoise). This includes all the classical French dishes which were at one time regional, but are no longer specifically regional. Food is rich and filling, with many dishes using cream-based sauces.
Haute cuisine is classical French cuisine taken to its most sophisticated and extreme. Food is elegant, elaborate and generally rich. Meals tend to be heavy, especially due to the use of cream and either large portions or many smaller portions. There is a strong emphasis on presentation (in particular, vegetables tend to be cut with compulsive precision and uniformity). The finest ingredients are used, and the meal is correspondingly expensive.
Cuisine Nouvelle. This style developed in the 1970s, as a reaction against the classical school of cooking. The food is simpler and lighter. Portions are smaller and less rich; the heavy cream sauces of the classical approach are particularly avoided. Cooking is less elaborate and quicker, with more emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients.
Cuisine du terroir. This focuses on regional specialities and is somewhat more rustic in nature. Local produce and food traditions are the main focus.

Each of these traditions is strongly represented in France, each having its supporters and specialist restaurants. At the moment, Cuisine Nouvelle is less popular than it was, while Cuisine du terroir has grown in popularity in recent years..
For more about French Food, regional influences and cooking styles see Doug Stewart’s informative site at www.france-property-and-information.com

Situated a few miles east of Tours on the Loire, Vouvray produces a wide range of wine styles based on the Chenin Blanc - from dry to sweet, from still to sparkling - showing what a versatile grape variety this grape can be.
Discover Vouvray wines - presented by their makers - and a selection of local fine food specialities in the Caves de la Bonne Dame.

Langon (33 Gironde, Aquitaine) midway between Bordeaux and Saint Emilion holds a well-balanced festival of wine,cheese and bread (La foire aux vins, fromages et pains) on the first weekend of September. Given the proximity of some of the finest vineyards in the world - Graves, Sauternes, Pomerol, Saint Emilion - the wine element alone should be pretty good!
See www.langon33.fr

St Remy-de-Provence (13, Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence) holds it Fête du Vin et de l’Artisanat - featuring the local wines of Les Baux de Provence and Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and local crafts - market stalls with olivesm foie gras, cheese, oysters and honey - music each night in the town.
See www.saintremy-de-provence.com

The village of Lautrec (81 Tarn, Midi-Pyrenees) near Albi holds its annual Pink Garlic Festival - La fête de l’Ail Rose de Lautrec.The highlights include the free tasting of the Lautrec Pink Garlic soup, a competition for the longest woven string of garlic (current record is over 21 metres) and a garlic tart competition (and a Miss Pink Garlic competition).
For more info see www.ailrosedelautrec.com

Livarot (14 Calvados, Normandie) is one of Normandy’s most distinctive cheeses. The town holds its anual cheese festival in August.
See map

One of Cahors’ top wine chateaux is the Chateau de Mercuès, which is also a top class Michelin restaurant and hotel - the barrel-ageing cellar is under the hotel and is sometimes used for functions - such as a wedding breakfast of bread and Cahors wine!!
Owned by one of the top Cahors wine families - Georges Vigouroux, the wines are consistently amongst the best Cahors wines.
Situated on a promontory to the west of Cahors (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) at Mercuès, it offers stunning views over the Lot Valley. see www.relaischateaux.com
More on Chateau de Mercuès and Cahors

Markets in the Gironde (33, Aquitaine)

Arcachon for oysters and seafood, Bazas for beef.and almost everything in Bordeaux.

The following list is provided as an indicator of what markets take place whenin good faith, but bear in mind that some markets will only take place in the summer, others may be 2-weekly or monthly - always check with the local tourist office.

Andernos Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Arcachon daily
Ares Tuesday
Audenge Tuesday
Bazas Saturday
Blaye Wednesday, Saturday
Bordeaux - Aubiers Friday
Bordeaux - Bacalan Friday
Bordeaux - Belcier Tuesday
Bordeaux - Capucins Monday-Saturday
Bordeaux - Chartrons Tuesday-Saturday
Bordeaux - Grand Parc Saturday
Bordeaux - Grands Hommes daily exc Sunday
Bordeaux - La Bastide Thursday
Bordeaux - Lerme Wednesday, Saturday
Bordeaux - Pins-Francs Wednesday
Bordeaux - pl St-Amand Saturday
Bordeaux - pl St-Pierre Thursday
Bordeaux - Quais Sunday
Bordeaux - Royal Saturday
Bordeaux - St-Martial Wednesday
Bordeaux - St-Michel daily
Bordeaux - St-Suerin Friday
Bordeaux - St-Victor-Dupeux Tuesday
Bordeaux - Victor Hugo daily
Bourg-sur-Gironde Sunday
Cap-Ferret Wednesday
Captieux Monday
Castillon-la-Bataille Monday
Coutras Wednesday, Saturday
Creon Wednesday
Gujan-Mestras Wednesday
Hourtin Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
La Teste Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Lacanau Tuesday
Lacanau-Ocean Wednesday
Lege Saturday
Lesparre-Medoc Tuesday, Saturday
Libourne Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Monsegur Tuesday, Friday
Pauillac Saturday
Sauveterre-de-Guyenne Tuesday
Soulac-sur-Mer daily
St-Andre-de-Cubzac Thursday, Saturday
Ste-Foy-la-Grande daily
Villandraut Thursday

more info

Toulouse is the capital of the département of Haute Garonne (31) and of the Midi-Pyrenees region. The area has a rich food heritage - including the Toulouse Sausage! Duck, Goose and pork are the predominant meats, but the area is also good for fruit and vegetables.
The indoor Victor Hugo market in Toulouse (Place Victor Hugo), was where Rick Stein investigated and raved about the Toulouse Sausage of Jean Marie Castet at the stall of Gilles Vidal - open Tuesday - Sunday mornings - a huge selection of other wonderful foods always available.

The following list of markets is accurate to the best of our knowledge - many may only operate in the summer - always check with the local tourist office.
Arbas - Sunday
Aspet - Saturday
Aurignac - Tuesday
Auterive - Friday
Ayguesvives - Wednesday
Bagnères-de-Luchon - Wednesday
Balma - Saturday
Baziège - Saturday
Beauzelle - Wednesday
Bessières - Monday
Blagnac - Saturday
Boulogne-Sur-Gesse - Wednesday
Bruguières - Sunday
Cadours - Wednesday
Calmont - Tuesday
Caraman - Thursday
Carbonne - Thursday
Castelginest - Saturday
Castelmaurou - Thursday
Cazères - Saturday
Gaud - Tuesday
Cintegabelle - Wednesday
Colomiers - Saturday
Cornebarrieu - Sunday
Cugnaux - Saturday
Eaunes - Tuesday
Escalquens - Sunday
Fenouillet - Saturday
Fonsorbes - Saturday
Fridayonton - Thursday
Gratentour - Wednesday
Grenade - Saturday
Labarth-sur-Lèze - Sunday
Lanta - Wednesday
Launac - Friday
Léguevin - Sunday
L’Isle-en-Dodon - Saturday
L’Union - Sunday
Marignac - Friday
Martres-Tolosane - Tuesday
Mazères-Sur-Salat - Friday
Mirepoix-Sur-Tarn - Tuesday
Mondonville - Friday
Montastruc - Sunday
Montesquieu-Volvestre - Saturday
Montgiscard - Sunday
Montréjeau - Monday
Muret - Saturday
Nailloux - Wednesday
Pechbonnieu - Saturday
Pibrac - Monday
Pinsaguel - Sunday
Plaisance-du-Touch - Saturday
Portet-Sur-Garonne - Friday
Ramonville-St-Agne - Saturday
Revel - Saturday
Rieumes - Thursday
Roques-Sur-Garonne - Friday
Roquettes - Wednesday
Seysses - Friday
St-Béat - Friday
St-Cézert - Friday
St-Félix - Wednesday
St-Gaudens - Saturday
St-Geniès-Bellevue - Thursday
St-Jean - Saturday
St-Lys - Tuesday
St-Orens-de-Gameville - Saturday
St-Sulpice-sur-Lèze - Wednesday
Toulouse - Place du Capitol - Tuesday- Saturday (organic)
Toulouse - Victor Hugo - Tuesday - Saturday
Tournefeuille - Sunday
Vacquiers - Sunday
Venerque - Thursday
VilleFranche-de-Lauragais - Friday
Villemur-Sur-Tarn - Sunday
Villeneuve-Tolosane - Sunday

I should not be surprised, but the French do seem to have a propensity to celebrate almost anything that is food-related, and claim that it is only their village that can claim to produce the best examples in France, if not the world.
Hence, the humble carrot gets its day of glory at Créances on the Cherbourg peninsula (50 Manche, Normandie).

Camembert and Brie - famous soft cows milk cheeses from northern France

see map (more…)