Food and culture have a distinct connection. The culinary tradition of a community (or a country) tells a lot about their culture. That’s why whenever we travel to new places, we can easily understand and relate to their culture from the food they serve.
Food is a portal into one’s culture as it conveys the diverse lifestyle, values, beliefs, and history of each country. So when we go from one place to another, remember that the first thing to cross off our bucket lists is to try their culinary specialties.
For some food lovers and travelers, France is a dream destination worth exploring. Being the world’s most visited and popular tourist destination, the country is visited by around 90 million tourists every year. France offers every visitor endless activities to experience the French culture — from its museums to restaurants, cafes, and parks. Visiting the iconic Parisian landmark Eiffel Tower — as well as the most visited museum in the world, the Louvre museum — is one for the books.
As the largest country in Europe, France has a great reputation and cultural contribution to the world for its perfect meal — bread, cheese, and wine. France is home to more than 32,000 independent bakeries, which offer good quality bread from croissants and brioche, to baguettes and pain de campagne; a variety of cheeses with more than 1,000 types; and French wines from high-priced Bordeaux and Burgundy, Champagne, and other labels from the south of France.
The Crawl, a show that brings one of the most authentic culinary experiences television can deliver, visited some of the most popular restaurants in the country. Last year, The Crawl successfully toured Spain and Italy where they delightfully tasted the best of what the cities had to offer and in July this year, The Crawl visited the most popular Filipino restaurants in New York City.
With its latest series, The Crawl embraced the heritage and explored France for a French food crawl. Hosting The Crawl France is a woman of style and design, and has a deep appreciation for food and culture, Stephanie Kienle-Gonzalez. She is one of the hosts of the living and home TV show, Metro Home. Together with Jhonel Faelnar, a multi-awarded sommelier, who was recognized by Wine & Spirits magazine as the Best New Sommelier of New York.
Champeaux
Champeaux is a 21st-century brasserie led by world-renowned Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse. Brasserie is usually a type of French restaurant with a relaxed setting, wherein Alain Ducasse takes his space as an original version of a contemporary brasserie. Take a bite of their best-selling cheesecake, after trying their signature crapaudine-style free-range chicken.
La Grande Taverne
La Grande Taverne is the only place in the city that offers Sombrero French flavored beer under pressure. With the restaurant’s beautiful interiors, your family or friends can surely share more intimate moments. La Grande Taverne serves seasonal cuisine including French delicacy escargot, and features the specialties and recipes of the Burgundy region, such as the famous Beef Bourguignon. You can also enjoy good wines from Burgundy and Crémant served the restaurant. La Grande Taverne is located at 20-22 Avenue Maréchal Foch, Dijon.
Le Pres Aux Clercs
Discover the flavorful signature dishes and cuisines from Le Pré aux Clercs. The restaurant is dedicated to serving cuisines in the spirit of Georges Blanc, a French chef, and restaurateur, with three Michelin stars and four toques from the guide Gault et Millau. Aside from the authentic food from Bresse, Le Pré aux Clercs is also a paradise for wine-lovers as it offers the best labels from Burgundy. The restaurant is located at 13 Place de la Libération, Dijon.
Brasserie Excelsior
The Brasserie Excelsior is popular for its traditional cuisine. Its menu is a representation of Grand Brasseries’ generosity and variety. The Excelsior serves Terrine of Reims ham and foie gras of duck as its starter dishes. For its main courses, the restaurant offers its specialties like roasted scallops, creamy risotto with green asparagus tips in truffle-scented juice, and grilled chateaubriand with french fries. The Excelsior Brasserie is located at 96 Place Drouet d’Erlon, Reims.
Moet and Chandon
Your French tour wouldn’t be complete if you don’t pay a visit to one of the world’s largest champagne producers, Moet and Chardon. As the highlight of our tasting adventure in France, we took a tour to the vast Moet and Chandon champagne cellars. We entered the 28-kilometer underground tunnel housing over 30 million bottles of champagnes.