With the exception of China, France has a more varied and developed cuisine than any other country. The simple, delicious cooking for which France is famous is found in the old-fashioned bistro and restaurant. There are two distinct styles of eating in France. One is, of course, ‘gastronomy’ (haute cuisine), widely known and honoured as a cult with rituals, rules and taboos. It is rarely practised in daily life, partly because of the cost and the time which must be devoted to it. The other is family-style cooking, often just as delicious as its celebrated counterpart.
Things to know: Almost all restaurants offer two types of meal: à la carte (extensive choice for each course and more expensive) and le menu (a set meal at a fixed price with dishes selected from the full à la carte menu). At simple restaurants, the same cutlery will be used for all courses. The bill (l’addition) will not be presented until it is asked for, even if clients sit and talk for half an hour after they have finished eating. Many restaurants close for a month during the summer, and one day a week throughout the rest of the year. It is always wise to check that a restaurant is open, particularly on Sunday. Generally speaking, mealtimes in France are strictly observed. Lunch is served from 1200 to 1330, dinner usually from 2000-2130, but the larger the city, the later the dining hour.
National specialities:
• Ratatouille niçoise (stew of courgettes, tomatoes and aubergines, braised with garlic in olive oil).
• In the north of France (Nord/Pas de Calais and Picardy), fish and shellfish are the star features in menus – oysters, moules (mussels), coques (cockles) and crevettes (shrimps) are extremely popular.
• In Picardy, duck pâtés and ficelle picarde (ham and mushroom pancake) are popular.
• Alsace and Lorraine are the lands of choucroute (sauerkraut) and kugelhof (a special cake), quiche lorraine and tarte flambée (onion tart).
• Spicy and distinctive sauces are the hallmark of Breton food, and shellfish is a speciality of the region, particularly homard à l’armoricaine (lobster with cream sauce). Brittany is also famous for producing some of the finest butter in the world.
• Lyon, the main city of the Rhône Valley, is the heartland of French cuisine, though the food is often more rich than elaborate. A speciality of this area is quenelles de brochet (pounded pike formed into sausage shapes and usually served with a rich crayfish sauce).
• Aquitaine cuisine (in the south-west of France) is based on goosefat. A reference to ‘Périgord’ will indicate a dish containing truffles.
• In the Pyrénées, especially around Toulouse, visitors will find salmon and cassoulet, a hearty dish with beans and preserved meat.
• Some of the better known cheeses are camembert, brie, roquefort, reblochon and blue cheeses from Auvergne and Bresse.
• Desserts include: soufflé grand-marnier; oeufs à la neige (meringues floating on custard); mille feuilles (layers of flaky pastry and custard cream); Paris-Brest (a large puff-pastry with hazelnut cream); ganache (chocolate cream biscuit); and fruit tarts and flans.
National drinks:
• Wine is by far the most popular alcoholic drink in France, and the choice will vary according to region. Cheap wine (vin ordinaire) can either be very palatable or undrinkable, but there is no certain way of establishing which this is likely to be before drinking. Wines are classified into AC (Appellation Contrôlée), VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure), Vin de Pays and Vin de Table. There are several wine-producing regions in the country; some of the more notable are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Rhône and Champagne. The popular wine Muscadet comes from the extreme southern point of Britanny. Brittanny is also famous for its cider. The waiter will usually be glad to advise an appropriate choice. In expensive restaurants, this will be handled by a sommelier or wine steward. If in doubt, try the house wine; this will usually be less expensive.
• There is also a huge variety of apéritifs available. Typically French apéritifs are Pastis, Ricard or Pernod.
• The region of Nord Pas de Calais and Picardy does not produce wine, but brews beer and cider. Alsace is said to brew the best beer in France but fruity white wines, such as Riesling, Straminer and Sylvaner, and fine fruit liqueurs, such as Kirsch and Framboise (raspberry), are also produced in this area.
• Coffee is always served after the meal, and will always be black, in small cups, unless a café au lait (or café crème) is requested.
• Brandies such as Armagnac and Cognac and liqueurs such as Chartreuse and Genepi (an unusual liqueur made from an aromatic plant) are available. Many of these liqueurs, such as eau de vie and Calvados (apple brandy) are very strong and should be treated with respect, particularly after a few glasses of wine. A good rule of thumb is to look around and see what the locals are drinking. Spirit measures are usually doubles unless a baby is specifically asked for.
Legal drinking age: The legal age for drinking alcohol in a bar/café is 18. Minors are allowed to go into bars if accompanied by an adult but they will not be served alcohol. Hours of opening depend on the proprietor but, generally, bars in major towns and resorts are open throughout the day; some may still be open at 0200. Smaller towns tend to shut earlier. There are also all-night bars and cafes in larger towns.
Tipping: A 12 to 15 per cent service charge is normally added to the bill in hotels, restaurants and bars, but it is customary to leave small change with the payment; more if the service has been exceptional. Other services such as washroom attendants, beauticians, hairdressers and cinema ushers expect tips. Taxi drivers expect 10 to 15 per cent of the meter fare.

In major cities such as Paris, Lyon or Marseille, there are lively nightclubs that sometimes charge no entry fee, although drinks are likely to be more expensive. Alternatively, the entrance price sometimes includes a consommation of one drink. Nightclubs are everywhere and in even the remotest corners of France. Their style and music vary widely from one place to another. Nightclubs have a fixed closing time of 0500. As an alternative to a nightclub, there are many late-night bars and cafes. In Paris and the regions, theatres offer a wide variety of shows from great classics to light comedy, from one-man shows to cabaret. Tourist offices publish an annual and monthly diary of events available free of charge. Several guides are also available which give information about entertainment and sightseeing in the capital. Guides for events in Paris are sold at newspaper kiosks (Pariscope, L'official des Spectacles and Zurban). They list all cinema programmes, museums, exhibitions and all other types of shows. Kiosks on the forecourt of the Montparnasse railway station and at Place de la Madeleine offer same day theatre tickets at reduced rates. Travellers can also buy tickets for concerts from FNAC and Virgin sales outlets or from the venue themselves. In the provinces, the French generally spend the night eating and drinking, although in the more popular tourist areas, there will be discos and dances. All weekend festivals in summer in the rural areas are a good form of evening entertainment. There are over 130 public casinos in the country.

Special purchases include lace, crystal glass, cheeses, coffee and, of course, wines, spirits and liqueurs. Arques, the home of Crystal D’Arques, is situated between St Omer and Calais. Lille, the main town of French Flanders, is known for its textiles, particularly fine lace. Most towns have fruit and vegetable markets on Saturday. Hypermarkets, enormous supermarkets which sell everything from foodstuffs and clothes to hi-fi equipment and furniture, are widespread in France. They tend to be situated just outside of town and all have parking facilities. For bargain hunters, bric-a-brac or brocante is found in a number of flea markets (marché aux puces) on the outskirts of town, most notably at the Porte de Clignancourt, in Paris. There are several antique centres (Louvre des Antiquaires, Village Suisse, etc) where genuine antique furniture and other objects are on sale. Amongst the larger department stores in Paris are the Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette near the Opéra; the Bazar Hôtel de Ville (BHV) and the Samaritaine on the Right Bank; and the Bon Marché on the Left Bank. Paris has many varied markets including the flower market on the Ile de la Cité and bird, organic and food markets in every quarter. Another Parisian speciality is book markets. Travellers will find booksellers' stalls along the banks of the Seine around the Saint Michel quarter, crammed with all kinds of books plus comics and postcards. In the regions, the town centre often has a number of clothes shops which are just as good as those in Paris. Some have good second hand shops.
Shopping hours: Department stores are open Mon-Sat 0900-1830. Some shops close 1200-1430. Food shops open 0700-1830/1930. Some food shops (particularly bakers) open Sunday mornings, in which case they will probably close Monday. Many shops close all day Monday or Monday afternoon. Hypermarkets are normally open until 2100 or 2200.