For a country that is so passionate about food that it’s practically worshipped, it may come as a surprise that in France, breakfast plays second fiddle to other meals, especially lunch. When indulged, however, it will usually involve something baked and sweet. If however, you happen to be in the countryside, this involves locally made cheeses and salami. The beverage of choice is either a café au lait; a milky coffee, hot chocolate, or in modern times, a range of teas. Here, we take a look at the vast and varied typical French breakfast foods, and where you may be able to enjoy them.
Chocolate Chaud
Though the café au lait, milky coffee, is a much-loved beverage, coffee didn’t appear in France until later in the 19th century. Before that, hot chocolate was the en vogue beverage of choice so makes a good place to start. Once a favourite at the Palace of Versailles, having been introduced there by King Louis XIII’s wife in 1615, it isn’t hot chocolate as you know it.
In Paris, it involves melted good-quality French chocolate mixed with hot milk to produce a warm, decadent drink that isn’t too sweet and is sure to put a smile on even the grumpiest of faces. An indulgent affair that’s bound to warm you up on any given day. Les Deux Magots in Saint-Germain de Prés in Paris has been going since 1914 and serves two versions of this delightful drink; a traditional one and a Viennese-style version which uses egg yolk to thicken it further. Perhaps this is what Ernest Hemmingway drank when he visited these parts.
Le viennoiseries
The typical French breakfast, if there is such a thing, involves what the French so lovingly refer to as Le Viennoiseries, from Vienna, where it’s thought most of France’s breakfast pastries originated. Whether from Vienna or not, you’ll find many arrondissements in Paris and villages around France with a dedicated boulangerie (or bakery) making these delicious pastries. They are usually eaten with jam, jelly, or honey, washed down with a cup of café au lait, freshly squeezed juice, hot chocolate, or tea. Let’s indulge our tastebuds into some of the most loved pastries.
Croissants
Topping the list of Viennoiseries is of course the ubiquitous croissant, which goes as far back as the 13th century. There are various stories surrounding the origin of this famous French breakfast pastry, now with mass reproductions the world over, but a proper French croissant really is an utter indulgent joy.
Preferably eaten hot, it has a deep golden colour, is flaky on the outside with fluffy pillows in the middle; a result of carefully layered pastry sheets slathered in butter which leaves its traces on your fingers as you bite or tear into it. La Maison Stohrer on Rue Montorgueil, one of the oldest patisseries in Paris, has perfected its craft over the years and serves a version with almond fillings. It’s molten deliciousness incarnate.
Pain au chocolat
Riding on the coattails of the croissant is the pain au chocolat, a name that has been the topic of heated debate all the way to parliament, an example of how passionate the French are about their food. Made with the same type of pastry as that of a croissant, the pain au chocolate is folded differently and comes filled with chocolate.
The result is the same flakiness, this time oozing a melted, slightly warm chocolate. It’s very much a breakfast staple in France. However, if you are ordering yours in the southwest regions, don’t make the mistake of calling it a pain au chocolat, you may get a piece of bread with chocolate on top or not get served at all. They call it a ‘chocolatine’ here, the cause of the parliamentary debate.
Chausson aux pommes
Another delicious pastry is the chausson aux pommes, a fluffy pastry case filled with an apple compote that’s baked until golden brown. It’s like a mini apple tart but encased in the ever-present feathery pastry. The origin of this delectable pastry goes back to 1630 when the city of Saint-Calais experienced an epidemic. Seeing the plight of its citizens, the lady of the town distributed flour and apples to the poor, who in turn made the apple turnovers.
The finessed pastry case which makes up the chausson aux pommes we see today was probably perfected much later in the 19th century. And every year in early September, the city transforms into a medieval village, with bakers bringing their ovens to the front of their shops where they bake and serve the turnovers to visitors. You’ll also find other forms of entertainment and events all over town.
Beignet
Another sweet pastry common to the breakfast table in France is the Beignet, a sweet pastry not unlike a doughnut because the dough is also fried. However, it’s much lighter than your typical doughnut given that it’s made from a choux pastry which is cut into little triangles. The triangles are then deep fried, resulting in delicious crispy golden nuggets with fluffy interiors. Utterly divine dunked in a café au lait or hot chocolate.
La tartine
It goes without saying that the revered baguette, the unofficial food emblem of France that’s almost as iconic as the Eiffel Tower, plays a major role at breakfast. Although it probably first appeared in 1920s Paris, it has become a staple throughout France and accompanies almost every meal. There’s even a law determining what passes as a baguette. It must be made with only flour, yeast, salt, and water.
Therefore, it isn’t surprising that instead of any old toast for breakfast, the French have ‘la tartine’. Essentially, hunks of baguette cut in a very specific way so that you can dunk it into a beverage of choice. The bread is either toasted or served warm with various jams, usually of the berry variety, and a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
Brioche
If you thought you knew everything there is to know about French pastries, wait until you taste the brioche, another favourite breakfast item. You might not want to eat plain bread after tasting this light and airy version. Somewhere between a pastry and a type of bread, brioche is made with lots of eggs and butter. In fact, it became a status symbol in the 18th century when there was a famine in France, and prosperity begun to be measured by the amount of butter in an individual’s brioche. Now, it comes in the shape of a muffin with a small dome which you can enjoy with various jams and a hot beverage.
Savoury French breakfast
With slight reluctance, there has been a gradual acceptance that perhaps brunch is here to stay. You will find many places in France that cater to this trend, adapting classic French dishes to earlier times in the day as brunch.
Croque Monsieur
One such classic example is the croque monsieur, the ‘gentleman’s sandwich’, a favourite in Parisian cafes in the early 1900s. The croque monsieur is a sandwich made with bread layered with ham, and cheese, often gruyère, topped with a béchamel sauce and grilled before being served. Brunch truly doesn’t get better than this hot gooey deliciousness in bread.
After its reputation was somewhat damaged due to poorly mass-produced versions, the sandwich is making quite a comeback. As a result, you’ll find trendy cafes such as Frenchie to Go, or the restaurant with a view at Printemps, and Le Fromage par Laurent Dubois MOF serving it. Can you think of a better way to recover from the night before in Paris, or to fortify yourself in readiness for all the sights to come?
Croque Madame
If having an egg for brunch is a must for you, then there is the croque madame. It’s all that the croque monsieur is, but with the addition of an egg on top, making it the perfect French breakfast dish.
Omelette
In many countries, breakfast means eggs and so does it in France. A typical French breakfast will involve an omelette, but here, omelettes are created different – superior even. Using the freshest (usually organic) eggs, beaten, and fried in lashings of butter and just the right amount of heat, the result is a perfect crescent-shaped pocket that’s silky and firm on the outside creamy and moist on the inside. You’ll often have it served with a handful of rocket leaves and a hunk of butter; French breakfast has never tasted better. The most famous omelette in France can be found at Le Mère Poulard in Mont Saint-Michel. It’s the stuff of legends.
Quiche Lorraine
You may find another French classic grudgingly embracing the brunch culture: the quiche Lorraine, perfect for a late breakfast. This delicious savoury tart traces its origins to Germany, but, having undergone various additions, is now firmly a French dish. A pastry case is filled with a milk and egg custard, bacon, and cheese, then baked to be dished up with a fresh salad that may include strawberries. There’s no better way to be fortified for all the sightseeing ahead.
Other breakfasts in France
There are other dishes that don’t fall into the Les Viennoiseries or savoury categories but are also favourites for breakfast in France.
French toast
Top of this list is none other than the ever-popular pain perdu, or French toast. There are various stories pertaining to its origin, some dating as far back as 300 A.D., the Roman times. Whatever the origins, it’s now a well-loved French breakfast dish. Thick slices of bread are soaked into a milk and egg mixture to be shallow-fried, ideally in lashings of butter, leaving it nice and crispy on the outside with the centre slightly creamy.
You’ll find it served everywhere in France with a choice of fruits such as bananas, topped with a syrup. Modern variations contain fillings such as apples or cream cheese rolled up in bread, which is then dipped in the eggy custard and then doused in cinnamon, before frying. Can you think of a better way to have breakfast in France?
