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What do French People Eat for Lunch

Updated by Vanessa M in June 2023.

The quest that has plagued the curiosity of so many: what do the French actually eat for lunch?

If you visit France, you’ll observe early on the complete lack of overweight population. I can’t say I’ve seen or met a single obese individual in my time here; the French are notoriously slender and toned, even in their old age.

So what’s in the diet then? Unfortunately for us plant eaters, French staple foods involve a lot of breads and cheeses. These are both present at all meal times, and usually also as a snack in-between.

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Sit Down Dining 

It’s only in recent years that the French have shortened their lunch times into the hour slot embraced by the rest of the world. A lot of people actually used to make use of a two hour lunch break, during which full blown sit-down dining would be the call of the day.

This is something to note about the French: they take their time when it comes to meals. They spend as much time at the table as needed, and then some extra while digesting and finishing conversation.

A typical lunch experience in France must include a starter, a main course, and almost always a dessert.

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To keep room for it all, lunch starters are almost always light; such as a soup, salad or paté of sorts. The mains will be a bit heavier, usually incorporating some sort of meat/fish with potatoes, and/or pasta with vegetables.

When dessert rolls around, lunch calls for light versions too. A bowl of ice cream or a baked tart would suffice, with the option of coffee alongside the dish. The French save richer desserts like creme brûlée and cakes for after their dinner.

How do they manage all this food in the middle of the day? The French aren’t big on snacking, you see. They will rarely be seen scoffing down a bag of chips or chocolate bars between meal times just to settle their hunger.

Baguettes

Since mid-week lunch times have significantly shortened, grab-and-go meals have become a necessary part of French lunch cuisine.

These, for the most part, consist of sandwiches from the nearest bakery or deli. The only thing better than a fresh baked baguette, is a fresh baked baguette with all of your favorite toppings stuffed inside of it.

by Jez Timms –

A baguette sandwich is a lunch time staple for the French people, be it in the middle of the work day or at a picnic on the weekend.

Plant eaters are in luck, as traditional baguettes do not make use of any milk or butter in the baking process. Top them with some fresh salad and you’ve got a vegan lunch meal to go.

Quiche

While the far western world tends to reserve quiche as a breakfast meal, the French prefer to eat it for lunch.

Quiche is an egg based type of pie that usually involves veggies and cheese on a crispy pastry base. When the French enjoy a slice of quiche for lunch, they do so with it accompanied by a fresh salad and perhaps some bread.

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For those with less time to kill, a miniature quiche is usually always an option at the bakeries and deli’s in major French towns. Just as one might purchase a croissant to-to for breakfast, one can grab a slice of the quiche of the day and eat it right from the packaging like a pastry. 

Croque Madame

It’s only a matter of time before you’re seated before your first croque madame while visiting the land of the French.

This is a lunch time staple dish, and it will be on the menu of every cafe in whatever French town you find yourself in, I guarantee it. It is also one of the easiest lunch dishes to make at home, given that you only need basic ingredients to do so.

A croque madame is a slice of bread that is topped with ham, cheese and one fried egg.

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Croque Monsieur

Similar to the croque madame, a croque monsieur is simply the same slice of bread topped with just ham and an insatiable amount of melted cheese. The egg is left off of this variation.

This easy-to-make sandwich is both a French lunch classic and a light snack if you ever need one while out and about.

Croque Monsieur – by Michael Brewer –

Savory Crepes

This isn’t as common a lunch meal as you’d think as it doesn’t go well with starters and desserts, but the French do love a savory crepe here and there.

Eating a crepe for lunch means that the base needs substantial savory fillings in order for it to refuel a human being. Typically, the French will fill their crepes with meats and vegetables, cheese and meat, or occasionally even egg.

A common savory crepe filling in France is creamy mushrooms, best served with a side salad and/or potatoes.

Wine

Jokes aside, the French don’t really like to indulge in a meal without wine. Breakfast is obviously not included in this tradition, but come lunch and dinner time, the people want a glass of something perfectly fermented to compliment their experience.

In French culture it is not out of the ordinary for children to be afforded a glass of wine at the dinner table, too.

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One can expect the French to polish off multiple bottles of wine in a single sitting, particularly when dining at lunch on a weekend. During the week they take it a bit easier, probably tossing back just a glass or two before returning to their daily errands.

10 Typical French Breakfast Foods

Looking for some French breakfast items to try while in France? By the end of these 10 breakfast foods, you’ll learn that French breakfasts are as diverse and varied as the other meals for which France is famous, and be sure of which to try.

1. Croissant

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When discussing French breakfast dishes it’s hard to ignore the most common meal in France, the croissant. Practically every bakery, café, or restaurant will have a platter of fresh croissants in the morning on the counter. What you should know is that this small pastry comes in two varieties. The first is a croissant aux beurre made with pure butter, whereas the second is made using margarine. Forget about your cholesterol level; you want the one with butter. They go well with ham, butter, sliced cheese, or a decadent mix of all three. They are all addicted in some manner.

2. French Tartine

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There is no literal translation for ‘tartine’; it can refer to toast, but not the square, sliced item that passes for bread in other countries. A half or quarter baguette sliced horizontally with butter and jam (or jelly) is typical. The baguette is occasionally sliced into small, round pieces, but this is uncommon, and circular slices are generally eaten for lunch or dinner. While not required, the baguette can be broiled. Everybody has a favorite jam or jelly so do it with your favourite. Berries, marmalade, and honey are the most popular (based on the barren shelves in my local grocery). Butter is optional but commonly used and can be unsalted (doux) or salted (salé).

3. Pain au Chocolat

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Known as a chocolate croissant in some English-speaking nations Pain au Chocolat is as popular as the croissant. It is commonly consumed by children and students in the mid-afternoon as a goûter, or snack. The pain au chocolat, like the croissant, is reserved for weekends, as a special treat, possibly on Valentine’s Day, or for the occasional unorganized early morning rush. If you’re in southwestern France, you should get a chocolatine instead.

4. Charcuterie

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Another famous French morning meal of a savory flavor is the Charcuterie plate. This is a broad phrase that refers to a wide range of cured meats that will vary from place to region depending on what is locally available. It is usually served on a dish with at least one variety of dried saucisson (dried sausage), smoked and salted hams, and local pâté or rillette. This will be served with pieces of baguette, plenty of butter, and pickles. Cheese is frequently incorporated into the mix. If you run out of bread during your breakfast, don’t be afraid to ask for more; it should be free.

5. Croque Madame

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Croque Madame is a traditional French café dish that consists of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce, Gruyere cheese, and a fried egg. The ultimate morning dish! This Croque Madame isn’t just another grilled ham and cheese sandwich. If you’ve ever gone to France, this is an easy yet decadent sandwich that will bring back all of your French Café memories. This sandwich’s gooey deliciousness embodies comfort food. If you don’t find one on the menu at your favorite breakfast spot, ask the waiter if the chef will make one for you.

6. Crepes

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Crepes for breakfast are a long-standing tradition in France. These typical thin pancakes were once exclusive for northern French regions such as Brittany and Normandy. Today you can find a creperie in almost any major city in the country. They come in two forms so you’d know; crepes made with white flour are typically served with sweet ingredients like jam, sugar, or honey, whilst galettes made with black flour are typically served with savory toppings.

These could be eggs, cheese, ham, or a combination of the three. The galette saucisse is a dish prepared with pork sausages, as opposed to the typical hot dog and blanket. For the mix of sugar and chocolate, people like a crepe as a sweet treat with sugar and a lot of nuts. Others enjoy it plain with sugar and lemon for a more refined flavor. You can cook your own crepes or get one as a breakfast item if you wish.

7. Traditional French Toast

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For good cause, the iconic French toast has made its way onto menus all across the world. French toast is always at the top of the list of Very Good Breakfast Dishes. While syrup-soaked pancakes and waffles are delicious, really superb French toast completely outperforms them. When it’s very fantastic, French toast doesn’t need syrup. But making French toast at home can be difficult – you need the appropriate bread, a good combination of eggs, milk, and sugar for the custard, and the right cooking procedure to achieve that optimum crisp-to-creamy ratio.

8. Brioche

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Brioche is a soft, softly sweet, rich bread that goes well with both sweet and savory foods. Brioche is so light and delicious because it is produced with an enriched dough, which gives it a soft texture and wonderful flavor. Brioche is popular all over the world as an enhanced substitute for ‘regular’ bread, used in sandwiches, toasties, burgers, and other dishes. Brioche can be used to make bread and butter pudding, French toast, club sandwiches, and a variety of other foods. When you want to elevate your regular meals or transfer yourself to a Â鶹APPian café, look to brioche!

9. Omelets

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Because the French love eggs, omelets are frequently found on French menus. When served for breakfast, they are typically rather little, and the eggs are frequently blended with water rather than milk, however, a brief conversation with your server might modify that if you prefer your omelets a little richer. Most of your favorite fillings will be available, but why not try lardon and goat’s cheese? The pungent cheese excellently complements the bacon chunks.

10. Jus d’Orange

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Breakfast in Â鶹APP is commonly served with orange juice and café au lait (coffee with milk), and you’ll find this option as a breakfast formule (a combination offer in which you get 2 or 3 things for one, slightly lower price) in numerous cafés throughout France. For example, a popular breakfast formula seen in cafés and brasseries throughout France is 1 viennoiserie (a breaded item like a croissant), 1 jus d’orange (orange juice), and 1 boisson chaude (a hot drink, generally coffee or tea). Despite popular belief, not all Â鶹APPians drink coffee. In the morning, some people like hot water with lemon.