What is a typical French breakfast?
The French breakfast explained — It’s a question often asked by my American family and friends, as well as our tour guests. Some have heard that croissant and freshly baked bread are two ingredients comprising the French breakfast. Many travellers learn when they make their first journey to France that these two tasty items are considered the “heart and soul” of the French breakfast. Here we try to minimize the element of surprise some may experience on their first trip to France.
A typical French breakfast is very simple and comprised of carb heavy foods — including any or all of the following — the ever so famous, traditional home-made French bread called “baguette”, “viennoiserie” known in English as pastries, such as those fabulous croissants many have read about, pain au chocolate (a croissant with chocolate in it — yum!) or pain au raisins (croissant type pastry with custard and raisins in it), cereal and/or yoghurt or a fresh white cheese of the same consistency as yoghurt called “fromage blanc”, fresh fruits and jams, fruit juices and coffee, tea or hot chocolate. When in the heart of “farm” country, one might be offered a small selection of local cheese and French charcuterie which would be a selection of cold cuts.
Depending on your venue, i.e. staying in a hotel or staying with friends or family, the items on offer will vary. If a hotel in Paris, another major city or the occasional country hotel offers omelettes, pancakes, hot sausages and/or bacon, this is not part of the typical French breakfast, and has been added to the morning menu to attract non-French tourists. The breakfast description provided here is exactly the type of breakfast Off the Beaten Path Tour guests enjoy on all OTBP Tours. France does not have breakfast specific restaurants like what you would find in your home country. However, if in Paris, you may find yourself in a local café that offers additional items that us Anglophones enjoy, such as omelettes and bacon.
We encourage travellers to indulge in the rich and tasty French breakfast. It’s a wonderful way to begin each morning of your authentic French experience during your travels in the country!
Our Travel Consultants are available to respond to questions and inquiries
- EMAIL US at franceotbp@gmail.com or CALL 1.717.683.2827 with your tour questions and to inquire about space availability for one of our tours to Provence, Loire Valley, or Bordeaux, France!