Ethan Brooks
Breakfast in France is typically a simple affair, often consisting of a hot drink such as coffee or tea, and a pastry or bread with butter and jam. While some French people skip breakfast altogether, it is considered an important meal by many. The traditional breakfast is usually light and sweet, with pastries such as croissants, pain au chocolat, and beignets (deep-fried pastries similar to doughnuts) being popular choices. Fresh fruit juice, yoghurt, muesli, and cereals are also commonly consumed. Breakfast in France is generally not a large meal, and people often opt for a quick option on the go or a simple combination of a pastry and a drink.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meal Importance | Breakfast is considered an important meal in France, but it is usually a simple affair. |
| Meal Size | Breakfast is a light meal, consisting of one or two items. |
| Drinks | Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, orange juice, milkshakes, and fruit juice. |
| Breads | Baguette, brioche, pain au chocolat, croissants, pain aux raisins, beignets, and toast. |
| Spreads | Butter, jam, honey, marmalade, Nutella, and quince jelly. |
| Other Foods | Eggs, bacon, cereal, yoghurt, muesli, crepes, pastries, fruit, and charcuterie. |
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What You'll Learn
Coffee, tea, and other hot drinks
Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are popular hot drinks in France. Coffee is almost ubiquitous, with many French people drinking at least one cup in the morning. It is often served black and espresso-style in a small cup, although some people drink it with milk. Children are more likely to be offered hot chocolate or cold milk.
Coffee is usually made with a French press (cafetiere) and is sometimes served in a large bowl, a tradition known as "la chicorée", which is more common in the North of the country and among older generations.
Tea is also drunk for breakfast, although it is less frequently mentioned as an accompaniment to the more famous French breakfast pastries and breads.
French breakfast is often a simple affair, with people grabbing a coffee and a pastry on their way to work. It is not usually a big sit-down meal, and people might just have a hot drink and a piece of baguette or brioche with butter and jam.
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Bread, croissants, and pastries
The croissant is a classic French breakfast pastry, often enjoyed with butter and jam. The French are also known for their pain au chocolat, a type of croissant with chocolate folded into the dough. Other popular pastries include the pain aux raisins (raisin bread), escargots (shaped like snails but containing no snails), and palmier, a flaky, heart-shaped puff pastry covered in crunchy caramelised sugar. These pastries are typically purchased from local bakeries, or boulangeries, and are often enjoyed on weekends or special occasions.
The baguette is a quintessential part of the French breakfast. It is typically sliced horizontally, slathered with butter and/or jam, and referred to as a "tartine". Leftover baguettes from the previous day can be grilled and used as toast. In rural areas, it is common for people to make their own bread. For children, American-style sandwich bread, toasted and topped with butter and jam, is a common breakfast choice.
In addition to pastries and bread, the French may also enjoy a bowl of coffee or tea with milk and sugar. While the stereotype of French people drinking large bowls of coffee is not entirely accurate, a drink called "la chicorée" is commonly consumed in a large bowl in the North of France. However, this tradition is less common among younger generations.
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Fruit juices
The French breakfast is often described as simple, light, and sweet, rather than savoury. It usually consists of a pastry and a drink, or a piece of baguette with a drink and some fruit. Pastries such as croissants, pain au chocolat, and beignets (deep-fried pastries similar to doughnuts) are popular choices. These are typically enjoyed with a hot beverage, such as coffee or tea, and sometimes a glass of fruit juice.
Coffee is an integral part of the French breakfast, and many French people prefer their coffee short and black, espresso-style, in a small cup. However, in recent years, the influence of Starbucks in large cities has led to some French people adopting the habit of drinking larger cups of coffee. In the north of France, "la chicorée" is a common breakfast drink, consisting of a large bowl of hot milk flavoured with chicory root.
While fresh fruit juice is a popular breakfast beverage, it is worth noting that the French breakfast is not typically a large spread with many different options. Instead, it is a simple and light meal, with most people choosing just one or two items. This may include a pastry, a piece of baguette, or a sweet bread like brioche, accompanied by butter, jam, or honey, and a hot beverage or fruit juice.
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Cereal
Breakfast in France is usually a simple affair, often consisting of a hot drink and a pastry or bread. In recent years, sugary breakfast cereals marketed toward children have become more popular. Chocapic is one such cereal that has gained popularity among French kids. Cereals are often eaten from a large bowl, which is also used for drinking tea or "la chicorée", a common breakfast drink in the North of France.
While the French typically don't eat eggs, juices, fruits, or cheese for breakfast, personal preferences and trends can influence what people choose to eat. For example, some people may include fruit salad or yoghurt with muesli, nuts, and berries as part of their breakfast.
French people generally prefer their coffee short and black, espresso-style, and drink it from a small cup. However, this may be changing due to the popularity of Starbucks in large cities. Instant coffee, such as Nescafé, is still commonly consumed, and more people are enjoying espresso at home thanks to the popularity of Nespresso machines.
In the countryside, many French people make their own bread. If there is leftover baguette from the previous day, it can be grilled and used as toast. Otherwise, longer-lasting bread options, like "un pain rond", are available. For children, American-style sandwich bread is often toasted and topped with butter and jam to make "une tartine".
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Sweet toppings: jam, honey, Nutella
French breakfasts are typically simple, often consisting of a hot drink and a pastry or slice of bread. While French breakfasts are usually sweet rather than savoury, there are a few popular sweet toppings that feature in a traditional French breakfast. These include jam, honey, and Nutella.
Jam is a common feature of the French breakfast. In fact, the stereotypical French breakfast is a hot drink (usually coffee or tea) and a tartine, which is a baguette sliced horizontally and slathered with butter and/or jam. The French also enjoy pain au chocolat, a pastry like a croissant with squares of dark chocolate folded into the dough, which can also be topped with jam.
Honey is another sweet topping that is enjoyed by the French. Honey can be spread on toast, or drizzled over buttered brioche, another popular French breakfast food.
Nutella is also a popular breakfast spread in France, especially among children. Nutella is often spread on a croissant, pain au chocolat, or toasted bread. In fact, France consumes more Nutella than any other country in the world.
While French breakfasts are usually sweet, this doesn't mean that sugar is always on the menu. In fact, many French people drink their coffee black and short, espresso-style.
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Frequently asked questions
French breakfasts are usually light and simple, often consisting of a hot drink like coffee or tea, with a pastry such as a croissant, pain au chocolat, or a beignet. Bread, such as a baguette, with butter and jam is also common. On weekends, French people tend to have a larger, later breakfast, which may include eggs and bacon.
French children may eat leftover baguette from the previous day, toasted with butter and jam, or American-style sandwich bread. They often drink milk or hot chocolate, and cereals are also popular. In recent years, sugary breakfast cereals marketed toward children, such as Chocapic, have become more common.
Many French people grab breakfast on the go while heading to work or school. Adults may buy a croissant or pain au chocolat from a bakery on their way in, and children may do the same. Some French people also buy pastries from informal stands lining the streets.
