The French Breakfast: What do they really eat in France?

Last updated on March 22nd, 2024 at 10:49 pm

What do French people eat for breakfast?

The honest answer? It depends on who you ask. For example, my neighbour Stéphane, goes to a little French cafe religiously every morning for his coffee and croissant. It’s his morning ritual.

He doesn’t have breakfast at home. He might have a morning coffee before leaving the house, but that’s it.

On the other hand, Claude, one of my other neighbours, an old French farmer, would never do this. He’s more traditional and has breakfast at home with his wife.

And I know because he’s told me, breakfast for him is a baguette with butter and jam followed by a coffee (un café). And his croissants are delivered fresh by the bread man.

Yes, we have a man in a van delivering our bread here in the Charente. It’s great and so much yummier than the milkman we had as kids.

But which one is the norm out of those two, or is it neither of them? Let’s dive in and find out.

How to Say Breakfast in French

Breakfast in French is one of the first words I learnt when doing French at school – “le petit déjeuner”.

Literally translated, it’s “little lunch” because, in France, breakfast isn’t a big meal. Its job is simply to tide you over till lunch, and that’s it.

Lunch in France is a much bigger affair than what we’re used to in the UK or US and isn’t a snatched sandwich at your desk or something you eat on the go. Quite the opposite, it’s often a three-course meal that stretches over two hours.

I kid you not. I couldn’t believe it when I first moved here. Everything closes for lunch, even the pharmacy and bank, so the staff can enjoy their lunch.

The History of Breakfast in France

Breakfast wasn’t actually a thing in France until the French Revolution. Before that, the French only had two meals a day, lunch and dinner, served around noon and 6 pm. It wasn’t until factory workers started to eat before beginning their long day in the factory that breakfast began evolving.

Having said that, the bourgeoisie adopted the custom in the 18th century with the arrival of coffee and chocolate in the upper classes.

But it was finally introduced into society after WWII in 1945 when schoolchildren were given breakfast at school. Ten years after that, milk was introduced in schools, and the rest is history.

French breakfast misconceptions

Being a Brit in France, many of my French friends thought that I had a huge big fried breakfast every morning.

Now, I like a good fry-up as much as the next person, but not every day. I usually reserve it for holidays and special occasions.

Well, it’s exactly the same with a French breakfast. Most French people don’t have buttery croissants and pastries for breakfast every day. 

And those continental buffets you see in the French hotels with muffins, crepes, cold meats, sliced cheeses, and goodness knows what other sweet treat, is not the norm.

The more common type of breakfast is the one Claude has, whom I mentioned earlier.

It’s definitely still heavy on the carbs as it does involve bread, but it’s more likely to be a baguette or tartine rather than croissants and pastries.

French Breakfast Foods

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but breakfast in France isn’t a plateful of French toast covered with fruit and maple syrup, in reality, it’s a much simpler affair.

French breakfast favourites normally include:

• Le pain – bread
• Les viennoiseries – pastries
• Jus de fruit – fruit juice
• Une boisson chaude – a hot drink such as coffee or tea

French bread

Bread is one of the first things people think about when they think about France, other than cheese and wine.

And I had no idea until I moved to France just how many types of bread there are, and I’m still learning after 7+ years.

La baguette

One of the staples of a French breakfast is the good old baguette. And as with most things in France, there is a story about where the baguette originated from, with three possible options, one involving Napoleon, and you can find out more in this article.

To make things even more complicated, there are lots of different types of baguettes too, but these are the most common ones:

1. Baguette Tradition – also known as “Tradition Française,” is made with a specific type of flour and without additives. It’s crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, my favourite hands down.
2. Baguette Ancienne – made using traditional methods, and often left to ferment longer resulting in a denser texture and deeper flavour. Its crust is typically darker and more rustic.
3. Baguette de Campagne – “country baguette,” in English, blends white flour with whole wheat or rye, giving it a heartier texture.
4. Baguette aux Céréales – a multi-grain baguette with seeds and grains like flax, sesame, and sunflower. It has an interesting nutty flavour, which is rather nice.
5. Baguette Complète – a whole wheat version that is healthier than a regular baguette. The softer ones are absolutely divine.

La tartine

A tartine is usually a toasted version of the baguette. It’s the best way I can think of to describe it. I’m actually not a fan as I prefer the soft inside of the baguette, but it’s very popular with the French for breakfast.

And it’s also one of the first things I saw dunked into a cup of coffee.

You see, the French are breakfast dunkers. What do I mean by that? Well, they love to dunk their bread into their breakfast beverage of choice.

I can’t get my head around it. Why on earth would you dunk a piece of buttered bread into a cup of perfectly good coffee?

Well, the French love it and do it regularly. In fact, it’s not just limited to bread. They do it with croissants and pastries as well.

Just the thought of the soggy bread is enough to make me need to turn away every time I see it being done. All that butter in your coffee as well? Totally bizarre but very French.

Dunking was actually started by the Romans to soften their wafers which were rock-hard and more like a rusk. 

They would dunk them in wine to soften them and make them more edible. It probably disguised the taste of them as well.

But it was during the Renaissance that the wealthy started the dunking tradition of buttered bread being dipped in milk, and it progressed from there.

The French refer to it as “faire trempette”, to take a little dip.

I suppose if you think about it, it’s no different to dipping bread into soup. It’s exactly the same principle, and the bread still gets soggy. Either way, I’m not a fan, and you won’t see me dipping anything into my coffee.

French breakfast pastries

Most people’s favourite has to be French pastries. A trip to any boulangerie in France shows you how popular pastries are. And the smell that wafts down the street is divine.

Le croissant

I’m yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love these flaky, buttery pastries, myself included.

But we don’t have them every day for breakfast. In fact, we don’t usually have them unless we have visitors. Friends and family have come to expect croissants for breakfast, and we don’t like to disappoint them. Plus, it’s a treat for us.

But do you know the story of where the croissant came from? Well, there’s more than one story, but my favourite is the one about the defeat of the Ottoman Army in Vienna, which you can read about here.

Le pain au chocolate

This is my daughter’s favourite, and they are absolutely delicious when they’re warm with all the melted chocolate inside. 

Of course, they’re not exactly healthy, but a little bit of what you love does you good, or so my mum always says.

My husband refers to them as the “sexier version of a croissant”, which always makes me smile.

However, they’re not always referred to as pain au chocolat. In Southwest France, you’ll often hear them called “chocolatine”.

Les viennoiseries

We’ve talked about croissants, but what about the other French pastries that fill the shelves in your local patisserie or supermarket?

Les viennoiseries is the collective term for pastries and means “from Vienna”. These aren’t usually something you’d have for breakfast regularly, but hubby and I have introduced them as part of our Sunday ritual.

We take it in turns to get them fresh on a Sunday morning and then go back to bed with our chosen pastry and a coffee. It’s an indulgent treat, but we do live in France.

• Croissant aux Amandes. An almond croissant is filled with almond cream (frangipane) and topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar. It’s then baked again until golden, offering a delightful blend of textures and flavours. This one is hubby’s favourite.
• Pain aux Raisins. Also known as “escargot” due to its spiral shape, this pastry is made with laminated dough (similar to croissant dough) and filled with pastry cream and raisins. It’s a sweet and slightly chewy treat, perfect with a morning coffee. This one is my favourite.
• Brioche. A rich, soft bread made with a high content of eggs, butter, and sugar. Brioche can be found in various forms, from simple loaves to elaborate shapes, sometimes filled with fruits or chocolate chips. My daughter’s favourite when she’s here.
• Chausson aux Pommes. Literally meaning “apple slipper,” this is a puff pastry filled with sweetened apple compote. The outer layer is crispy and flaky, while the inside is soft and fruity. We both love this one.

Typical accompaniments

There are quite a few varieties of butter in France, but without a doubt, my favourite is Beurre demi-sel aux Cristaux de Sel de Mer de Noirmoutier. Spread this on your baguette with “confiture de fraise”, strawberry jam, and you’ll have a taste explosion.

Butter falls into two categories, doux (unsalted) or salé (salted), and you pay for what you get.

Butter, jam and marmalade are common breakfast condiments for many people, but the big winner is Nutella. 

Apparently, the French eat more Nutella than any other country consuming 26% of the world’s Nutella, equating to 75,000 tonnes per year. And slathering it on their bread at breakfast is hugely popular.

Breakfast beverages

The French approach to breakfast is often about simplicity and quality, and this extends to their choice of morning drinks.

Café

• Café au Lait: A staple part of French breakfast is a café au lait, a strong coffee mixed with hot milk, often served in a large cup or bowl. It’s enjoyed either on its own or used, as we talked about earlier, as a dip for croissants and baguettes.
• Espresso: For those who prefer a stronger, more concentrated coffee, a shot of espresso is a common choice, providing a quick and robust start to the day. This is a normal coffee in France you’ll get served if you don’t ask for milk.

Thé

• Tea: While not as predominant as coffee, tea is still a popular choice for breakfast. The French enjoy a variety of teas, from black teas like Earl Grey and Darjeeling to herbal teas such as mint or chamomile.

Chocolat Chaud

• Hot Chocolate: French hot chocolate is rich and thick, often made with real chocolate and sometimes cream, providing a luxurious start to the day. It’s especially popular among children but enjoyed by adults as well.

Jus de fruit

• Fresh Orange Juice (Jus d’Orange): Freshly squeezed orange juice is a common accompaniment to breakfast, valued for its freshness and vitamin C. In my local Leclerc (a French supermarket), they have an orange juice machine where you can fill a bottle with fresh orange juice, and it squeezes the oranges while you wait. I get one every week. It’s one of my indulgences and goes perfectly with our Sunday morning pastry treat.
• Other Fruit Juices: Apple juice (jus de pomme) and grape juice (jus de raisin) are also favourites.

Regional French breakfast specialities

As with all countries, there are different traditions for different regions, and France is no exception.

Brittany (Bretagne)

Crêpes and Galettes: Brittany is famous for its crêpes (sweet pancakes) and galettes (savoury buckwheat pancakes). For breakfast, crêpes might be filled with jam, honey, or simply sprinkled with sugar.

Normandy (Normandie)

Teurgoule: A traditional Norman rice pudding, flavoured with cinnamon and baked for several hours to achieve a creamy texture is similar to porridge and can be used for breakfast.

Alsace

Kougelhopf: This is a slightly sweet, brioche-like cake containing raisins, nuts, and flavoured with kirsch or rum. It’s often served for breakfast, especially on special occasions or during the holiday season.

Provence

Fougasse: Originally a bread meant to assess the temperature of a wood-fired oven, fougasse has evolved into a breakfast option when topped with olives, herbs, or even sugar for a sweet touch.

Lyon

Praline Rose Brioche: Known locally as “Brioche aux Pralines Roses,” this is a sweet brioche studded with pink, sugared almonds. It offers a crunchy, sweet contrast to the soft, buttery bread.

Corsica

Canistrelli: These are small, dry biscuits typically flavoured with anise, lemon, or almonds. They’re a simple, crunchy breakfast option, often dipped in coffee.

Auvergne

Pain aux Noix: This walnut bread from Auvergne is dense and rich, and is particularly good when paired with local cheeses or honey.

FAQS: Typical French Breakfast

Final thoughts: The Traditional French Breakfast

Breakfast in France isn’t the big drawn out affair that lunch or dinner often is. Instead, the star of the show is bread, accompanied by a nice strong coffee.

It definitely isn’t the big breakfasts we enjoy in the UK and US or the continental spread we see in hotels.