France
Country facts
Food and drink
The French kitchen offers an almost infinite range of typical dishes and local delicacies. Try Blanquette de Veau (veal stew); Coq au Vin (capon rooster cooked in wine); Escargots (snails); Cuisses de grenouilles (frog legs); Raclette (a French cheese, usually served melted with potatoes, ham or dry meat); Ratatouille (vegetable stew). Also try croissants, baguettes (long thin crusty bread) and Camembert cheese.
Drink red Bordeaux from Medoc or dessert wine from Sauternes. Pastis is aniseed flavoured liquor, which is very popular in France.
Find a table at: www.dininginfrance.com
Accommodation
Note that in France, the word Hotel doesn’t apply to the usual meaning of conventional hotels, but to official buildings (e.g. Hotel de Ville = city hall). Find a bed at: www.france-hotels.com
Local Hostel Association: www.fuaj.org (Federation Unie des auberges de Jeunesse).
There are countryside cottages to rent called GITES – www.gites-de-france.com ‘Logis de France’, an organisation of small hotels often connected with a typical restaurant: you’ll have the chance to taste the best hospitality and food. Check all of them on www.logishotels.com
Camping: www.campingfrance.com – free camping is forbidden.
Note: it’s possible to camp in the grounds of a private property with the consent of the owner, check out: www.gites-de-france.com
Travel information