French People Never Eat These Touristy Foods 

When I was in Paris last year, I had steak tartar almost everyday and found it in every restaurant I visited. These were not tourist restaurants either. Parisians we’re eating it too.

Fried frog legs used to be very popular in the deep south of the U.S. They are quite tasty if done right.

But escargot with herb and garlic butter are delicious! If I find them on a menu I will almost certainly order them.

I am from the rural South of the US, and I have enjoyed frog's legs, sweetbreads, and brains all my life. I never really thought of them as uniquely French. Snails, on the other hand, are entirely French in my mind. From the historic cookbooks and menus I have seen, I think steak tartare has always been the creation of high-end restaurants. Your comment on coq au vin, though, genuinely surprised me, since the dish is such a simple preparation that anyone can make; maybe you mean the rooster version, which I can imagine is truly rare.

Désolé Madame, mais c'est du n'importe quoi. Dans le Vercors et la région lyonnaise on mange ENORMEMENT de cuisses de grenouilles. Dans mon restaurant (j'étais le chef-patron) les ris de veau étaient constamment sur le menu (et très appréciés par mes clients français). Si, le coq au vin et les escargots (parfois élevés localement) sont souvent présents sur les menus (mais pas souvent bien préparés, certes !) et pas uniquement dans des sites touristiques. Le steak tartare est PARTOUT et c'est plutôt les touristes qui l'évitent ! Je ne comprends pas votre argument mais bon, il s'agit d'un cours de français et pas de gastronomie. Il fallait dire plutôt 'JE ne mange jamais.....'

Je vous conseille de sortir un peu le dimanche commencez ce week-end par un bon coq au vin .

I love this style of learning French. I love learning the culture from a native and I love that you speak slow enough for me to hear each syllable, each word. I am thrilled that I have found Comme one Francaise.

I don't understand your point. Most of the dishes you are talking about are regional dishes or special occasion dishes. So, for parisian eating snails or frog legs might not be part of the tradition, but it is in Ardèche or Provence. So wether you eat those dishes or not depends on your family cuisine. Steak tartare are extremely common where I'm from. Sea food being expensive is a treat. It sounds like you're saying this is uncommon for for French but sold for tourists. A correct statement would be that In Paris you can get any type of regional food than many parisians might not eat on a regular basis.

Désolée, mais ce n'est pas complètement juste que vous dites. Je suis Allemande mais habite dans un petit hameau en Vaunage, près de Nîmes. Les escargots sont élévés dans une village juste à côté et ils font partie de tout les marchés dans la région, en coquille ou en bisquit, même en hiver, quand il y a très peu de touristes. Ça fait part de la tradition içi, ce n'est pas pour les touristes mais pour tout le monde. On trouve des huitres sur le marché presque toute l'année et nos amis français les aiment ou pas. Le tartare de boeuf est servi toute l'année au restaurant de notre club de golf. Mais peut-être c'est une occasion spéciale de jouer au golf et se regaler après avec un bon tartare de boeuf et ses frites?

I have eaten frog's legs once, here in Quebec, at a restaurant called "Buffet des Continents," so the restaurant may have considered it a regional food. Coq au vin is probably best known because of Julia Child. She popularized many aspects of French cooking in the United States through her TV show "The French Chef." During the show's run from 1963 to 1973, she made it twice and it's considered one of her signature dishes.

This is my first time writing to a website or RU-vid. I have lived in France for 11 years and these are all common food. Frog legs are sold in the frozen food department of all super markets. It is so common as are escargot. Boulot snails 🐌 are all over. I’m not commenting on quality.

Well, imo, this helps explain why the rest of France says that " Paris n'est pas la France!" Ici en Bourgogne on mange et les cuisses de grenouilles et les escargots!! 😉😅😅

My french friends (from the north, near Lille) eat steak tartare quite frequently, as a common dish. Last time I was there for a week, they had it at least three times. Maybe it's a regional thing, but this was not an uncommon dish in my experience. It was also very frequently available at small restaurants/bistros (not touristy) throughout France and the French speaking areas of Switzerland.

My wife, who is French, likes frog legs. They are hard to find in our market. We like snails and can buy them already prepared. She would always look to see if they were made with butter or margarine. Butter is better. We like ris de veau, but it is expensive, and we didn't eat it very often. Mad cow disease put me off of steak tartare, and I ate bulot once.

Discussing French cuisine is always fun. Toujours un plaisir 😋.

My wife and I eat at Menu Ouvrier establishments when in Brittany. Some of them have dishes most British tourists would not go near like tripe, or gizzards and similar.

When I arrived in Lisieux, Normandy, part of my first meal in a French home was escargot. There was a special place setting with small forks and plates, etc. The family had this as part of their "china" all the time, but probably only used it from time to time.

Obviously never been to Sete and enjoyed Plat de fruits de mer like the locals, nor the Bassin d'Arcachon.

Hi Geraldine,I'm a long time viewer of your excellent videos. Did you ever delete any of them? I remember an episode of you going in a patisserie in Grenoble but I can't find it anymore.

Every restaurant in Burgundy seems to feature escargot and Boeuf Bourguignon. I have enjoyed it many times, both in touristed towns like Beaune and Dijon, and in the countryside as well. Le Soufflot in rural Irancy serves beautiful examples. Many Charcuteries sell already stuffed snail shells, ready for the home oven, and Carrefour sells them frozen.

A part les cuisses de grenouilles, auxquelles je n’ai gouté que trois fois dans ma vie, j’ai mangé de tout ce que vous avez cité et l’ai apprécié. Depuis, je me suis expatrié et j’ai moins accès à plusieurs de ces plats. J’espère que vous pourrez goûter au coq au vin, ça en vaut la peine.

I'm Czech and we eat steak tartar (or "tatarák" in Czech) quite commonly. My peratnes has it as their favorite dish for Saturday dinner. You can find it in almost every good hospoda's (pub's) menu and apart of visits to my perantes I usually have it on my employers christmas party. I've even seen it being sold in small plastic bags in Tesco in Prague, but would not try that one. :D

My first day in France I ordered moules frites. I didn't know what moules meant but frites are what Americans call French fries. It turned out that moules were tiny mussels cooked in their shells. They were served with a tiny fork, so I could easily remove the meat from the shells and dip it in melted seasoned butter. Americans hardly ever eat mussels, but these were delicious. Actually, anything dipped in the seasoned butter would be delicious.

Merci beaucoup pour enseigner cette magnifique et très important explication de cette splendide themè du debut samedi

This maybe true for the younger generation 's palates but these are certainly very much enjoyed still and not just for special occasions.

Steak Tartare and Coq au Vin are very common in Swedish restaurants.

Got only part way thru the video. I live in Paris. Frogs legs, agreed are not seen or eaten but escargot, sweetbreads, beef tartare are absolutely eaten by the French.

Merci for speaking in French slowly and supplying your own translation. This is your first video I’ve watch and I’ve subscribed.

J'habite en Bourgogne France et on ne se lasse pas des escargots avec du vin blanc. 🐌🥂🇫🇷

Good point… there is more to France than Paris. And these dishes have their origins outside of the metropolis. In the South West, we eat lots of oysters, bullots, magret, and sheep products. It’s possible to buy a whole rooster (head included) to make Coq Au Vin. However… it seems there are more burger and pizza restaurants than anything else. Bland food reigns supreme.

Just love the speed of your speech, since you are teaching comprehension by listening. Really easy to listen and translate at the same time. I am going to listen so some more of your videos.

I was over a French friend’s house and his mom made frogs legs. She put them in a white crème sauce. I didn’t know what they were until they told me.

I have to take issue with a number of things you said. Obviously I’m not French and I can only call on my 13 or 14 visits to France for experience, but I have a few comments: 1. You said that French people rarely eat frogs’ legs and they are generally offered at tourist restaurants. I expect the first part of that statement is true, but the only time I’ve ever had cuisse de grenouille was at Taillevent, a 2 Michelin star restaurant whose clientele includes some tourists but also many local Parisians. 2. You said that some dishes like ris de veau (sweetbreads) and tartare de boeuf (steak tartare) were only special occasion meals. That is probably true. But is it not fair to say that ANY meal in Paris for an American tourist might be considered a special occasion? Also, the only times I’ve had sweetbreads in Paris were in Michelin-started restaurants (Le Chantecler in Nice and Le Beaudilaire in Paris), which are not touristy places. 3. You said, I believe, that you’ve never had coq au vin. It’s true that that is one of the French dishes that appears on every American bistro’s menu, but it is a quintessentially French dish. It originated as an economical rural dish that allowed a farmer to get a meal out of an old rooster (coq), whose meat need a moist braising to become tender and flavorful. So cook him in a little red wine with some onions and mushrooms, and you’d have a feast. I’ll admit I’ve never had coq au vin in France, but it is a dish that I think is woven deeply into the fabric of French cuisine. The touristy “food” I think you missed were the macarons and other pastries at places like Laudurée or Angelina that tourists line up for like they were Taylor Swift tickets. They’re lovely, but not worth wasting calories on when there is so much other wonderful food to enjoy in France. Nonetheless I enjoyed the video and will look for some of the others you’ve posted.

on dit qu'il ne faut jamais dire "jamais"... j'ai déjà mangé plusieurs fois des cuisses de grenouilles, des escargots... Et j'adore le tartare. Dire que quelque chose n'est jamais mangé, alors que ca l'est de temps en temps... est un biais à la limite du mensonge. J'aime bien vos vidéos, mais attention de ne pas basculer dans la simplification. Parfois n'est pas jamais.

EN BOURGOGNE VERS CHALON ON EN TROUVE SOUVENT DANS LES RESTAURANTS ET LES ESCARGOTS AUSSI

I’ve never had any of these dishes, and I don’t intend to ever have them. Growing up in Germany, we would eat “Gehacktes” (ground meat) regularly, maybe once a week. Steak tartare is about as popular in Germany as it is France (reserved for special occasions, or not at all). Many Americans eat steak done “rare” but snub their noses at steak tartare or raw ground meat. That being said, I no longer eat meat raw or rare. Growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s we shopped at the local butcher’s. We knew exactly where our meat came from. It was cut or ground right in front of us. Nowadays you often have no idea where your meat is coming from. Most days I don’t eat any meat, it just no longer appeals to me. The butchers have gone the way of the dinosaur. So have many bakers and veggie dealers. One thing I really loved about Paris is its small town feel. While it’s a huge city it also has many distinct neighborhoods. There are supermarkets, but you can also find many bakeries, cheese shops, and greengrocer’s (Americans don’t use that term, but to me it’s a veggie shop). I very much enjoyed shopping in these small places! Here in the US I shop the local independent bakeries and Farmer’s Markets whenever possible. Thank you, Geraldine! I just wish people would do away with stereotyping countries. It can be so frustrating!

Love your videos. So helpful ! Just moved to Lyon, so which dish would you recommend which is not for tourists but is most loved by the French. Merci beaucoup :)

Je pense que ce sont surtout des plats anciens qui ne se mangent plus trop aujourd'hui parce que les gouts contemporains ont change. Seul bémol : le steak tartare. Mon mari s'en fait environ 5 fois dans l'année quand il trouve de la bonne viande.

This brings back memories of being at school in London fifty years ago and invariably getting good marks in French dictation (dictée). Then discovering that it's a completely useless skill if you're trying to understand French people speaking at a normal speed.

Pardon my saying so but, to say a Frenchman or woman has never had Coq au Vin is like saying a Mexican has never had Chilaquiles. Probable but, highly unlikely. I suppose, nowadays, the French eat McDonald’s and Egg Salad Sandwiches?

Mille mercis.

Great, thankyou

Merci beaucoup.

I don't care if it is touristy, those frog legs look great.

Salut Geraldine. Je serais curieux de savoir la mélodie que sonne au début de tous tes vidéos. Comment s'appelle? Merci d'avance

Usual Parisian based youtube drivel,I lived in the South West of France for 16 years and believe me the French Do eat these foods.

I am Breton and grew up eating frog legs, escargot, steak tartare and tons of sea food. I really have no idea what this women is talking about.

Thank you!!

My fiancé goes out for frog legs with his buddies from time to time. He’s far from Paris… no he doesn’t eat them often. I am going to miss chicken wings 😂

The French eat snails 🐌 because they don't like fast food!

I'd hardly call steak tartare tourist food. If anything, they avoid that like the blague

i eat and cook all of them and i am french

JE SUIS BOURGUIGNON ET CES PLATS; CUISSES DE GRENOUILLES , ESCARGOTS AU BEURRE ET A L AIL ET LE COQ AU VIN AUSSI sont pouplaires

I'm French and had frog legs only once, one of my friend's dad was a poacher 😂

I’ve eaten frog legs. In my childhood home, prepared by my mother. The frogs were gigged by my 13 yr old brother. No need to travel to France!

Franchement je me demande quelles sont vos sources?! Alors, oui, vos vidéos semblent très instructives pour l’apprentissage de la langue pour les anglophones mais là, c’est un peu n’importe quoi. A part les cuisses les grenouilles qui ne sont effectivement pas régulièrement consommés dans la plupart des régions, tout le reste fait parti de nos plats de base, qu’on peut manger même chez soi régulièrement. Le tartare, c’est ultra basique, les escargots, on peut en faire facilement chez soi, les fruits de mer ( comme les bulots qui sont moins chers) sont des plats souvent consommés également.., bref. Je ne sais pas d’où vous sortez que les français ne mangent jamais ça 🤔

Then that begs the question: where are the non-touristy places to have these dishes (because I actually love some of them). Or otherwise, where are some places locals go to eat in general?

Weird how there are McDonalds all over France. I guess they only serve the zillions of American tourists, never any French people.

Lorsque j'étais enfant, les grenouilles se vendaient sur les marchés des villages en Auvergne, mais pas en Provence. Elles étaient vivantes et le paysan les tuait sur le marché, lorsqu'on les achetait. Pendant nos vacances d'été en Auvergne nous mangions des grenuilles. Elles étaient petites de taille, sauvages, leur chair était tendre et avait un goût de noisette. C'était délicieux. Mais depuis, les choses ont changé. Les grenouilles qui sont vendues proviennent d'élevages, elles sont grosses, leur chair est dure et le goût ressemble à du vieux poulet sec, donc je n'en mange plus. Par contre, les escargots j'en mange encore car je peux les ramasser en campagne et les préparer comme le faisaient mes grand-parents.

We French mostly eat at McDonald’s.

Chère madame, Merci pour votre vidéo, mais le titre en est extrêmement trompeur. Vous y parlez de nourriture que les Français "ne mangent jamais". Or, vous nuancez vous-mêmes votre titre dans votre vidéo en précisant que ces plats se mangent à des occasions particulières…. Peut-être serait-il bon de le modifier 🙂

Le ris de veau est le THYMUS du jeune animal.

If we want to sample some of the things we perceive as "French Culture", what is the problem? As a tourist, I don't want to be offensive, but I've given up trying to fool anyone into thinking I'm a native. Thank you for speaking slowly and clearly, your French lessons are wonderful.

I had some vegan “escargot” made from mushrooms. Better than eating animals!

La seule fois de ma vie que j'ai mangé des cuisses de grenouilles c'était dans un restaurant chinois 😂

Some of these dishes may be more historical. I believe cow au vin was popularized by Julia Child.

Lorsque vous mangez presque tous ces «délices français», le goût est le beurre et l'ail, rien d'autre.

Lamb burg ghurrrrr

I've been eating frog legs since Jr high school in the states. Crayfish, Venison, Elk, Moose, Trout, Bass both large and small mouth, etc.But I'm almost 60 and snowflakes today eat rabbit food!😂

The French don't eat this, et ils n'en parlent ca non plus. Perhaps you could do a vid about how to understand French as it's spoken in situ. Let's not even get started on Canada MDR!

Alors à chacun ses habitudes, son passé, son milieu, etc, etc. Mais mis à part les cuisses de grenouilles qui sont effectivement passées de mode... le reste est super courant, ad minima dans les régions/provinces qui en ont la tradition (et le steak tartare est juste omniprésent en France pour ceux qui en veulent). De plus les explications/justifications données sont hors contexte ni référence en mode "trust me bro". Je suis perplexe... enfin sauf sur le titre à la frontière du putaclic

Lady, I think you are overestimating the intelligence of the average American nowadays. You’re trying to teach French when half of the American youth can barely speak English. 🤣 My stepson is in his 20s, born and raised in America and he pronounces about half of the language incorrectly. One time we were in the middle of winter and he asked me what season it was. So yeah, he will not be learning French any time soon. 🤣

How come Americans (and others) feel the urge to use French words (the 5 they remember from high school) every time they discuss something about France. They don't say wow, the food in France is really good...they say the food in France is tres bien! It's the same way that some people pronounce NIC A AGGGGGGWAY for Nicaragua., like they grew up Sea;...I trust that people Nicaragua say Statis Unis instead of garbling United States....Statis Unis is a perfectly good way to talk about the United States in Spanish speaking countries.

She's right … (I'm French... eh ouais les puces😁 )

non tu dit n'importe quoi mdrrr

Unable to understand anything. waste of time

Personally I would never listen to an opinion of Americans on other cultures! Most of them have no knowledge of Australia and our immense diversity! When we travel to Europe we do our best not to insult our hosts.

as French I do eat those food