French Breakfast: Popular Breakfast Foods in France
Want to know what to eat for breakfast in France? We have your list here! Not only do we have the most popular French breakfast foods, but if you’re not a fan of the typical French breakfast, we have some delicious options that you will love as an alternative!
Typical French Breakfast
Because “le petit déjeuner” (the term for “breakfast” in French) translates to “little lunch,” you may expect lunch food for breakfast, but a lighter portion. Nope!
What do the French eat for breakfast? The typical breakfast in France is a carb-heavy meal with breads and/or pastries and a hot beverage—very similar to a typical Italian breakfast.
Croissants are one of the most traditional French breakfast foods.
It may surprise you that eggs are not usually part of traditional French breakfasts. Even though omelettes originated in France, in French cuisine, they are usually served for lunch or dinner.
Even at the best cafés in Paris, the breakfast menu will mainly consist of a variety of French breakfast pastries. The pastries range from plain and bready, to sweet, to filled with chocolate, fruit, or nuts.
Some cafés will offer a “formule,” or a combination, that includes bread, pastries, butter, jam, fruit juice, and choice of a hot drink for a discounted price. This is the most typical French breakfast.
A typical French breakfast “formule” with pastries, coffee, and juice
Traditional French Breakfast Foods
The French do not think of breakfast as “the most important meal of the day.” For the French, that would be lunch. Breakfast is what you eat to hold you over to lunch. Below are the classic hold-over options.
Baguette
Bread is one of the most popular breakfast foods in France. I urge you to try as many different types of French bread as you can. Different regions are renowned for different types of breads, like, for example, fougasse in Provence or bretzel in Alsace.
The most famous bread in all of France, the baguette, is the definitive bread of choice for the first meal of the day.
The crust of a baguette is crispy and golden brown, while the inside is soft and fluffy. A slice of baguette or two with butter and jam is a popular option for morning meals.
In France, baguettes must adhere to strict guidelines, and recipes can use only four simple ingredients to be called a traditional baguette: water, wheat flour, salt, and yeast.
The baguette is so revered, every year in Paris the government holds a contest to choose the best baguette, and the winner supplies the President of France with bread for a year.
Baguettes and other French breads are commonly eaten for breakfast in France.
Tartine
Tartines are open-faced sandwiches, but in this case, the word “sandwich” is a stretch. There’s no meat or cheese piled high, only butter and jam or Nutella.
The baguette is the most popular bread used for tartines. The long thin loaf is sliced lengthwise and toasted in halves or quarters.
Choosing between jam and Nutella as toppings for your tartine can be a difficult decision. For me, it’s not so hard.
As much as I love the rich chocolate-hazelnut flavor of Nutella, I love butter even more. And French butter happens to be the best in the world. So a combo of jam and butter usually wins this lopsided contest when I’m calling the shots.
Fun French food fact: Although Nutella is an Italian product, the French consume more of it than any other country!
Tartines are a simple yet delicious French breakfast.
French Breakfast Pastries
Flaky croissants, brioche (fluffy sweet bread), pain aux raisins (raisin bread in a snail-like spiral), and pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants) are all staples of French breakfast cuisine.
Some of the lesser known but not-to-miss pastries include chaussons aux pommes (French apple turnovers), chouquettes (French breakfast puffs), and my favorite, the Kouign-Amann (no translation, just trust me).
Note, there’s nothing that says you can eat just one. Enjoy a fresh croissant along with something a little sweeter like a pain au chocolat or Kouign-Amann.
Although some of these resemble Italian breakfast pastries, they most certainly do not have Italian heritage.
These French breakfast pastries all fall into the category of “les viennoiseries,” named after the city of Vienna. Laminated pastry dough (made by layering butter and dough and folding it many times) originated in the Austrian city and was brought to Paris in the 1800s.
In France, you will find these pastries most often at the boulangeries (bakeries) and viennoiseries (bakeries that specialize in this type of pastry). Pâtisseries (pastry shops) sell more dessert pastries like eclairs, baba au rum, and tarts.
French breakfast pastries are a sweet way to start your day.
French Breakfasts at the Boulangeries
While classic French breakfast dishes don’t usually included the ones in this category, they are all readily available at your neighborhood boulangerie.
On our last trip to Paris, we had a wonderful bakery on the corner of the street where our apartment was located. When we craved a more savory breakfast, we would go there and order one of choices below.
Quiche Lorraine
Since Quiche Lorraine is filled with eggs and bacon, it’s a natural contender for breakfast in the eyes of Americans like me. But good luck finding it offered as a French breakfast item.
Luckily, quiches have a crust similar to a tart, so you will find slices and whole quiches for sale at your local boulangerie. Many bakeries will even offer to heat your slice of quiche for you so you can enjoy a warm bacon and egg breakfast on the sly.
Boulangeries also usually offer a variety of quiche flavors, like mushroom or spinach and other vegetarian-friendly options.
Quiche Lorraine from a boulangerie is a great French breakfast food.
Croque Monsieur
My ultimate French breakfast sandwich is the classic Croque Monsieur! Basically a decadent ham and cheese sandwich with gooey béchamel and cheese inside and on top.
Croque Monsieur was originally created as a quick snack for Parisian workers who needed something filling and fast during their lunch break. It is still one of the most popular foods in Paris and throughout the country.
For lunch, you will find Croques Monsieur everywhere. For breakfast, head to the boulangeries. Another option is to try your luck at a sandwich vendor, since some of these sell Croques Monsieur at their stalls. Otherwise, keep in mind that you can buy pre-made packaged croques at grocery stores.
If you can find a Croque Madame, you can kick up the breakfast factor even more because this spin-off of the Croque Monsieur has a fried egg on top!
Not technically French breakfast foods, Croques Monsieur and Croques Madame can be found at boulangeries and sandwich stalls.
Chaussons aux Épinards
Not all turnovers are sweet! Some French bakeries will make spinach turnovers. In fact, chaussons aux épinards were my husband’s go-to breakfast in Paris.
As opposed to chaussons aux pommes, these puff pastries are stuffed with spinach and cheese rather than apples. The half-moon shape is similar to the apple turnover, but the top is usually smooth instead of decorative.
An alternative to the traditional chaussons aux pommes, chaussons aux épinards
Feuilletés
“Feuilletés” translate to puff pastries, and if you’ve ever tasted their buttery goodness, you know they taste amazing no matter what is inside or on top of them.
Of course, French bakers know this as well, and depending on the boulangerie, you may find versions of feuilletés that feature asparagus, ham and cheese, mushrooms, or sometimes meat. The meat version will be called “Friand à la Viande.”
These savory pastries make some of the best French breakfast foods!
Savory feuilletés make some of the best French breakfast foods.
Flan Vanille
This is definitely a French dessert, but there are tons of eggs in the creamy custard, so to me it seems more like breakfast than some of the sweet pastries.
Full disclosure: During my last stay in Paris, I became obsessed with Flan Vanille, especially when they were warm, fresh out of the oven.
No matter what time of day it was, after carrying a fresh one back to our apartment, I had to have a piece. Or, sometimes, a half of the whole thing and just call it a meal.
Seriously, that smell of vanilla bean (not vanilla extract) was simply too much to resist. We ended up eating these amazing custard pies for dinner just as often as for breakfast.
Dessert for breakfast is always a good idea in Paris.
Sandwiches
Many boulangeries offer a handful of pre-made sandwiches. If you time your visit right, the sandwiches will already be prepared for the lunch crowd, and you can eat lunch for breakfast.
The simple Jambon-Beurre is the most popular French sandwich. Over 3 million of these ham and butter sandwiches are sold in France daily.
Are Crêpes and Galettes French Breakfast Foods?
Crêpes and galettes are very thin French pancakes. Pancakes are a breakfast food. So, logically, you may think the French eat crêpes for breakfast. But no, that is not the case.
In France, crêpes are sweet and considered dessert. Galettes are savory and can be eaten anytime—except breakfast time. So, unfortunately, you will find neither on a French breakfast menu.
Crêperies serve both crêpes and galettes and offer a sit-down option in an atmosphere similar to a café. Some may open as early as 10:00 am, so if you can hold out until then, you may be able to indulge in a breakfast crêpe.
My favorite crêpe, Nutella banana, makes a yummy meal any time of day.
Crêpes
Crêpes use a white flour pancake and are served with fillings like Nutella, fruit, ice cream, or whipped cream. On my first trip to France, I ate my weight in banana-Nutella crêpes. They are still my fave!
Crêpes are a popular French street food, especially on the streets of Paris. Unfortunately, vendors usually don’t start early in the morning, but they are out late at night.
Galettes
Galettes are savory pancakes made with buckwheat flour instead of wheat flour, which makes them gluten free.
They're often filled with ingredients like ham, cheese, and eggs. Yup, eggs, but still not a French breakfast food.
Le Crêperie in the 5th—love the view and the smoked salmon galettes!
French Brunch Foods
In recent years, some French restaurants and cafés have evolved to now offer brunch. Brunch is usually only offered on weekends and starts around 10:00, but of course, each restaurant will set its own hours.
The following are some of the foods available for brunch that you usually won’t find for breakfast.
Pain Perdu
What used to be regarded as dessert, Pain Perdu is becoming a French breakfast dish, or at least a brunch dish.
The name "Pain Perdu" literally translates to "lost bread.” The name refers to the fact that the recipe was originally created as a way to use up stale bread that would otherwise go to waste.
Pain perdu is typically made with thick slices of bread soaked in a mixture of eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. It is served with powdered sugar or fruit compote. If you think this sounds a lot like classic French Toast, you’re correct.
This is where French Toast started, but it didn’t start as breakfast—and don’t expect maple syrup.
You’ll find pain perdu on French brunch menus, but it is more often a dessert.
French Egg Dishes
Although eggs are a staple breakfast food in many cultures, they have still not made their way onto the typical French breakfast table. However, nowadays, since brunch is a thing, you can find some French egg offerings in restaurants on the weekends, especially in the bigger cities.
Here are some of the egg dishes you’ll encounter at a French brunch.
Oeufs Cocotte
Oeuf Cocotte is a classic French dish that consists of an egg “en cocotte.” In other words, it’s a baked egg cooked in a small ramekin or “cocotte.” The egg is cooked until the whites are set, but the yolk is still runny. Additions like cheese, ham, mushrooms, or herbs can transform this dish from simple to complex and elegant.
The traditional French dish, Oeufs Cocotte
Oeufs Brouillés
Oeufs Brouillés, or scrambled eggs, are particularly delicious in France because they don’t hold back on the butter. The earliest reference to scrambled eggs in Europe appears in an ancient Roman cookbook in the 14th century. However, in Italian cuisine, eggs dishes are also not typical breakfast foods.
Oeufs Bénédictes
Food historians credit the New York restaurant Delmonico’s with inventing the original Eggs Benedict in the 1860s. But the rich buttery sauce for this iconic breakfast dish, Hollandaise, has French origins. Maybe that’s why it’s popular on French brunch menus.
Gaufres
Gaufres, or traditional French waffles, have been a staple French food since the 13th century. Just not a staple French breakfast.
Gaufres are usually eaten as a sweet dessert, often accompanied by whipped cream, berries, jams, or Nutella. Again, no maple syrup. They are also perfect as a snack, dipped into a hot cup of coffee or tea.
With their recent embrace of brunch, the French have added them to brunch menus. But you can find entire shops specializing in gaufres, and they are one of the favored French street foods sold from carts.
Gaufre, another dessert that makes appearances at brunch in France
More French Breakfast Options
Obviously, if you are staying in a vacation rental in France, you can make whatever type of breakfast you’d like.
But if you don’t have a kitchen, here are some options that you can pick up at the local market and bring back to any room, or even eat in one of the lovely Paris parks.
Cereals
Some French people do eat cereal for breakfast, and you will find a few American brands among the options at the store if you go shopping for breakfast provisions. But if you’re used to a huge grocery aisle full of cereal choices, you’ll have to wait until you get back home to reunite with an array of offerings like that.
Even in the larger cities, grocery stores are much smaller than in the States. So there is less of a selection of most packaged items.
The most popular French cereals seam to involve oats: muesli, granola, and oatmeal are big. Brown sugar or cinnamon sugar are often added because, as we know, the French like sweet breakfasts.
My favorite was a muesli with lots of dried berries, and I didn’t need to add anything for a satisfying bowl at breakfast.
My favorite French breakfast cereal
Yogurt
Creamy, tangy, and packed with nutrients, yogurt is a beloved French breakfast food that has been enjoyed for centuries. Yogurt not only tastes great, but it is also highly nutritious, making it a great way to start the day.
Yogurt contains probiotics—live bacteria that are beneficial for gut health. These probiotics help to balance the microbiome in our digestive system, which can improve digestion and boost immunity.
Especially when traveling in today’s environment, maintaining your health and boosting your immunity should sound pretty good.
Yogurt with fruit and granola is among the healthiest options for a typical French breakfast.
Fresh Fruits and Nuts
Most of the fruits and nuts we have available here in California can be found in France. And it’s no wonder since fruits and nuts are key ingredients in the regional cuisines of France and a healthy diet.
If you’re looking for a light breakfast, a handful of nuts with a bowl of berries and bananas can keep you going until lunch.
Adding fresh fruit and nuts to yogurt or cereal is a perfect way to get in a serving of vitamins and antioxidants while traveling.
French Cheese and Charcuterie
In addition to the fromageries (cheese shops), the local markets and grocers usually have an outstanding selection of French cheeses and charcuterie.
As a cheese lover extraordinaire, I can eat cheese any time of day. The French eat cheese as a snack or a dessert, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying it at breakfast.
It couldn’t be easier: Just open a couple of packets, and you’ll have a yummy French breakfast spread. My husband prefers the cured meats, and I the cheese, so we share the two very well.
In France, cheese and charcuterie can make a hearty breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Do the French Eat Radishes for Breakfast?
The French Breakfast radish got its name in Victorian England at a radish festival. Not because, as some blogs will tell you, the French eat this root vegetable for breakfast.
The French do, however, eat these white-tipped French radishes with butter and salt as a snack. So, they’re more of a weird French snack than breakfast.
Despite the name, French Breakfast radishes are not part of French breakfasts.
French Breakfast Beverages
Wherever you choose to eat your French breakfast, the drink options will be pretty much the same.
With a café on nearly every corner, it’s no surprise that coffees are exceptionally famous in France. Having said that, the go-to breakfast brew throughout the country is café au lait. It's a mixture of strong coffee and hot milk, served in a big bowl-like mug.
If you're not a coffee person, no worries, as tea is also a relished alternative. French breakfast teas are mild yet flavorful and can be enjoyed with milk, honey, neither, or both.
And for those who prefer something sweeter, a velvety cup of French hot chocolate, or “chocolat chaud” as they call it in France, is the perfect fit.
Fruit juices, such as orange juice and grapefruit juice, are also consumed frequently at breakfast time.
Delicious French Breakfasts
Now you have everything you need to enjoy a delicious French breakfast!
Whether you choose a traditional breakfast or some of the less traditional French breakfast items, you’ll know what to expect and what to look for.
I’d love to hear in the comments below what you opt for!
Bon appétit!
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