From the signature crackle of a torn baguette to the tap-tap crunch of a crème brûlée’s sugary topping, there is every reason to make food the focus of a foray to France. But even those whose raison d’être isn’t the pursuit of heavenly gastronomy can still enhance any walking, cycling or sightseeing holidays with savvy restaurant choices or well-informed market and shop visits.
I’ve spent the past couple of years tracking down the best gastronomic experiences the country has to offer, from Michelin-starred menus in far-flung Finistère or cathedrals of comté in the Jura mountains, for my new book, Amuse Bouche: How to Eat Your Way around France, after two decades of writing about the country.
In visiting every part of France, I’ve learnt