France

Ask what France eats and the answer starts with this: refined technique-driven cuisine of sauces, breads, cheeses, and wine; regional classics from rustic stews to delicate patisserie. Look for Baguette (crackling-crusted long wheat loaf bought fresh daily), Croissant (flaky laminated butter pastry, the breakfast icon) and Coq au vin (chicken braised in red wine with lardons, mushrooms, onions). The long loaf spread in 1920s Paris, helped by a 1919 law barring bakers from working before four in the morning; UNESCO listed the craft in 2022. This atlas has 54 France dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.