French Food Guide: Alps, Dordogne & Provence Cuisine

History and Culture | 1 week ago

Explore the flavors of France, from raclette in the Alps to truffles in Dordogne and Provence wines. Discover culinary highlights on our France hiking tours.

From the fine dining of Paris to the provincial fare of a grandmother’s kitchen, eating in France is a serious affair. Sharing borders with Germany, Austria, Italy and Spain, it’s own long and generative culinary history is peppered with multi-cultural influences that will delight any palate.

In France, food is a philosophy.

In Haute-Savoie, which serves as the starting point for our Tour du Mont Blanc hiking tour, Raclette takes center stage. Melted cow’s milk cheese scraped over boiled potatoes with cornichons and cured meats, this is as much a meal as a ritual. Pair this with a crisp mineral white wine like Altesse or Jaquere, true alpine wines that sing alongside rich meat and cheese dishes.

Dordogne, carved out by a trio of rivers, has rich, fertile soils and it’s cuisine is dominated by decadence. Duck confit, roasted goose, foi gras, and wild mushrooms grace the tables of local taverns and the Périgord black truffle, found underneath oak and hazelnut trees using specially trained dogs, is a coveted culinary marvel.

Southern France offers a different picture, its warmer climates and proximity to the sea giving the cuisine here a distinct Mediterranean quality. In Provence, olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs are abundant and dishes like Bouillabaisse, a fish stew simmered with saffron, fennel and dried oranges, is both comforting and bright. Provence is known for their delightful rosé, but Châteauneuf-du-Pape is just over the border for something more serious. Our Inn to Inn hiking trip in September will have plenty of both!

While we don’t offer them every year, we collectively have over ten trips in France, a country whose range of experiences are wide and deep. From the rugged alpine hiking of Tour du Mont Blanc to the gentler pace of our Dordogne on Foot trip, with time to explore ancient ruins, museums, and cypress-lined vineyards. Regardless of where you end up, we hope you’re hungry! Peek at our full list of hiking tours on our website!

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