Going abroad to a new country is all fine and dandy until you realize you have NO idea how to speak the language. Of course you start to miss your favorite Starbucks drink, but what you miss the most is the actual ability to order a drink at the local café. For all of you adventure-seeking travelers that might fear the language barrier, here’s everything you need to know about ordering food in France.
The first thing you need to know about France is the key to success which is, “Bonjour!” Every time you enter a store, restaurant, café, etc., make sure you say “Bonjour.” One, this will make the shop owner think you’re French (bonus) and two, it’s simply the polite thing to do.
“Je voudrais une crêpe Nutella.”
Honestly, this is the most important thing you need to know (in my opinion). It simply means, “I would like a Nutella crepe.” And trust me, you would eat about 1,000 Nutella crepes if you could.
Though I find it hard to stray from the classic Nutella crepe, there are many flavors to choose from. Some of the most popular options include sugar with lemon, Nutella with banana, and even jambon fromage (ham and cheese).
Ordering Hamburgers and Steak
One thing you might not realize until it’s too late is that the French don’t exactly like to fully cook their meat to our American “well done” standards. “Bien cuit” is the french version of well done, but don’t be surprised if you still see some red in there.
If you don’t mind the redness and want to get down with the French way of ordering meat, order it “saignant” (bleeding) or “a point” (at point). Thankfully, you can still enjoy your meal with french fries, but in France you’ll want to say “frites” (fries) to avoid some strange looks.
Vin, Vin, and More Vin
The French sure do LOVE their wine, and I certainly do’nt blame them. Here are some key wine phrases you should keep in mind:
Une bouteille de vin: A bottle of wine. Tire-bouchon: Corkscrew. “Je voudrais un verre de rosé s’il vous plaît.”: “I would like a glass of rosé please.” Vin chaud: hot wine (this hot, spiced red wine is the BOMB.com).
For more about drinking wine in France, check out this article for everything you need to know about being a wine connoisseur.
“Une baguette s’il vous plaît!”
“A baguette please!” What better way to experience French food than to eat a baguette? Better yet, most shops will sell 3 of them for only 1 euro! The best way to eat lunch is to find a park and enjoy the scenery, while you make your own sandwich with une baguette, jambon et (and) fromage.
Monoprix is EVERYTHING (literally)
Monoprix is a heaven-sent store that is basically the equivalent to America’s Target. It’s so much more than just a grocery store. You can find the best food, home goods, school supplies, and even the latest fashion. I highly recommend the Monoprix Pain au chocolat, a bread roll filled with chocolate that’ll satisfy any sugar craving.
The final tip for ordering food in France is to say, “Merci, au revoir!” when you leave. This is the polite thing to do, and it will be greatly appreciated by the shop owner. So, the next time you’re hungry in France, just remember these key points. You certainly can’t go wrong.