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The South of France is packed with fine cuisine, making it the top destination to indulge your inner foodie. The region offers many culinary classes teaching about local techniques of preparing their dishes, using fresh ingredients sourced throughout the various places in the South of France.
If you plan to take a foodie adventure to this part of France, there are some foods you should try while there. In this article, we’ll highlight the different places in the region and some of the top dishes you must try when in them.
Cannes
Cannes is a prestigious city known for its glamour and sophistication. It’s the perfect place for cheese lovers or those who want to sample typical French dishes. But beyond the usual wine tasting and crepe eating you’d expect in the French Riviera, Cannes boasts many fantastic places to dine.
If there’s one dish you should try in Cannes, it’s Beignets de Fleurs de Courgettes, which means Courgette Flowers. It’s a popular dish in Cannes for its delectable flavour. The flowers are stuffed with vegetable blend and deep-fried in a breadcrumb mixture.
Cannes is also an ideal place to sample the famous French seafood stew, bouillabaisse. Here, it consists of freshly caught seafood from the French Riviera. Many restaurants in Cannes have unique versions of this beloved dish, although the ingredients consist mainly of fish, clams, shrimp, tomatoes, and herbs.
If you want to learn more about local French cuisines, join a cooking class at La Serviette Blanche, the leading culinary establishment in Cannes. Before you begin, you’ll explore the local market with the chef before heading to a luxury apartment in the town centre for your cooking class.
Nice
Nice is a bustling city along the French Riviera renowned for its stunning views, great climate, and vibrant art and culture. It also has delectable local food, which mainly consists of a mixture of French and Italian cuisine. Like the other places along the Riviera, many local foods in Nice focus on seafood cooked with fresh vegetables.
You must be familiar with the niçoise salad, but you may not be aware that this delectable salad originates in Nice. So, while in Nice, take advantage of the opportunity to sample this delicious salad, made of lettuce, anchovies, chopped potatoes, and tuna, served with vinaigrette dressing. Head to the Nomad Bar, the restaurant in Nice famous for serving the most delectable niçoise salad.
Since the local food in Nice focuses on seafood, it would be great to try some rosé to go with your food. Many restaurants and wine bars offer this delectable wine selection, known for its burst of flavour, thanks to the rich soil in the region.
The Cote d’Azur
Boasting warm golden sunshine for over 300 days a year, the Cote d’Azur is famous for its numerous pretty villages, stunning natural landscapes, scenic vineyards and beautiful national parks. Best of all, you will find many beautiful villa rentals across the French Riviera, perfect for those who wish to explore the region for a few days.
When it comes to the food, Cote d’Azur will not disappoint. Its local cuisine consists mainly of fresh fish and seafood from the Mediterranean. It’s possible to see many types of seafood dishes according to the season, from molluscs to oysters and shellfish. They are comforting at their best – you’ll feel a warm and soothing sensation in every bite, similar to what you’d feel when eating a home-cooked meal.
One of the dishes to try is the omelette aux truffles or truffle omelettes. The area around Carpentras in Provence is the best place for this dish, as it’s known for its truffles, usually in season from November to March. The fungi are added to various delicacies, from salads to pasta dishes, but the eggs best complement its pungent aroma. Truffle omelettes are a staple of many gastronomic restaurants all over Cote d’Azur, especially during winter.
St Tropez
Saint Tropez has a reputation for being a luxury destination, so it’s not surprising to find numerous Michelin-starred restaurants in the region. But of course, there’s more to the gastronomic scene of Saint Tropez than the Michelin-starred restaurants. You’ll also find beachside eateries focusing on Mediterranean flavours and casual eateries specialising in traditional recipes.
The restaurants in Saint Tropez offer a variety of choices, not to mention delightful outdoor terraces overlooking the scenic harbour and top-notch service. Check out Restaurant La Petite Plage, an upscale seaside eatery in Port de Saint-Tropez. It’s an ideal place to indulge in fancier versions of Mediterranean specialities prepared by a Michelin-starred chef.
Sénéquier, a historic eatery along Port de Saint Tropez, is a must-visit for foodies. It opened in 1887 and is renowned for its iconic red tables and chairs overlooking the port, made famous by actress Brigitte Bardot, who often came here while shooting a film in the Provence during the 1950s.
While many restaurants in Provence specialise in seafood, one that stands out is Le Girelie. Specialising in Provencial flavours, it is where you can sample the tastiest crab, seabass, and whole fish specialities à la plancha. Don’t forget to order a glass of white wine to complement your dish.
Grasse
Renowned for being the world’s perfume capital, Grasse may not be the first place that comes to mind when food tripping in the South of France, but it does have something to offer for food lovers. It’s only a small town, but its surrounding countryside has granted it some delicacies that are unique to this area in Provence.
Fougassette is one of those local dishes you should try. It’s a delicious brioche flavoured with local orange blossom, best eaten with piping hot coffee or chocolate.
Another dish served as a main course in various restaurants around Grasse is fassum. It’s a dish of cabbage leaves stuffed with pork, bacon, and greens. Another dish not to miss is the classic peasant recipe called “artichauts à la barigoule.” It’s a slow-cooked casserole dish with bacon, shallots, lemons, and artichoke hearts.