Myth or fact: French food and its origins
Is the croissant French? Is the baguette protected by UNESCO? Do the French eat cheese before dessert? Judge eight claims about French food.
- A2
- 8 claims
- Vrai ou faux ?
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In short
Some 'French' foods have foreign roots: the croissant descends from the Austrian kipferl, which is why pastries are called viennoiseries. Others are firmly French: the baguette's craft was added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2022, and Champagne can only come from Champagne.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
Vrai ou faux ? Decide before you see the verdict.
The croissant is originally a French creation.
les viennoiseries
FauxFaux. It descends from the Austrian kipferl, brought to Paris in the 19th century; French bakers then made it buttery and flaky. Hence viennoiserie, from Vienna.
The craft of the baguette is on UNESCO's heritage list.
la baguette de tradition
VraiVrai. In 2022 UNESCO listed the artisanal know-how and culture of the baguette as intangible cultural heritage.
In France, cheese is served before dessert.
le fromage, puis le dessert
VraiVrai. A traditional meal goes entrée, plat, fromage, dessert. Cheese closes the savoury part.
Any sparkling wine can be called champagne.
un crémant d'Alsace
FauxFaux. Champagne is a protected name for wine from the Champagne region. Similar wines from elsewhere are crémant or mousseux.
Brie and camembert are the same cheese.
le brie de Meaux, le camembert de Normandie
FauxFaux. They're both soft white-rind cheeses, but brie comes from the Île-de-France area in large wheels, camembert from Normandy in small rounds.
The French drink less wine than they did fifty years ago.
La consommation de vin a baissé.
VraiVrai. Consumption has fallen sharply since the 1960s. Wine at every meal is now rare, especially among young people.
Crêpes come from Brittany.
une crêperie bretonne
VraiVrai. Brittany is the home of crêpes and buckwheat galettes, eaten with savoury fillings and cider.
Snails and frogs' legs are everyday French food.
des escargots de Bourgogne
FauxFaux. They exist, mostly as festive or restaurant dishes. Most French people rarely eat them.
What to take away
French food culture is proud of le terroir, the link between a food and its place. That's why names are protected (AOP/AOC): Roquefort, Champagne, Comté. A baguette de tradition is made with just flour, water, salt and yeast.
Pour moi, ce sera fromage et pas de dessert.
I'll have cheese and no dessert.
- un croissant français typique de Vienneune viennoiserie
Pastries made with butter dough are viennoiseries.
- Je voudrais un champagne de Californie.Je voudrais un vin pétillant de Californie.
Only Champagne is champagne.