Category: Food & Wine
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The Ancient Harvest Signal That Bordeaux Has Followed for 800 Years
Discover how Bordeaux’s 800-year-old harvest law still shapes every vintage — and the medieval ceremony in Saint-Émilion that proclaims the new season each September — plus get weekly France stories free in our newsletter.
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The Caves Beneath Épernay That Hold Millions of Champagne Bottles
Beneath Épernay’s grand Avenue de Champagne, chalk tunnels hold millions of ageing bottles — and the secrets of how true Champagne is made — plus get weekly France stories free in our newsletter.
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What Makes a Bouchon the Most Honest Restaurant You’ll Ever Eat In
Lyon’s bouchons are the hearty, honest restaurants that made it France’s food capital — plus get weekly France stories free in our newsletter.
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Why France’s Most Exciting Wine Isn’t Made in Bordeaux or Burgundy
France’s most talked-about wines don’t come from grand châteaux. Discover the natural wine movement reshaping how France drinks — plus get weekly France stories free in our newsletter.
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Inside a French School Lunch: Four Courses and No Ketchup
Inside the French school canteen: four courses every day, cheese as standard, and the food rules that shape a nation’s relationship with eating — plus get weekly France stories free in our newsletter.
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Armagnac: The Ancient French Brandy That Refuses to Be Famous
Armagnac is France’s oldest brandy, distilled in the Gers since 1310 — 150 years before Cognac. Discover this forgotten Gascon spirit and how it’s made — plus get weekly France stories free in our newsletter.
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Why France Has More Cheeses Than Days in the Year — and What That Means
France produces over 1,200 named cheeses — each one shaped by the land it comes from. Here’s why that matters, how the French eat them, and where to find the real thing — plus get weekly France stories free in our newsletter.
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What Happens in a Bordeaux Wine Village When the Harvest Begins
Every September, the villages around Bordeaux transform as the grape harvest begins. Discover the vendange culture — from the long communal lunch to the village fête — and how to experience it yourself.
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The French Hour That Has No English Name — and Cannot Be Rushed
Every evening across France, the hour before dinner transforms into something the English language has no word for. Here is what l’apéro actually means — and why tourists nearly always miss it.
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Why French Families Still Spend Three Hours at the Sunday Table
The French long Sunday lunch is a ritual of family, food and slow conversation — spanning three hours and multiple courses. Here is what it looks like.