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What do People Eat in Nantes?

Much has been written about French food, from the classic “French women don’t get fat” mystery to haute cuisine drool-worthy cookbooks.

Indeed, French cuisine has a long and rich history, and the French certainly love eating, drinking, shopping for food and talking about it. But tourists may be shocked to see locals don’t always eat fancy stuff.

Markets. French actually go to the market, not just to buy meat, fruits and veggies but also to buy deli food, including world cuisine specialties. Even Saint Michel’s tiny weekly market around the church features “Asian food,” i.e. a third-generation Vietnamese selling spring rolls and riz cantonais (fried rice). I noticed that Indian food is getting popular, as well as delicacies from the French Islands, such as accras de morue (breaded cod).

The French seem to be discovering a few American staple treats, such as bagels, donuts and muffins, now available in many bakeries (and invariably more expensive than your basic butter croissant). This is fairly new in Nantes—when I was a kid, the only “American” treats we had were brownies. There are also many burger joints, all claiming to be “100% French” and fancier than McDonald’s. They are certainly more expensive!

Sandwiches, panini (toasted sandwiches), kebabs and “américains” (half a baguette filled with burger patties, fries and mayonnaise) and always popular. Sorry, no one has foie gras for lunch.

French supermarkets are also interesting: they invariably feature a huge “wine and alcohol” section, and one or two aisles are dedicated to dairy products such as yogurts and crèmes and cheese. Oh, and the milk is not refrigerated.

Finally, you’d be surprised by the number of bars in Nantes. I think there is one in every block, at least!

French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
French Market
Bottled Water in a French Supermarket
Bottled Water in a French Supermarket
Yogurts in a French Supermarket
Yogourts in a French Supermarket
Baguettes in a French Supermarket
Baguettes in a French Supermarket
Milk in a French Supermarket
Milk in a French Supermarket
French Deli
French Deli
French Fast Food Joint
French Fast Food Joint
French Fast Food Joint
French Fast Food Joint
French Fast Food Joint
French Fast Food Joint
Bagels in Nantes
Bagels in Nantes
French Fast Food Joint
French Fast Food Joint
Convenience Store Selling Beer
Convenience Store Selling Beer
Strawberries at the Market
Strawberries at the Market
French Brasserie
French Brasserie
Supermarket Ad for Ice Creams
Supermarket Ad for Ice Creams
French Breakfast in a Bar in Nantes
French Breakfast in a Bar in Nantes
"La Cigale", One of Nantes' Oldest Restaurants
“La Cigale”, One of Nantes’ Oldest Restaurants
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
French Bar
Crêpes in Saint Michel
Crêpes in Saint Michel
Crêpes in Saint Michel
Crêpes in Saint Michel
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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