NOT SPAIN BUT FRANCE

Recently, I have spent some days in France. I have heard that eating gluten-free was difficult there, so when I planned my trip I read all the websites and articles related I found:

Several proposals for restaurants on:

http://hungryboyfriend.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/your-comprehensive-guide-to-eating.html#comment-form

The best practical information:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/10/glutenfree-eati/

Very current recommendations on:

http://www.glutenfreeaparis.com/

In my opinion, the most complete GF restaurants guide of France:

http://www.sortirsansgluten.com/

The essential GF restaurants card of:

http://www.celiactravel.com/cards/french/

And, of course, the website of the French Association of Gluten Intolerance:

http://www.afdiag.fr/

It seems as if coeliac / celiac disease is not well known in France. Although you can buy some GF products in big supermarkets like Carrefour, Monoprix or Auchan or small specialized shops like Naturalia, it is not easy to find GF friendly restaurants.

A good choice is to stay in an apartment, where you can cook your own meal or breakfast. A website for seasonal rentals is: http://www.abritel.fr/

Other popular option is Gîtes de France: you can rent a house or stay in a bedroom only for bed and breakfast (chambre d’hôte).

I chose this kind of lodgement for the days I spent in the Loire Valley and I was very fortunate, because the house where I stayed in was very lovely and the owners charming… but the best of all was that Véronique, the hostess, knew very well the gluten-free diet. She prepared delicious gfree crêpes and clafoutis for breakfast. I highly recommend this chambre d’hôte:

Chambre Les Roses at Sous Le Tilleul

Sous le Tilleul

Véronique et François TULASNE

Tujot 37260 MONTS

02 47 25 83 01   06 65 16 52 46 and 06 81 42 60 08

veroniquetulasne@gmail.com

But at the end you need (or want) to go to a restaurant. Most of the restaurants I found with GF dishes or menus are vegetarian, vegan or bio (organic). It is quite difficult to eat GF traditional French cook. Menus are not cheap in France, but at lunchtime you can find formules in many restaurants. They consist on different combinations of a starter, a main course and a dessert, and they are value for money.

It is easier in Paris, but it is not so common to find GF restaurants in other towns. But nevertheless I had good experiences in two restaurants out of Paris:

In St. André de Cubzac, near Bourdeaux:

Rendez-vous: 27, Rue Coureau in St André De Cubzac. Open Monday to Thursday: 7am – 5pm, and Friday: 7am – 3pm. Homemade food, you can have a drink, a sandwich or a full meal in the restaurant or take it away. They know well gluten-free diet and the treatment is pleasant. Formule: starter + main course + dessert = 10,5 €.

Charlotte aux fraises at Rendez-vous

In Poitiers:

Le bonheur est dans le Thé: 7, rue Carnot Impasse Saint Nicolas in Poitiers. This is a tearoom and restaurant where many of the dishes are organic and some of them safe for celiacs.  Formule: main course + dessert = 15 €.

Salad at Le bonheur est dans le Thé

In Paris I ate in the following restaurants:

Menu at Saveurs Véget'Halles

Saveurs Véget'Halles: 41, rue des Bourdonnais, 1^er arr. Open Monday to Saturday, for lunch and dinner; Sunday closed.  Nice vegetarian restaurant. Vegan and gluten-free dishes are marked in the menu.  Formule: starter + main course or main course + dessert = 15,90 €; starter + main course + dessert = 18,90 €.

Qualité & Co: 7, rue du marché St. Honoré, 1^er arr. ; 4 rue de Choiseul, 2^ème arr.; 37 rue de Berri, 8^ème arr. Open Monday to Friday: 8:30am – 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday: 11am – 6pm. It is a healthy fast food chain where you can eat salads, fruits, legumes. All the ingredients of the dishes are detailed and GF are labelled, so it is easy to choose. Formule: Big salad + dessert + drink = 10 €.

GF dish at Cafe Pinson

Café Pinson: 6 rue du Forez, 3^ème arr. Open from the morning to afternoon (to 11:30 from Thursday to Saturday). Lovely restaurant, almost everything is vegetarian or vegan. Fresh, homemade meals. Gluten-free dishes are marked. There are two starters and two main courses to choose in the menu. Formule: starter + main course or main course + dessert = 15 €; starter + main course + dessert = 17 €.

Tugalik: 29, rue St. Placide, 6^ème arr.; 4, rue Toullier,

5^ème arr. Open Monday to Saturday, for lunch and dinner. Healthy fast food chain similar to Qualité & Co, you can eat salads, rice, chicken… everything natural and homemade. GF options are labelled. Formule: 10 €.

Complete salad at Tugalik

 I also had a delicious ice-cream at:

Grom: 81, rue de Seine 6^ème arr. Italian ice - cream shop. The ice-creams are artisan and made with organic ingredients. Most of them are gluten-free. They are delicious. Price: From 3,70 €.

Macarons from Un Dimanche À Paris

And, of course, I tasted the famous French macarons at:

Un dimanche à Paris: 8 cours du Commerce Saint André, 6^ème arr. Elegant bakery where you can buy the famous macarons. Not cheap but very good quality.

  

Bon voyage en France!