{"id":50166,"date":"2024-12-09T15:21:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T14:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/?p=50166"},"modified":"2026-02-26T08:11:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T07:11:46","slug":"meal-times-in-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/blog\/meal-times-in-france\/","title":{"rendered":"French meal times and eating schedule"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">French cuisine is famous around the world, but many visitors are surprised by when the French eat, not just what they eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Daily life in France follows set meal times and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france.fr\/en\/food-and-drink\/list\/french-gastronomy-meal-times-food-rituals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rituals<\/a>, which influence work routines and social events. A typical day in France includes three main meals, and sometimes an afternoon snack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Knowing the French eating schedule helps you appreciate the culture and enjoy your stay in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-5-1-1.png\" alt=\"meal times in france\" class=\"wp-image-68229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-5-1-1.png 798w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-5-1-1-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GGF-blog-photo-watermarking-5-1-1-768x420.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Le petit-d\u00e9jeuner (Breakfast)<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Breakfast in France is usually light and a bit sweet, eaten between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. It\u2019s rarely a big or savory meal. Common breakfast foods are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coffee or tea<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bread or toast with butter and jam<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pastries such as croissants<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cereal with milk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yoghurt or fruit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Le d\u00e9jeuner (Lunch)<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lunch is traditionally the main meal of the day in France, usually eaten between 12:00 and 2:00 PM. It often has several courses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A typical French lunch might include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A starter, such as a salad or a soup<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A main course, which may include meat, fish, or poultry with vegetables<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cheese<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dessert or fruit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wine and bread<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In cities today, lunch is sometimes lighter. People might eat sandwiches, quiches, salads, or <a href=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/blog\/best-food-delivery-apps-france\/\">order food<\/a> at work. Some bring their own lunch or eat at the cafeteria or university restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Le go\u00fbter (Afternoon snack)<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Around 4:00 or 5:00 PM, the French enjoy a snack called \u201cle go\u00fbter\u201d. While adults might skip it, it\u2019s a special part of childhood. Popular snacks include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pastries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fruit or nuts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yoghurt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Biscuits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A small sandwich<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Le d\u00eener (Dinner)<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dinner is served between 7:30 and 9:00 PM. It\u2019s often lighter than lunch but still has several courses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A starter, such as soup or salad<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A main course, which may be simpler than the lunch main course<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dessert or fruit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bread<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How much does lunch cost in France<\/strong>?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lunch in France usually costs between \u20ac7 and \u20ac9 for a sandwich, and \u20ac13 to \u20ac25 for a &#8220;menu du jour&#8221; (set menu) in a bistro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grocery costs depend on where you live and your lifestyle. In Paris, you can expect to spend about \u20ac200 to \u20ac250 per month. In other regions, the average is closer to \u20ac150 to \u20ac200.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help explain student expenses, we asked Allison, one of our students in Paris, to share what she spends in a day. She agreed to give us some insight. <a href=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/blog\/student-expense-in-paris-day-in-the-life\/\">Read more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"How much I spend in a day as a student in Paris \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7\" width=\"563\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BeY_arV00kU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Table etiquette in France<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In France, sharing a meal is about good manners as well as good food. <a href=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/blog\/french-dinner-etiquette\/\">Table etiquette<\/a> reflects the country\u2019s respect for tradition and social life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some key points to keep in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wait for the host to say \u201cBon app\u00e9tit\u201d before starting to eat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep your hands visible above the table, but rest your wrists (not elbows) on the edge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bread is placed directly on the tablecloth, not on a side plate. Tear off bite-sized pieces instead of biting directly from the loaf.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t start drinking wine until everyone has been served and a toast is made.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u2019s polite to finish everything on your plate and to compliment the cook.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One more thing, try not to put your mobile phone on the table. Instead, focus on the conversation and enjoying the meal together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you want more tips and insights about French culture, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/blog\/\">Go! Go! France blog<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>French cuisine is famous around the world, but many visitors are surprised by when the French eat, not just what they eat. Daily life in France follows set meal times and rituals, which influence work routines and social events. A typical day in France includes three main meals, and sometimes an afternoon snack. Knowing the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":50172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1231],"tags":[1261],"class_list":["post-50166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-drink","tag-french-cuisine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50166","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50166"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50166\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogofrance.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}