What to eat in Provence | French food

If you’re looking for flavour, freshness and traditional cooking you won’t be short of foodie treats to eat in Provence. This region in the south of France offers the very best of Mediterranean cooking bringing a feast of colour, taste and healthy eating to every single dish. The local cuisine might not be as elaborate as other regions of France, but as the Telegraph Provence Food Guide says, “for the heights of pleasure and health: the combination is unbeatable”. So, taste buds at the ready…

18 delicious things to eat in Provence

Provence does authentic flavour perhaps better than anywhere in France. That’s not a difficult task given all the fresh ingredients on its doorstep. The region’s fields and orchards come laden with fruit, vegetables and olives while the Mediterranean offers one big larder of fish and seafood. Then herbs from the countryside – think thyme, rosemary, marjoram and oregano – add the characteristic Provençal scent and taste.

And of course, all washed down with Provençal wines or the anise-flavoured pastis. As the Telegraph says, cuisine in this part of France is all about the “quotidian sensuality of Provençal life”.

For Provence starters

For the first dishes on our list of delicious things to eat in Provence we’ve included starters, snacks and finger foods. You’ll find many of these at local markets and food trucks in the region. All perfect for a picnic or food-on-the-go, but don’t forget that glass of good Provençal rosé too.

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Banon

Provence doesn’t do cow’s milk cheeses, but when it comes to goat’s milk, the region creates some of the best fromages in France. Banon, an AOC cheese from the town of the same name, is creamy and delicately flavoured after maturing wrapped in chestnut tree leaves and bound with raffia.

Beignets de fleurs de courgettes

You know summer has truly arrived in Provence when market stalls are laden with courgette flowers. Eat them delicately deep-fried in batter or farci (stuffed with goat’s cheese and mint, and baked). Either way, you’re guaranteed a feast of flavour.

Fougasse

The Provence take on flatbread, but in usual local style this snack isn’t just about the bread. Expect (obviously) a good sprinkling of cheese, olives and anchovies in every bite.

Pan Bagnat

This circular roll of wheat bread comes crammed with ingredients from the salade niçoise (see below). Definitely the ultimate sandwich if you’re hungry, but not one for the dainty eater.

Pissaladière

It looks similar to pizza, but the base is thicker and comes spread with a generous bed of caramelised onions. Black olives sit on top next to the anchovies in true Provençal style. Some recipes also include anchovy paste spread directly on the base.

Socca

Provençal street food par excellence, this wafer thin pancake is made with chickpea flour and olive oil, and well-browned before served as scrapings. Best eaten with lashings of black pepper on the top.

Soupe au pistou

The local answer to minestrone, this hearty soup includes beans, vegetables and a sprinkling of pasta. Just before you eat it, add a generous dash of garlic, basil and olive oil paste (similar to the Italian pesto).

Tapenade

Olives and capers make up this quintessential dish in Provence. They’re ground to a paste with olive oil and served rather like a pâté – as a dip or spread on bread. Variations include sun-dried tomatoes and (of course) anchovies.

Keen to explore French food beyond Provence? Take a look at our list of the top 10 dishes that make up the very best of French cuisine

Provence main courses

Our suggestions for delicious things to eat in Provence now move into the realms of serious dining. Expect these dishes on the menu at any of the finest restaurants in the region as well as on the table of every discerning Provençal family.

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Aïoli

This one comes both as a sauce and a dish. The mayonnaise-type sauce needs no introduction but note that the Provençal version has no eggs; just garlic and olive oil. Expect to find it as an accompaniment to most seafood and fish dishes.

Aïoli provençal complet or aïoli garni is a stew, traditionally eaten on Fridays. Staple ingredients include fresh fish or salt cod, potatoes and carrots plus any leftovers from the week’s meals.

Bouillabaisse

One of the nation’s signature dishes, bouillabaisse roots its tradition in Marseille where you can still try the best in France. Sticklers claim you can’t make it without scorpion fish, which gives the stew its reddish hue, but in practice, any kind of small fish and seafood works well especially if it’s fished from the rock pools off the local calanques (cliffs).

Potatoes, onion, fennel, saffron and pastis join the fish and simmer for several hours. You eat it with croutons and rouille – a traditional sister to aioli made from garlic, breadcrumbs and olive oil.

Delve into these three recipes for one of the best things to eat in Provence.

Daubes

Food in Provence moves inland for this famous dish, the perfect comfort food in the winter months. Daubes are slow-cooked stews of beef or sometimes lamb braised in wine and vegetables. The best are cooked all day. Polenta or gnocchi accompany this dish. In Nice, they stuff pasta with the beef to make raviolis à la daube.

Oignon farci

Or any kind of stuffed vegetable in fact. Onions, aubergines, peppers, courgettes, tomatoes… all make delicious containers for the herby mixture of pork and rice.

Ratatouille

Another synonym of the best things to eat in Provence, this vegetable stew contains the best of the Provençal kitchen garden. Aubergines, courgettes, onions, peppers and tomatoes simmer together with garlic and that delightful bouquet of herbs. Add a hunk of fougasse or slice of pissaladière and lunch is served!

Salade niçoise

The perfect dish for a hot summer’s day, this signature dish from Nice combines cooked and raw vegetables to perfection. Green beans sit next to tomatoes, olives, anchovies and tuna with a generous dash of garlic dressing. The jury’s out on whether you add potatoes and/or lettuce.

Tian provençal

This typical dish takes the exact same ingredients as ratatouille but presents them in a different way. Each vegetable is sliced, placed in layers and then baked in the oven, rather like a gratin dish.

Provençal desserts

After all these wonderful things to eat in Provence, it’s time for dessert. The region offers plenty of options – expect a guaranteed sugar high. And almonds from local groves take centre stage in many of them.

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Calissons

Almonds are ground to a paste and mixed with candied orange peel. The paste is then spread on a wafer and covered in icing. Only for those with an extra sweet tooth!

Nougat

Another very sweet dessert, Provence-style nougat includes sugar, honey, almonds and egg whites. The nougatine or nougat noir version doesn’t have eggs. Nougat was once a traditional Christmas sweet, but its popularity means you can now enjoy it all year round.

Tarte Tropézienne

The only cake on our list of the best things to eat in Provence, this one hails from St Tropez. Originally the creation of a Polish baker, the flat, sugar-coated brioche cake comes stuffed with orange-flavoured cream. Brigitte Bardot christened it when she fell in love with the cake while filming And God Created Women in St Tropez.

What to eat in Provence while cruising

Where better to try the delights of Provençal cuisine than from the decks of a luxury hotel barge as you cruise the region’s waterways?

All our cruises take in the lovely Provence landscapes and serve the best food and wine on board. Take a look at our selection of barges and choose your Provence experience now.

18 foodie treats to eat in Provence
Along The Waterways

18 delicious things to eat in Provence