Do you have Coeliac disease / gluten intolerance and are planning a trip to France? Wondering where to visit and where to eat gluten free in France if you’re visiting locations outside of Paris? I hope these gluten free travel tips to France can help you to find the confidence to eat out in France as a Coeliac.
Many people struggle to eat out successfully with a gluten free diet in France. Paris is full of gluten free bakeries and restaurants but outside of Paris eating sans gluten is a challenge but it can still be successful! Coeliac disease is – in my experience – poorly understood in restaurants. Waiters are not always fully aware of the condition and cross contamination issues as is the case in other places around the world.
But with preparation it is possible to eat out safely in France as a gluten free traveller.
Here are my top 11 tips for eating gluten free in France:
1. Take the Celiac Travel cards to explain to restaurants what your dietary restrictions are. These gluten free travel translation cards should explain what you can/cannot eat as well as clearly explain cross contamination issues in French.
2. Learn some French phrases to explain both your gluten free dietary needs and also the words for the naturally gluten free food items you’re likely to see in French restaurants. Lookout for these items on menus. If you don’t see them and you’re feeling bold, ask if they can be cooked for you. Useful food preparation words would be:
- à la vapeur– steamed,
- au four – baked,
- à l’etouffée– stewed,
- en daube– stew, casserole,
- grillé – grilled
3. Be extra polite to waiters when communicating your gluten free dietary needs. I think anyone who’s ever been to Paris will have experienced at some point the particular breed of Parisian waiter who is super brusque. It’s just how it is, ensure you are very polite in communicating your requests and needs and ignore any surly attitude.
4. Just ask! Most restaurants I’ve visited have been able to tell me either which menu items are naturally gluten free or those which can be adapted – just as you would do anywhere in the world.
5. Visit a crêperie for a savoury galette made with naturally gluten free buckwheat flour (farine de sarrasin or blè noir). You must check that 100% buckwheat flour is being used as sometimes there can be a mix of flours.
6. Seek out the naturally gluten free: Desserts including crème brûlée and meringues are naturally gluten free (but always double check).
7. Be prepared to politely walk away before ordering if you’re not happy with your chosen restaurant, it’s your health after all
8. Do extensive research before visiting places you’ve found online. Restaurants open, close, change chefs and gluten free menus.
In the era of COVID-19 this is especially relevant as sadly not all businesses will survive the impact the Corona virus will have on their operations.
For example, if you’re in Paris, please note the dedicated gluten free restaurant “Des Si et Des Mets” in Montmartre has closed according to their website. I wouldn’t normally point out where not to go, but this restaurant is referenced in many places online as the only gluten free restaurant in Paris and I wouldn’t want you to make a wasted trip out there.
9. There ARE gluten free bakeries and patisseries in France where you can pick up the coeliac’s dream of an authentic French gluten free croissant. My top pick in Paris is the gluten free patisserie, Helmut Newcake which is located in the 1oth arondissement near the quirky boutiques of the Canal St Martin area. Surely a must for anyone visiting the City of Light.
10. Check out this French dining out website here, which has lists of gluten free restaurants in various French cities and reviews on them. It’s in French but you could use Google translate.
11. Don’t forget the French Coeliac Association! The website for “Association Francaise des Intolerants au Gluten” for information on eating gluten free out and in supermarkets while on your holiday in France
A couple of photos of gluten free food choices in France to whet your appetite:
Naturally gluten free buckwheat galette containing Mediterranean vegetables and goat’s cheese, Vezelay. Utterly delicious.
Duck (served without gravy), Semur en Auxois
Gluten free roast chicken, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain.
This beautiful little village was the location for the film Chocolat. This was eaten in a ferme auberge where all the products were sourced locally. I’d actually just wanted an omelette but the locally produced eggs had run out!
Another naturally gluten free menu item, Crème brûlée, Semur en Auxois.
There were raspberries lurking under here.
Thank you for sharing these tips on gluten free France. We’re visiting next summer so have bookmarked your post.
Author
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Whereabouts in France are you visiting?
What a wonderfully informative post for when I travel to France next time.
Thank you. (And I find number 3 so difficult)
Author
Thank you. I agree number 3 is tough but it seems to get results!
Hi There! So happy to have found your blog and all the wonderful gluten free traveling recommendations for France. I’ll be headed to Burgundy for a wedding in September and then off to Spain for a week or two. Any recommendations for gluten free in Spain?
“6. Desserts including crème brûlée and meringues are naturally gluten free”
Please note that meringues is gluten free only IF done with a traditionnal receipe, almost all meringues in French supermarkets are NOT gluten free, I know it because I was looking to a simple way to do a nice birthday cake in France this summer and an Italian semi-freddo would have done the trick if… if I had been able to find some gluten free meringues… I was not 🙁
That’s interesting. I’ve only ever seen gluten free meringues in shops but it’s a very good point that one should always check ingredient labels carefully to be sure.
Hi. I’m a french woman and I just discovered my son ( Who is 15 ) has this coeliac illness. Indeed, it´s difficult to eat gluten free in France, but more easier when you speak french, I understand.. He must go to London with his school during one week and I worry about. Is it really easier to eat gluten free in London ? Have you some advices ?
Tank you for answering
Sylvie
Hi Sylvie! Sorry to hear about your son’s diagnosis but I’m sure that he will get lots of support know the issue has been identified.
There are many gluten free options in London and your son should not have too many problems. For some ideas on eating gluten free in London, please click on the following two blog posts:
https://glutenfreemrsd.com/gluten-free-london-uk
https://glutenfreemrsd.com/2012/07/gluten-free-guide-london-eating-out.html
I hope he has a wonderful trip!
Thank you for your answer and all the adress . We learn more and more about coeliac disorder and all the family is now gluten free. So I discovered I feel much better and I am no more exhausted when I wake up, and I am wondering if I am also gluten intolérant . My students said I was better mooded… Our doctor said me he doesn ´ t know this disease , so we have to do by ourselves, it´s a bit difficult. Thanks to internet..
The school of our son is now looking for a ” gluten free” family which could welcome our son Alexandre during his trip to London. Hope they find one.
Again thank you ( and sorry for the english mistakes..)
Best regards
Sylvie
Hi Sylvie, As Coeliac disease is a genetic disorder which can run in families I would strongly recommend that you / your family is also tested for coeliac disease. However in order for the test to be accurate, you must be eating gluten. I know it’s hard to do this when you’ve excluded it from your diet and feel so much better.
I can very highly recommend the website of Coeliac UK who are a charity supporting those with coeliac disease and gluten intolerance in the UK. https://www.coeliac.org.uk/home/
They have a huge amount of information on their website from what you can safely eat, to places to eat out and even country guides for when you travel.
I hope that your son finds a family who are able to support his diet on his trip to London. It may be worth providing the link of Coeliac UK to the host family so they can read up on Coeliac disease.
Finally, I can recommend the following book written by a health journalist specialising in digestive disorders:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coeliac-Disease-What-Need-Know/dp/1847091318
I don’t know if this book has been translated into French? Could be useful to provide to your Doctor!
Hello Sylvie,
I am a French leaving in Italy where the coeliac disease is well known… be carefull about what you may read on internet, above all on blogs and so on, a lot of things of this kind are “medically wrong” !!!
Fo all those who want to travel in Italy, there is the AIC website, there is a subsection for hotel and restaurants, thousands are listed in the Progetto alimentazione fuori, just type it on google…
Sylvie, if you wanna know (in French) what is the state of the art of the Italian medical knowledge on this disease, do not hesitate to write to me : sylvriv@msn.com
Sylvain – thank you for your comment too. You are right there is a lot of information out on the internet on blogs etc which may not be medically correct and it’s important to understand the background of the source of the information. I travel to Italy a lot and I think the AIC website is fantastic. I love being able to find safe gelato from their lists!