French people reveal dish that best represents their country
Confit de canard, bouillabaisse, snails, crêpes, cassoulet…plus, how do you choose a restaurant?
From beef bourguignon to snails to cassoulet to crêpes, which traditional French food would you pick?Sham Clicks / gkrphoto / New Africa / Shutterstock
The French public’s top traditional dishes have been ranked in a new poll, with beef bourguignon, cassoulet, and confit de canard among those considered to best represent France.
The survey*, by pollster Ipsos, was undertaken to coincide with the release of the 2025 Michelin Guide. It asked “Of the most well-known French dishes, which are, in your opinion, those that best represent France worldwide?”
Released on March 31, the results show:
Gastronomic region
The poll also found that the south-west region is considered the “most gastronomic” in the country (41% of those polled said this), followed by the Lyon region (33%), and Brittany (26%).
Overall, 92% of those polled said they had a “good opinion” of food in France, and 71% said they consume traditional dishes - such as those on the list - at least once a week.
“70% of French people prefer to cook or eat French food at home rather than in a restaurant,” said Ipsos, although it did say that almost 40% of people in France eat out “at least several times a month”.
For more than half (57%), however, going to a restaurant is an “occasional” event, which happens less than once a month. Some 4% never go to a restaurant at all.
Ipsos also found that online reviews, particularly those on Google and TripAdvisor, strongly influence people’s choice of restaurants, although word of mouth is also crucial, it said. Some three in five (62%) look up online reviews before choosing a restaurant.
Google Maps and reviews: 53%
Tripadvisor: 45%
Word of mouth: 42%
Le Routard guide: 14%
The Michelin Guide: 14%
Almost 90% of French people said they were familiar with the Michelin Guide and its stars, considering it an essential reference for fine dining and high-quality restaurants.
The poll also found that more than 40% of people in France have already eaten in a Michelin-starred restaurant, and more than 80% came away with an experience that “lived up to their expectations”.
As for the most popular French chefs, the poll found the public had the most favourable view of:
Clockwise from top left: Cyril Lignac, Philippe Etchebest, Anne-Sophie Pic, Alain DucasseCyrilLignac.com / @chef.etchebest / Instagram / Charles Toulza / Ducasse-Paris.com / Anne-Sophie-Pic.com
Cyril Lignac: 43%
Philippe Etchebest: 41%
Alain Ducasse: 25%
Anne-Sophie Pic: 19%
*The survey was done by Ipsos, online, to a representative sample of 1,000 people in France, aged 18-75, on March 30, 2025.
Let us know - which dish would you choose on this list, either as your favourite to eat, or as the best representative of France worldwide? How often do you eat traditional French food, or go to a traditional French restaurant? Share your views via feedback@connexionfrance.com.
