Sausages are cooked on a round grill and include merquez, chorizo, andouillette and boudin blanc.
Tartiflette, a dish from the Savoie region, is the ultimate French comfort food. It's made of potatoes, bacon, onions and reblochon cheese.
Escargot in herbs and butter is a highlight of the Fêtes des Vendanges de Montmartre. Grab a dozen and enjoy with a glass of white wine on the steps of Sacre Coeur.
Sizzling pans of paella are a mainstay at French food festivals and markets.
That's sliced foie gras in front and seared duck breast in back. Both will be folded into a baguette for a decadent sandwich.
The flaky pastry of this apple tart, called Croustade aux Pommes et Armagnac, is nice and light and the armagnac soaked apples aren't too overpowering.
Foie gras with hazelnut oil and piment d’espellette on toast was handed out for free last year at Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre.
You can always count on fresh oysters to be served at French food festivals and markets. These ones are from Cancale in Brittany.
Unlike American food festivals, portions aren't huge, but that way you can try a lot. This little nibble, seared duck breast with a plump prune, was absolutely delicious.
Last year vendors whipped up eggs with black truffles from Perigord.
Raclette is heated and scraped right off the wheel for a gourmet grilled cheese and charcuterie sandwich.
Mounds of nougat, a chewy candy, are always available at food festivals in France and at many French markets. There are a variety of flavors (I like almond) and while it's delicious the heavy nut-filled candy doesn't come cheap.
Ofcourse you can always find french fries.
Close Montmartre is the reason for the Fêtes des Vendanges de Montmartre harvest festival. The small winery is private but free visits are conducted during the festival each October.
I’ve always loved food festivals. I think it started growing up in Portland, Oregon. Once a year we’d head to The Bite, a summer food festival on the waterfront featuring many of Portland’s best restaurants. I would gorge myself on Ethiopian food and berry shortcake layered with vanilla ice cream. When I started spending more time in France, I was curious how the most food-obsessed culture on earth would execute an outdoor food festival. Would the food be mediocre and over priced as so often happens in the U.S. or would there be foie gras, truffles and excellent wine? I’m happy to say the latter is true especially at Fêtes des Vendanges de Montmartre, a food and wine festival that celebrates the harvest of Clos Montmartre, the last active vineyard in Paris. Click above for a slideshow of dishes from the event that runs through Sunday in Montmartre and keep your eyes peeled for these specialities at food festivals and markets throughout France.
What is your single favorite festival food? Please let me know in the comments!
LOVE Les Flottants in Sept at quai de Montebello
http://www.marchesflottants.fr/
And les Coquille Saint Jacques in Jan in Montmartre..but there are so many to choose from in Paris!!
Thanks for the recommendations Parisbreakfast. I will check both of those out!
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