People holding ice cream up to Eiffel Tower

Tourists Should Forget About France's Biggest Food Myth

By Mina Elwell

VACATIONS

Food in France has a reputation for being expensive. In an exclusive interview, Islands spoke with French food expert Laura Calder to get to the bottom of this food myth.
According to Calder, eating in France won’t blow your budget more than any other country. Depending on your choices, delicious food doesn’t have to break the bank.
"Traditionally, in North America and elsewhere, the kind of French restaurants that imported the food culture of France were high end, and therefore expensive," Calder said.
She continued, "But as we all know, France has restaurants at every level, from three-star houses right down to humble bistros." This means it’s easy to save money on food.
Calder also suggests looking for lunch specials and checking
out online guides for recommendations and prices. She says eating in France can be even cheaper than in the U.S.