France

👋🏼 Bonjour! 

France is a country celebrated for its rich history, breath taking landscapes, and world-renowned cuisine - and by that, we mean baguettes, croissants and quiche Lorraine. From the city of love to the snowy mountains, France is a destination for many tourists throughout the year. Whilst traditional French cuisine includes plenty of bread, pastries and wheat-based dishes, traveling gluten free in France is absolutely possible - with a bit of preparation and the right know-how. 

💬 The Language & Key Phrases 

Communicating dietary restrictions is essential when traveling to any non-English speaking country. The most important phrase you’ll want to look out for is "sans gluten" which means "gluten free".

Here are some other key phrases translated, to help you navigate menus and supermarkets:

"Je suis intolérant au gluten"
I am gluten intolerant

"J’ai la maladie cœliaque"
I have coeliac disease

"Je ne peux pas manger de gluten"
I cannot eat gluten

"Avez-vous des plats sans gluten?"
Do you have any gluten free dishes?

"Je ne peux pas manger de blé, de seigle, d’orge ou d’avoine"
I cannot eat wheat, rye, barley or oats

"Y a-t-il du gluten dans ce plat?"
Is there gluten in this dish?

"Ce plat contient-il de la farine?"
Does this dish contain flour?

"Avez-vous du pain sans gluten?"
Do you have gluten free bread?

"Puis-je voir la liste des ingrédients?"
Can I see the list of ingredients?

"Y a-t-il un risque de contamination croisée?"
Is there a risk of cross-contamination?

📄 Allergy Translation Card

We’ve created helpful allergy translation cards to help you communicate your dietary requirements when dining out or shopping - show it to your server before ordering!

If you want to download the translation card, click here to save it as an image or to your apple/google wallet.

The translation is as follows:

"ALLERGY! GLUTEN FREE
MUST FOLLOW A GLUTEN FREE DIET
NO Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats
I am likely to become seriously ill if I eat foods that contain wheat flours or grains, rye, barley or oats.
Does this food contain wheat, rye, barley or oat flour or grains? I also cannot eat any food which has been cooked in the same fryer as gluten containing products. If you have any doubt about what is in this food, please tell me.
I can eat food that contains rice, corn, potatoes, vegetables and fruits of all kinds, eggs, cheese, milk, meat and fish, provided they have not been cooked with wheat flour, batter, breadcrumbs, or a sauce containing ingredients that contain gluten.
Thank you for your help."

🛒 Shopping for Gluten Free Products

Most supermarkets in France will have gluten free sections, with many products having the certified gluten free logo on the packaging. 

To help identify gluten free products, look for:

• Labels that say "sans gluten"
• The crossed grain symbol, which certifies gluten free products
• Specialty aisles for dietary needs in large supermarkets

Key words to look for are:

• "Blé" which means ‘wheat’
• "Seigle" which means ‘rye’
• "Orge" which means ‘barley’
• "Avoine" which means ‘oats’

Here are some of the best places to shop for gluten free products:

• Carrefour - A major supermarket chain with a dedicated gluten free section
• Leclerc - Offers a variety of gluten free items at competitive prices
• Auchan - Stocks many well-known gluten free brands
• Monoprix - Ideal for city shoppers, with a good range of gluten free snacks and essentials
• Intermarché - Another large chain with labelled gluten free products
• Naturalia - A chain of organic (‘bio’) stores with a great selection of gluten free goods
• La Vie Claire - Another bio store stocking lots of allergen-friendly products

Popular gluten free brands in Spain:

• Schär - A widely available European gluten free brand
• Gerblé Sans Gluten - A French brand specializing in gluten free alternatives
• Valpibio - organic and gluten free options, commonly found in health stores
• Björg - gluten free cereals, bread, and pasta
• Pain des Fleurs - Specializes in gluten free crispbreads

👩🏾‍⚖️ Legislation for Food Allergens and Labelling Laws

Spain follows strict European Union regulations on food allergens - which is great news for gluten free travellers and similar to UK laws. 

• Product labelling - All pre-packaged food must clearly list allergens in bold or highlighted text, and potential cross-contamination must be stated
• Gluten free certification - Look for products labelled "sans gluten" or carrying the AFDIAG (Association Française Des Intolérants Au Gluten) certification logo, the cross-grain symbol, which guarantees safe gluten free products
• Restaurant guidelines - Whilst not all restaurants offer gluten free options, French law requires allergen information to be available for non-packaged food - many restaurants list allergens on their menus or have an allergen booklet upon request
• Cross-contamination awareness - Some establishments are familiar with coeliac disease and cross-contamination risks, but it’s always best to double-check, especially in bakeries and patisseries

🗼 Top Restaurant City & Attractions Guides

If you’re looking for recommendations for the top places to eat in popular French cities or attractions, then check out the guides below. They list all of the best restaurants and cafes to visit during your stay, including some dedicated gluten free spots that you won’t want to miss!

💙 Gluten Free Paris Guide

💙 Gluten Free Nice Guide (coming soon)

💙 Gluten Free Bordeaux Guide (coming soon)

Bon voyage et bon appétit! 🥐🎨