A Step into Food & Wine Culture

The Seasons of France | Best Time to Travel

For those passionate about wine, Conte recommends a visit in the shoulder months of May or June for exclusivity and tranquillity;  a quick jaunt to Provence or the Cote d’Azur is recommended in the summer months, but one could find it too crowded - an early spring visit will bring an ease which feels exclusive. Meanwhile, a cosmopolitan weekend in Paris can’t be beaten in August or September, with the warm lighting eliciting the most romantic of Parisien Avenues. Discover the beautiful capital with a pre-Christmas shopping trip, perhaps paired with Milan, running hip to hip with the ski season from December to Early April for peak snow.

Flight Time (New York to Côte d’Azur) - 8 hours 45 mins

Flight Time (Singapore to Paris ) - 14 hours

Flight Time (London to Paris) - 1 hour 30 minutes

The culture of dining in France is perhaps most notable for its symbolic nature; the joy of sharing in good company. From Paris to St Tropez, and Bordeaux to Provence, there is no greater importance when dining than to savour the food, the wine, and the company - the impossible romance of the gentle evening air, the events of the day, or the unexpected pleasure of chatting with locals over wine which stretches into the late evening.

As the creator of the Michelin guide, it comes as no surprise that France has a wide and innovative palette of restaurants and chefs; and pleasantly, many of them offer a balanced blend of innovation and tradition from region to region, meaning no two trips to France have the same culinary backdrop. In its coastal towns, enjoy the local dishes which feature the quality of French seafood; from bouillabaisse in Marseille to oysters paired with a Saint-Émilion vintage in Cap Ferret.

If fine dining is more your choice, drive inland towards the elevated gourmandizing offered by the 615 Michelin-starred restaurants which create the culinary constellation of France. With creative adaptations of traditional dishes and an approach which adopts Japanese fusion, three-starred Kei takes the crown in Paris. Meanwhile, the culinary capital of Dijon offers tucked-away local haunts that are delightful to visit - many are historically family-owned and run, inviting stories of past centuries to grace their menus in the form of treasured recipes for Coq au Vin, Bœuf à la Bourguignonne and Escargots de Bourgogne.

From learning the art of the perfect pain rustique and macaron to delighting in a glass of pastis in Provence, innumerable encounters are waiting for you in this gastronomically gifted country - Conte recommends whiling an evening away à la français; in good food and good company.