I’ve snacked my way through France. Train seats. Park benches. Hotel beds with crumbs. I’ve tried the classics, the weird flavors, and a few things I won’t buy twice. Here’s what I keep in my bag, what I share, and what I hide. If you’re curious about even more iconic nibbles, this illustrated list of the best French snacks is a delicious rabbit hole to tumble down.
If you can’t hop the next train to Paris, you can grab many of these goodies at La Petite France and have a taste of France shipped straight to you. For the full play-by-play of every crumb, check out my longer real, messy, happy review of French snacks.
Soft, sweet, and kind of cozy
Bonne Maman Madeleines
These are my train snack. Each cake is wrapped, so they stay fresh. The crumb is soft. The edge has a tiny chew. They taste like butter and vanilla. On a trip from Lyon to Paris, I ate three and fell asleep. One small downside: they can taste a bit oily if they’re warm. I still buy them.
LU Pim’s (Orange)
Cake. Jelly. Dark chocolate. The chocolate snaps. The orange is bright, like marmalade. Snack nerd note: if it gets hot, the chocolate can show white swirls (that’s fat bloom). It still tastes fine, just looks funny. I keep a sleeve in my tote.
Michel et Augustin Petits Sablés
Shortbread, but fancy. Big butter hit. Crisp, not sandy. I bring these when I don’t want to look cheap. They cost more than St Michel cookies, but the flavor is deeper. My kid says they smell like toast.
Carambar Caramel
Chewy sticks with a joke in the wrapper. The jokes are bad in a good way. The caramel pulls, and yes, once it felt like it tugged a filling. I still love one with coffee. Two is sticky trouble. Curious how Carambar stacks up against the rest of the French candy aisle? Dive into this ultimate guide to iconic French candy for quick flavor notes, history tidbits, and buying tips that will help you build the perfect sweet stash.
Fraise Tagada (Haribo)
Pink sugar pillows that scream strawberry. Well, candy strawberry. They smell like a toy store. Fun at first, too sweet by the end. I pour a few in a bowl, then hide the bag, or I’ll regret it. When I’m craving something crunchy instead of pillowy, I’ll sneak a handful of French burnt peanuts—that crackly red shell is pure carnival energy.
Calissons d’Aix
Almond paste and candied melon under a thin white glaze. Floral. Soft bite. I like two with tea, then I’m done. They feel like a gift to myself.
Nougat de Montélimar
Chewy blocks with honey and nuts. I love the nut crunch. I don’t love picking it from my teeth. Good on a slow walk, not great for brisk days when you need to talk.
BN Biscuits (Chocolate)
Two cookies with a smile and a cocoa middle. Taste like school trips. They go soft fast if you leave the pack open. Quick fix: keep a clip on the bag.
Crunch that doesn’t quit
Bret’s Chips (Poulet Rôti)
Roast chicken flavor. It smells like gravy. The crunch is loud. Great with a cold Orangina. They are salty, so have water near. I once ate half a bag while cooking. Dinner was late. If you’re on team crunchy, I recently ranked every supermarket chip flavor in an epic taste-test at this chips flavor showdown where you can see which bags deserve prime cupboard space and which ones to leave on the shelf.
Bret’s Chips (Chèvre & Piment d’Espelette)
Goat cheese tang with a little pepper heat. It blooms after a second. Not for folks who hate goat cheese. I bring these to picnics, and they vanish.
Belin Chipster
Light puffs that melt if you wait. Don’t wait. They taste like old-school party snacks. Not fancy. Very fun.
Saucisson Sec (Cochonou)
Dry sausage. I slice it thin, add cornichons, and call it a snack board. It’s rich, so a few slices go far. The casing can be hard to peel. I score it with a small knife.
Babybel
The red wax pull is half the joy. The cheese is mild and a bit rubbery. It works in lunchboxes. I pair it with an apple and Belin crackers. Simple, steady, done.
La Vache qui Rit + Tuc
Laughing Cow triangles spread on Tuc crackers. Creamy meets crunchy. Kids love it. Adults sneak it. I do both.
Bakery lane, quick and happy
I know, these aren’t packaged snacks. But listen.
- Pain au chocolat: flaky, buttery, gone in four bites. Great warm. Crumbs everywhere. Worth it.
- Macarons (Ladurée or Pierre Hermé): crisp shell, soft middle. Pricey. I buy two, not six. Pistachio is my safe bet.
If you’re in Nice, try socca. It’s a hot chickpea pancake, a little smoky. Eat it on the street with pepper. Feels like summer.
What I buy again (and again)
- Bonne Maman Madeleines for travel
- LU Pim’s Orange for that snap
- Bret’s Poulet Rôti for movie night
- Michel et Augustin sablés when I want to show off
- Saucisson with cornichons for casual apéro
- Babybel for quick protein
What I skip now
- BN (if I can’t seal the pack): they get soft fast
- Nougat on busy days: too sticky for meetings
- Fraise Tagada by the bag: fun turns flat near the end
- Bret’s “gratin” cheese flavors: a bit too salty for me
Tiny tips from my crumb trail
- Heat is the enemy. Chocolate blooms, chips turn sad. I keep snacks low in my bag, not near the window. I learned most of these tricks while testing carry-on kits for this travel-proof snack packing tutorial that shows you exactly which containers and cool packs keep crumbs in line.
- Monoprix and Carrefour have solid house-brand madeleines and galettes. Good price, steady taste.
- Pairing helps: Orangina with chips, hot tea with madeleines, espresso with Carambar, and plain water with everything else.
- Traveling? Individually wrapped wins. St Michel madeleines and Babybel travel well.
- Check dates on calissons and nougat. Fresh matters for texture.
- A little finishing salt can wake up chips, chocolate, even caramel. I did a whole taste-test of fancy grains in “I tried French salt so you don’t have to—but you’ll want to,” and now I keep a tiny pinch pot in my bag.
Need more snack-spiration? The Daily Meal rounds up the essential French snack foods you need to try—handy if you want a quick glossary before you hit the grocery aisle.
Late-night snack missions can turn into an exhausting scavenger hunt—closed kitchens, flickering neon signs, and plenty of places that stop serving food the minute you arrive. If you ever find yourself roaming Chester with a growling stomach and zero patience for that song and dance, the crowd-sourced Skip the Games Chester guide pinpoints spots that actually feed you after dark, sparing you wasted footsteps and letting you head straight for whatever hits the spot.
One more little thing
I once dropped a Pim’s behind a train seat. Couldn’t reach it. I thought about it the whole ride. So yeah, I take snacks way too seriously. But food is memory, right?
Got a French snack I should try next? Maybe those St Michel galettes with sea salt? I’m listening—and probably already packing a clip for the bag.