A Practical guide for eating in France

To celebrate an event or just enjoy the moment, the French enjoy going to restaurants. In France, you can find restaurants for French, as well as international specialities.

Restaurant prices vary considerably and are not always affordable on a student budget. They can start at about ten euros for a complete meal in a local restaurant and go all the way up to several hundred euros in the major gastronomic, Michelin-starred restaurants. Always read the menu and check the prices before sitting down. Several websites, like La Fourchette, allow you to make reservations and sometimes even give you a discount on your meal.

One last thing to note: in France, the service tip is always included in the price, so you only leave a tip if you are extremely satisfied of the service (about 5 to 10% of the total amount).

Whether at home or on holiday, there's one tradition the French enjoy : going to the market. If you enjoy cooking, dive into the crowd and roam the lanes of your local market. You'll find fresh fruit and vegetables, prepared dishes, regional delicacies and more.

It's also the ideal place to buy produce from further afield, such as spices and aromatic herbs.

It's an excellent alternative to supermarkets for those seeking to eat well on a budget, and even getting some handy tips from sellers.

French students regularly dine at the university restaurants for both budget and practical reasons. They are often located on or near campus. Don't hesitate to open the door to one of the 450 university restaurants in France.

For 3.25 euros, you can enjoy a complete meal, with starter, main course and dessert.

For access and to pay for your meal, just show your student card. Managed by the CROUS, some are even open in the evening and on weekends.

To mix things up a bit, try one of the many Food Trucks parked at street corners and university entrances. Whether buurgers, hot dogs, regional specialities or international food - there's something for every taste. They provide an original and mouth-watering solution to your hunger pangs, while still being easy on your pocket when you need to eat on the go.

The worthy heirs to the pizza trucks and chippies, they are very busy in town and during special events such as festivals

If you burn everything you cook or if you haven't got the time to cook a proper meal, you can always get a take-out from one of the many catering shops or restaurants (especially the pizzerias). You can also try ordering by phone.

Home delivery is very widespread in France. A lot of restaurants provide delivery services for their clients.