France

===Cuisine===
{{Main|French cuisine}}
[[File:French taste of wines.JPG|thumb|[[French wines]] are usually made to accompany French cuisine.]]

French cuisine is renowned for being one of the finest in the world.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Amy B. |last=Trubek |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bSuAyMNantQC |title=Haute Cuisine: How the French Invented the Culinary Profession |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-8122-1776-6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |first=Priscilla Parkhurst |last=Ferguson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gbttJD4bW6UC |title=Accounting for Taste: The Triumph of French Cuisine |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-226-24327-6}}</ref> Different regions have different styles. In the North, butter and cream are common ingredients, whereas [[olive oil]] is more commonly used in the South.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Véronique MARTINACHE |date=30 November 2009 |title=La France du beurre et celle de l'huile d'olive maintiennent leurs positions |trans-title=France butter and olive oil maintain their positions |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jvmxWfyZ2tFVA3qcmC7DkX6SMi5g |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425112349/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jvmxWfyZ2tFVA3qcmC7DkX6SMi5g |archive-date=25 April 2011}}</ref> Each region of France has traditional specialties: [[cassoulet]] in the Southwest, [[choucroute]] in Alsace, [[quiche]] in the [[Lorraine (region)|Lorraine region]], [[beef bourguignon]] in [[Burgundy]], [[Provence|provençal]] [[tapenade]], etc. France is most famous for its [[French wine|wines]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 May 2008 |title=Wines of France |url=http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/walter/wine/france.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211145428/http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/walter/wine/france.html |archive-date=11 February 2010 |access-date=9 August 2010 |website=Walter's Web}}</ref> and [[List of French cheeses|cheeses]], which are often named for the territory where they are produced ([[Appellation d'origine contrôlée|AOC]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=French Cheese |url=http://www.goodcooking.com/frcheese.htm |access-date=22 July 2011 |publisher=Goodcooking}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=French Cheese |url=http://www.franceway.com/cheese/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827131743/http://www.franceway.com/cheese/ |archive-date=27 August 2010}}</ref> A meal typically consists of three courses, ''entrée'' (starter), ''plat principal'' (main course), and ''fromage'' (cheese) or ''dessert'', sometimes with a salad served before the cheese or dessert.

French cuisine is also regarded as a key element of the [[quality of life]] and the attractiveness of France. A French publication, the [[Michelin guide]], awards ''Michelin stars'' for excellence to a select few establishments.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fairburn, Carolyn |date=29 February 1992 |title=Fading stars&nbsp;– Michelin Red Guide |work=[[The Times]] |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F91F33FE0903F10&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Beale, Victoria |last2=Boxell, James |date=16 July 2011 |title=Falling stars |work=[[Financial Times]] |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:FINB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13885C564656C1C8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA}}</ref> The acquisition or loss of a star can have dramatic effects on the success of a restaurant. By 2006, the Michelin Guide had awarded 620 stars to French restaurants.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michelin 3 Star Restaurants around the world |url=http://www.3starrestaurants.com/michelin-restaurants-star-guide.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724032127/http://www.3starrestaurants.com/michelin-restaurants-star-guide.asp |archive-date=24 July 2010 |access-date=30 October 2010 |website=Andy Hayler's 3 Star Restaurant Guide}}</ref>

In addition to its wine tradition, France is also a major producer of beer and rum. The three main French brewing regions are Alsace (60% of national production), Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Lorraine. [[List of French rums|French rum]] is made in distilleries located on islands in the Atlantic and Indian oceans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Région Guadeloupe-Guadeloupe, a land of cultures and flavours |url=https://www.regionguadeloupe.fr/guadeloupe-regional-council/guadeloupe-a-land-of-cultures-and-flavours/#_ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=www.regionguadeloupe.fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rum and Reunion Island – La Saga du Rhum |url=https://www.sagadurhum.fr/en/rum-and-reunion-island/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |language=en-GB}}</ref>