A Culinary Tour De France

From slurping fresh oysters in Cancale to savouring decadent caviar in Bordeaux, we traversed across France over 10 days to experience some of the best produce the country has to offer

- Michelle Yee

While farm-to-table is bandied about a lot in the food industry, in France however, the variety of fresh produce grown by artisan farmers makes it feel a lot more genuine. We were all the more convinced that we were going to be in for lots of honestly good meals in this charming country when one of the first things we saw upon arriving at a Bresse poultry farm in Curtafond—our first stop of the trip—located south east of France, was hundreds of happy chickens roaming freely on open fields.

These chickens are free to move around outdoors as they please, enjoying ample fresh air and sunlight, and are given adequate food— it’s no wonder they look so carefree and healthy.

Compared to the living conditions of factory farmed chickens— most are raised in artificially-lit confined spaces with no access to fresh air and barely any room to move—it’s a far cry from how these Bresse chickens are bred. And according to breeder Jean-Michel Sibelle, a happy chicken is part of the recipe for a top quality end product.

“Our chickens are comfortable, relaxed and happy, and it reflects in the taste and texture of the meat,” Jean-Michel explains.

BRESSE IS BEST

Often referred to as the wagyu of all poultry, the Bresse chicken is truly quite a unique bird.