Our recent trip to Paris, France was filled with lots of sightseeing, shopping and taking in the local cuisine. Traveling gluten free in Europe does require some research, so I wanted to share my gluten-free shopping experience.
It is important to know how to say gluten free in the appropriate language, so in French you ask for products that are ‘sans gluten’. I found it difficult to come by people who spoke English when we were in Paris, so make sure you have some travel tools with you. I highly recommend Triumph Dining cards and Gluten Free Passports multi-lingual phrase translation passport.
According to my research, some of the gluten-free brands you will be able to find in Europe are: Allergo, Carrefour, Schar, and Valipform. I didn’t find those brands in Paris, but I did find a line of gluten-free products in a Monop by Les Recettes de Celiane.
I also found a lovely local health food store/restaurant called EXK that was very familiar with gluten free and it had a great selection of freshly made salads, soups, and juices. Their layered salads were quite unique with homemade dressings, egg yolks, tuna and salmon, sundried tomatoes, and green beans to name just some of their ingredients. Each layer revealed new ingredients and I enjoyed them for breakfast and between meal snacks. I thoroughly enjoyed their warm carrot soup made with leeks and other vegetables.
Paris does have an entirely gluten-free bakery, but were we were unable to go visit it because it was closed. The bakery is called Helmut Newcake and you can read a thorough review of its gluten-free offerings from David Lebovitz.
Have you been to Paris? What gluten-free products did you find?
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Author Information: Jennifer D. Harris, Atlanta, GA
Jennifer D. Harris, http://www.jenniferglutenfreeingeorgia.blogspot.com
Atlanta Gluten-Free Examiner
Program Chair, Atlanta Metro CeliacsTwitter@jenniferGFinGA
I was in Paris 3 weeks ago and the galettes of course are gluten free being made of buckwheat (not wheat) also known as sarrasin flour. Eaten like the crepes they are normally savoury and are sold at a lot of little cafes etc. Most supermarkets had gluten free products though I had to visit a few to get a good range. I have brought a few bags of sarrasin flour home and will be getting the frying pan out soon!