AllergyPassFood Allergies in France:
What the EU Rules Mean at the Table
France applies the EU 14-allergen framework, and allergen information for non-prepacked food must be made available to consumers. That information does not guarantee a separate kitchen preparation or eliminate cross-contact, so the useful questions are about the exact dish, sauces, and equipment.
France
In this guide
The four things to know before you order
- What the rules cover
- The EU 14 allergens must be declared when present.
- What they do not cover
- Disclosure does not guarantee protection from cross-contact.
- What to ask about
- Sauces, butter, flour, stock, garnishes, and shared equipment.
- What to carry
- A written French allergy card that names each allergen clearly.
Paris and France guides
Covered markets, boulangerie and patisserie questions, supermarket chains, and Paris dishes to check closely.
Accommodation guideMarais, Saint-Germain, Bastille, and Batignolles compared by market access, hospital proximity, and kitchen reliability.
Language guideEvery major allergen written in French with pronunciation, and how to get it all on one written card.
Allergen guideHow France compares to other countries for gluten-free travel, and where dedicated gluten-free bakeries cluster in Paris.
What EU allergen law actually requires in France
France, as an EU member state, follows the Food Information to Consumers (FIC) Regulation, which lists 14 allergens that must be declared when present. For non-prepacked food, including restaurant meals, allergen information must be made available to the consumer under the applicable national rules.
The information does not have to appear on the main menu. It may be provided through a written allergen list or another written, directly accessible format, depending on the establishment and the applicable French rules. Ask where the information is kept, then confirm that it refers to the dish as prepared today.
Hidden allergens in French cuisine
Dairy: check butter, cream, and cheese separately
Butter (beurre) is used in sauces such as beurre blanc, beurre noisette, hollandaise, and béarnaise. Cream (crème fraîche, crème double) appears in some soups, gratins, pasta dishes, and sauces. A kitchen may also finish a dish with butter at the last moment, a technique called "monter au beurre," so the menu description may not tell you everything.
For dairy allergy, ask about butter, cream, cheese, milk, and the cooking surface separately. "Sans produits laitiers" means without dairy products, but a written card should also name the relevant ingredient or derivative for clarity. Lactose intolerance is different from milk allergy, so use the wording that matches your medical advice.
Gluten and wheat: in the sauces, not just the bread
Wheat flour is a common thickening agent for French sauces (roux, velouté, béchamel). Some classical sauces therefore contain gluten even when the dish is not pasta or bread-based. Breaded dishes (escalope panée, croque-monsieur), quiches, tarts, and pastries are obvious wheat sources. The hidden ones are the brown gravies, cream sauces, and soups that look gluten-free but are thickened with flour.
Dedicated gluten-free bakeries (boulangeries sans gluten) and restaurants exist in Paris and other cities, but availability varies. At a traditional boulangerie, ask about shared trays, tongs, work surfaces, and ovens; a product without wheat in its recipe may still not be suitable for someone who must avoid gluten strictly.
Tree nuts: in desserts, sauces, and pastries
Almond appears in frangipane, some galettes, tarts, and macarons. Praline made with caramelized hazelnuts appears in some chocolates, cakes, and ice creams, and walnut oil (huile de noix) is used in some salads in southwest France. At a pastry counter, ask about the recipe and whether nut-containing products share trays, tongs, or cases.
Mustard and celery: the EU allergens France uses heavily
Mustard (moutarde) is used in some vinaigrettes, sauces, marinades, and dishes such as lapin à la moutarde. Celery (céleri) may appear in stocks (fond), soups, garnishes, and prepared foods as celery salt (sel de céleri). Both are EU-listed allergens that are worth naming on a card written in French.
Ask about both the named ingredient and stock or seasoning blends when relevant.
Peanuts: less central, but present in specific cuisines
Peanuts (arachides) are less central to many classic French dishes than butter or wheat, but they appear in some pralines, nougat, chocolate products, and dishes from other culinary traditions. Peanut sauces (sauce arachide) may appear in West African cooking, while Asian restaurants may use peanuts in sauces or garnishes. Treat the cuisine label as a starting point and ask about the recipe.
Ask directly: sans arachides (without peanuts). Confirm with the kitchen whether peanuts are in the sauce, garnish, oil, dessert, or shared equipment. A card written in French should list peanuts separately from tree nuts so staff can answer the right question.
Sesame: hidden in bread and bakery products
Sesame (sésame) may appear as a topping on breads, buns, and crackers, but it can also be blended into tahini-based sauces, spice mixes, and some dishes from Middle Eastern, North African, and Asian cuisines. Ask about sesame oil as well as whole seeds.
At a bakery, ask whether sesame products share trays, tongs, work surfaces, or ovens with the item you want. A bilingual allergy card that lists sesame by name is clearer than a general request for "seeds."
Fish and shellfish: concentrated in coastal cuisine
Fish and shellfish questions depend on the region, dish, and kitchen. Coastal areas such as Brittany, Normandy, and the Mediterranean coast feature many seafood dishes, but fish stock, anchovy, or shellfish can also appear away from the coast. Bouillabaisse, the Marseille fish stew, traditionally combines several fish species, shellfish, and fish-based stock, so it is a poor choice for many fish or shellfish allergies unless the kitchen can describe a suitable preparation.
Beyond seafood platters (plateau de fruits de mer) and grilled fish, fish may appear as fish stock (fond de poisson), anchovy paste in dressings or tapenade, or a fish derivative in some prepared sauces. At seafood restaurants and market stalls, ask whether surfaces, knives, pans, and fryers are shared with shellfish. Ask about stocks and sauces, not just the named seafood on the menu.
Get a French-English allergy card covering the EU 14 allergens in French
Build My France CardKey French phrases for allergy communication
- Je suis gravement allergique à [allergène]I am severely allergic to [allergen]
- Je suis allergique au lait et au beurreI am allergic to milk and butter
- Je suis allergique au gluten (blé, seigle, orge)I am allergic to gluten (wheat, rye, barley)
- Je suis allergique aux fruits à coqueI am allergic to tree nuts
- Je suis allergique aux arachidesI am allergic to peanuts
- Je suis allergique à la moutardeI am allergic to mustard
- Pouvez-vous me donner les informations sur les allergènes ?Can you give me allergen information?
- Est-ce que ce plat contient du beurre ?Does this dish contain butter?
- Cette allergie peut être mortelleThis allergy can be fatal
- J'ai besoin d'un médecinI need a doctor (emergency)
French dishes that need closer checking
Egg appears in French pastry, sauces, and many bistro dishes. If you manage an egg allergy in France or across several destinations, see our dedicated egg allergy travel card guide.
Where allergy communication works best in France
High-end restaurants (restaurants gastronomiques): A tasting menu or complex dish may require advance notice. Call ahead, explain the allergy clearly, and ask whether the kitchen can accommodate it without relying on a last-minute substitution.
Modern bistros and neo-bistros: A shorter menu may make it easier to identify ingredients, but the arrondissement or restaurant style is not a guarantee. Ask whether staff can speak with the kitchen and whether a separate pan or utensils are available.
Supermarkets (Carrefour, Monoprix, Intermarché): Packaged foods generally provide ingredient lists with the EU allergens emphasised when present. Read the complete label, including advisory statements, and remember that loose or prepared foods may follow different information rules.
Traditional boulangeries and patisseries: Ask about wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts, sesame, and shared trays or tongs. A dedicated gluten-free bakery may offer more information or separation, but verify its practices directly.
Traditional bistros and brasseries: Butter, flour, stock, and sauces may be used in dishes that sound simple. Ask directly and confirm with the kitchen, not just the server, especially if cross-contact would be medically serious.
Getting around France
Managing an allergy is easier when you control your own schedule, especially around meal timing and medication, rather than working around a shared group timetable. France's rail network (SNCF/TGV) is the standard way to move between cities; for a self-drive option with pickup at the Paris airport, or for booking hotels ahead of the trip, Trip.com is the affiliate partner AllergyPass uses for France.
Compare self-drive rental cars in France, with pickup at Charles de Gaulle or Orly, if you'd rather control your own route between cities than rely on train timetables. For accommodation, see the Trip.com hotel listings for Paris and Marseille or the dedicated Where to Stay in Paris guide for a neighborhood-level breakdown.
Travel insurance
Check three things before buying a policy for a France trip: does it cover emergency anaphylaxis treatment, does it exclude food allergies as a pre-existing condition, and does it include medical evacuation with a clear coverage limit.
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance is one policy to compare, but its documentation does not name food allergies or anaphylaxis. Review the pre-existing-condition and evacuation terms and get written clarification before buying.
Emergency information for France
If you think you are having anaphylaxis, follow your personal action plan, use prescribed emergency medication as directed, and call for urgent medical help. This page is general travel information, not a replacement for advice from your allergist or doctor.
- Emergency number: 15 (SAMU, medical), 112 (European emergency number)
- American Hospital of Paris — 63 Boulevard Victor Hugo, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, +33 1 46 41 25 25. Private, English-speaking staff throughout, 24/7 emergency unit for patients 16 and older.
- Hôpital Lariboisière (AP-HP) — 2 Rue Ambroise Paré, 75010 Paris, +33 1 49 95 65 65. Public teaching hospital near Gare du Nord, emergency department open 24 hours every day.
- Medication: Carry your own prescribed emergency medication and keep it with you rather than in checked luggage. Do not rely on finding a replacement during a reaction.
- Key emergency phrase: J'ai une réaction allergique grave, appelez le 15: I'm having a severe allergic reaction, call 15
Avoid Allergy Miscommunication in France. Generate a French-English allergy card covering the EU 14 allergens and show it directly to restaurant staff.
Build My France CardHow this guide was researched
This guide draws on the EU's Food Information to Consumers (FIC) Regulation and related EU allergen rules, French national food labeling and public health guidance, common restaurant industry practices observed across French dining tiers (from packaged retail to fine dining), and established best practices in travel allergy communication, including the use of written translation cards as a supplement to verbal communication. Where regulatory or medical specifics are cited, they are cross-checked against the official sources listed below. This guide is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect changes in regulation and on-the-ground restaurant practice.
Sources and references
- European Commission: Food Information to Consumers Regulation (EU No. 1169/2011)
- French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty: restaurant food-safety controls
- European Emergency Number Association (112)
- French public health emergency resources (Service-Public.fr)
Frequently asked questions
Is France safe for travelers with food allergies?
France follows the EU's mandatory 14-allergen framework, which requires restaurants to be able to provide allergen information on request. The detail that matters is what the law does not require: restaurants must have the information available, but they do not have to print it on the menu. It can sit in a file, on a supplementary document, or be given verbally, so you have a legal right to ask and receive it, while the quality and accuracy of the answer depends entirely on the establishment. Compliance varies significantly between high-end restaurants, which are generally thorough, and traditional bistros or brasseries, which are more variable. Small bistros, family-run restaurants and traditional brasseries are the highest-risk environments, because classical French cooking uses butter, cream and flour so pervasively that removing them is a kitchen operation rather than an ingredient swap. A written French-language allergy card plus direct confirmation with the kitchen is the most reliable approach.
What are the EU 14 mandatory allergens?
Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut), crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk and dairy, tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia), celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide and sulphites above 10mg/kg, lupin, and molluscs. Under the EU food-information regulation, these allergens must be clearly emphasised in packaged-food ingredient lists, and information for non-prepacked food must be available to consumers, which covers restaurants, cafes and street food vendors as well as packaged goods. Two entries on that list are worth noticing if you are travelling from outside Europe, because France uses both heavily and neither is a common allergen elsewhere. Mustard (moutarde) is a foundational condiment in vinaigrettes, sauces, marinades and coatings on meat. Celery (céleri) runs through stocks, soups and garnishes, and celery salt appears in many prepared foods.
Is French food difficult for dairy allergies?
Yes. Dairy is the most structurally embedded allergen in French cuisine. Butter (beurre) is the foundation of the classic sauces, beurre blanc, beurre noisette, hollandaise and béarnaise among them, and it is also used in pastries, sautéed dishes and bread. Cream, both crème fraîche and crème double, appears in soups, gratins, pasta and most French sauce reductions. Cheese is served at nearly every meal. The part that catches people out is the finishing step: even dishes that appear dairy-free are often finished with butter at the last moment, a technique called monter au beurre that adds richness and does not appear anywhere in the dish's description. For a dairy allergy this means asking about butter specifically for every dish, not just about cream and cheese, and using Sans produits laitiers rather than a narrower request.
How do you say food allergy in French?
The key phrase is: J'ai une allergie alimentaire au/aux [allergen], I have a food allergy to [allergen]. To signal that it is not a preference, J'ai une allergie alimentaire grave au/aux [allergen], I have a serious food allergy to [allergen]. For severity: Cette allergie peut être mortelle, this allergy can be fatal. For specific allergens: Je suis allergique au lait, I am allergic to milk, and Je suis allergique aux fruits à coque, I am allergic to tree nuts. For dairy the phrase that actually does the work is Sans produits laitiers, without dairy products, because asking only about cream and cheese leaves butter untouched. A written French-language allergy card is more reliable than verbal communication in a busy restaurant, and confirming with kitchen staff rather than only the server is what makes the difference in practice.
Can you eat gluten-free in France?
Increasingly, yes, but with a large caveat about sauces. Wheat flour is the standard thickening agent in French cooking, so roux, velouté and béchamel put gluten into most classical French sauces regardless of whether the dish itself involves bread or pasta. Breaded dishes such as escalope, along with quiches, tarts and pastries, are obvious wheat sources. The ones that get missed are the brown gravies, cream sauces and soups that look like they have nothing to do with wheat. On the supply side the picture has genuinely improved: dedicated gluten-free bakeries (boulangeries sans gluten) now exist in most Paris arrondissements, and gluten-free-labelled restaurants have grown alongside them. Outside Paris the options become more limited, and traditional boulangeries, bistros and brasseries remain wheat-heavy environments with high cross-contamination risk.