French allergy card

Where the French card works

French is the kitchen language in France and Monaco, and one of the official languages of Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Canada. In those four, pick the French entry when you are eating in Wallonia or Brussels, western Switzerland, Luxembourg or Quebec.

• France
• Belgium
• Canada
• Luxembourg
• Monaco
• Switzerland

Each of these 6 destinations is its own choice in the builder. A One Language card covers the destination you pick; All Languages covers every one of them.

What should you ask about in French meals?

A dish name rarely tells you everything in the sauce, stock, pastry, or garnish. Use your card, then ask questions that match the allergen and the actual preparation.

Why a written card beats spoken French

A written card gives the person taking your order something concrete to read, which can help when pronunciation, noise, or a quick handoff to the kitchen makes a spoken request difficult. It is not a substitute for confirmation: show it before ordering, ask what is in the dish and how it is prepared, and do not order if the answers are unclear. That's the premise behind the translation card approach; if you travel outside France, check the local wording too.

Allergen labelling in France

France follows the Food Information to Consumers (FIC) Regulation, whose allergen-information rules include cereals containing gluten. A menu label, or a phrase on your card, describes the information provided — not necessarily how the kitchen controls cross-contact.

Frequently asked questions

Do restaurants in France accept written allergy cards?

Many restaurants can read a written French allergy card, but acceptance and accommodation vary. Show it before ordering, ask about the recipe and preparation, and leave if staff cannot answer clearly. EU allergen information can help you ask better questions, but it is not a cross-contact guarantee.

What do you get with the French allergy card?

A printable PDF with a cut-out card, plus an image sized for your phone, with every allergen you select written in French and English. Dairy is named in the forms a French kitchen actually uses, rather than one general word. Cards with up to three allergens can also be added to Apple or Google Wallet.

Do savoury French dishes usually contain butter or cream?

Often, and rarely in a way the menu spells out. Butter, cream and cheese turn up in sauces, purees, pastry and the pan a dish is finished in, so a dish with no dairy in its name can still be full of it. Ask what the sauce is made with and what the dish was cooked in.