Before leaving for our family trip to Provence, I was very nervous about what the kids would eat when we went out. I really didn’t want to end up at Mcdonald’s every day. Mostly, my nephews are fairly good eaters, but the youngest one can get a little picky. But after returning from our two-week family vacation, I was thrilled with every dining experience we had along the journey. What surprised and impressed me most was that even in the fanciest restaurants, we found children were more than welcome. And in fact, we usually weren’t even the first family to arrive. For the French, dining out with their young kids isn’t a special occasion; it is necessary so that they can eat out too. Enjoying eating with your family is a big part of Provencal life.
And even without traditional “kids menus,” we always found something the kids would happily eat. After all, there is never a shortage of bread in France! And as a last resort, this always did the trick. For anyone on the fence, make the jump! Go ahead and enjoy a decadent vacation in Provence with the whole family! But use some of my tips and advice below to ensure you are fully prepared for dining out with kids in Provence.
The French have a completely different eating schedule than those of us in North America are used to. Eating dinner at 6 pm is absolutely unheard of. Most restaurants don’t even open until 7:30 or 8 pm. Lunchtime is less of an issue, but even cafes will close in the afternoon while they prepare for the dinner service.
To ensure you don’t have any grumpy kids on your hands while waiting for a late dinner reservation, be prepared with lots of snacks. By dolling these out throughout the day, we found that our six and eight-year-olds could easily make it to a later dinner reservation. Plus, I loved shopping for unique snacks in French grocery stores. It was so cool to see the unique options they had for sale. And often, we found many alternatives to the ones we had back home. But if you have really fussy eaters who might need something familiar, it’s always a good idea to bring some snacks from home, just in case.
Our favourite snacks were honestly the fresh fruit we bought from the markets. They loved chowing down on melon any time of the day. And strawberries, apricots, blueberries, and cherries were the perfect on-the-go treat. We also would carry around some croissants that were perfect for bigger appetites. And those tiny Hairbo packets (whose factory is actually in Provence) we found in almost every little grocery store were ideal treats for well-behaved kids.
The hurdle you might face when arriving at the restaurant is the menu. In Provence, especially in smaller, less touristy villages, the menu will more than likely be entirely in French. And sometimes even handwritten on a chalkboard. But don’t let this worry you! Just come prepared! While this would have been a much bigger problem years ago, thanks to apps like Google Translate, you can translate the menu right on your phone!
Using the Google Translate Google Lens function, you can take a picture of the menu, even if it is handwritten, and the app will translate it into your desired language. Ensure you have downloaded the app on your phone and are connected to Wi-Fi or have mobile data. This will ensure you know what you’re ordering for the kids.
One of the best parts of eating in Provence is that there is no shortage of cafes, bistros and brasseries. There are generally informal restaurants with laid-back, traditional French menus. Bistros generally have a slightly smaller, more home-style menu. But both feature lots of kid-friendly options.
French menus are often very small. So there isn’t a huge selection in which to pick from. Local restaurants stick to local ingredients that change monthly (if not weekly), so don’t expect a chance of getting chicken fingers and fries. But the joy of eating out in France is that typical French cuisine is fairly simple. In it’s purest form, you have cooked meat served with vegetables, often with a side of frites (fries) or potatoes. But we also found that at these bistros, the menu often had hamburgers, pasta and sandwiches too.
Another surprise was that more than half the restaurants we ate at, even the more upscale ones, had a tiny little section at the bottom of the menu called “Menu Enfant.” Aka, the Kids Menu. Or sometimes you’ll see it called “Pour le petit choux,” French slang for “for the little ‘uns.” But once again, don’t always expect chicken fingers or mac n’ cheese. In France, kids’ menus are generally smaller portions of the same foods as the normal menu. Albeit sometimes without adding those fancy sauces that kids might want to avoid. Typical items on the kid’s menu were roast chicken and fries, breaded meat and potatoes, bavette de boeuf (mini-steak and fries), and we even ordered mussels off the kid’s menu once! And yes, we frequently even saw hamburgers and fries on the menu more than a few times.
While we generally stuck with more casual establishments, we ate out a few times in some more upscale restaurants. At one which didn’t have an official kid’s menu, the waiter even offered to make our little one a custom kid’s meal! Without us even having to ask. The chef whipped up some roast potatoes covered in cheese and bacon. Our kids loved it. And we felt so taken care of. This was a take on the traditional gratin Dauphinois, so whether they knew it or not, the kids enjoyed some traditional French cuisine! When we looked around, we saw that the family beside us, who were clearly all locals, were eating the same thing with their kids. So evidently, this wasn’t their first time making an accommodation for the little ones.
If you don’t see anything on the menu or the waiter doesn’t offer, I learned it’s always worth being polite and asking. Don’t ever expect anything, but they often can take something from their regular menu and simplify it for a kid’s less refined palette. I learned that the kids were almost always happy eating wherever we went. And we never had to alter our plans to find a Mcdonald’s. We got to eat at all the gourmet restaurants we had our hearts set on. But we were sure also to fit a few nights of takeout pizza in to give them (and us) a little break! But I think the kids really got a huge confidence boost out of being able to eat out so often with everyone else. They were like mini-adults. And so very European.
Dinner, and even lunches, in France, are long, languid affairs. Service is slow, but it’s meant to be. The French, especially those in Provence, consider a meal a chance to relax. They want to enjoy their food as well as the company sitting with them. Don’t be annoyed if you feel like the waiter isn’t coming around as much as they “should.” They aren’t ignoring you or singling you out. If you’re used to the rushy-rushy service in North America, this will take some getting used to. But the kids might have difficulty sitting still for that long. We saw lots of French parents taking their kids out for a talk. Or would simply let them play outside if the restaurant had a little terrace.
But by far, the best thing we did was invest in minature games the kids could play at the table. Our kids are obsessed with these Kanoodle solitaire games. They are perfectly pocket-sized, so they don’t take up too much room, and it kept them entertained for hours. I saw a few French families with their kids who were playing Nintendo Switch. And while we didn’t have one ourselves, I’m sure this is also a good way to keep them occupied. Just keep the volume off for those around you.
For younger kids, we found that colouring books were the perfect thing to bring. They don’t take up too much space, and we saw many other French parents doing the same thing. If you’re looking for a Provencal twist, the Van Gogh Museum has created a series of FREE colouring pages of famous Vincent van Gogh masterpieces. Simply download and print, and start colouring! We loved these, and it was so fun to say, “We saw these trees on your walk today,” when they were colouring in Van Gogh’s famous Cypress trees. And the older kid enjoyed referencing the real artwork to see if he could recreate the same colours in his drawings.
Many restaurants in Provence only offer outdoor seating. And we found this was a wonderful plus. If we ever had the option, we always picked the tables outside. When the kids were loud, it wasn’t nearly as noticeable amongst the clatter of the urban landscape around us. And the kids had many distractions to watch, including a never-ending succession of birds they loved to feed!
Sitting outside also meant getting up and walking around was easy and not very noticeable. The kids and I could run around on the quiet side streets, explore nearby fountains, and sometimes even discover a little kids’ playground not too far away from the table. These mini-outings were the perfect way to burn up their energy between courses. And by the time we returned, my wine glass was full, and dessert had arrived!
Breakfast was the easiest meal of the day. We loved walking with the kids down to our local boulangerie (bakery.) Here, they could pick their favourite sweet (or savoury) baked treats. From croissants to brioche, pain aux chocolate and more, there were always many things they were more than willing to eat. We mainly ate breakfast back at the house. And kept a nice supply of jam and Nutella in the fridge to liven up morning slices of fresh bread. The kids gobbled up all the fruit we put down in front of them. And they especially loved seeing the fresh fruit they had bought from the market on the table. Like it was their personal orchard harvest.
Lunchtime is another very accessible meal for the kids. We generally got lunch as a takeaway meals (à emporter). This way, we could eat whenever and wherever we wanted. Frequently in the beautiful parks or squares, we found all over Provence. There is never a shortage of boulangeries selling croque monsieurs (essentially grilled cheese) or baguette sandwiches with all different fillings. Fromage et Jambon (cheese and prosciutto) was a big favourite of our crew.
While not exclusive to Provence, crêpes are a beloved French treat you’ll find all across France. Whether filled with sweet ingredients like Nutella, fresh fruit, and caramel or savoury fillings like ham and cheese, crêpes are a versatile and delicious option that almost all kids will likely enjoy. For the pickiest eaters, you can order them a plain crepe with butter! Still super delicious.
For dinners, steak frites are a common dish loved by our big eaters. Roast chicken and pork chops were other simple dishes we frequently saw on the menu. And these always pleased the kids. Pizza is also surprisingly popular in France. Our small town had not one, but TWO pizzerias! And there were fewer than ten restaurants in the entire town! We found lots of menus also featured pasta which was generally a hit with the kids. When all else failed, a plate of frites or roast potatoes filled them up. And we’d supplement the lack of veggies with those portable squeeze pouches that come in all different flavours. And yes, they even have those in France!
A good tip to remember for the really little ones is that most restaurants in France, and Provence, do not have high chairs. And many restaurants are pretty cramped. So bringing your large stroller inside might be out of the question. Be prepared to keep your baby on your lap or ask for a seat outside where you can park your stroller.
With all these tips, I hope you feel more confident in bringing your kids to Provence. While it does take a little bit more effort and energy to plan around their appetites, the memories you will get from the experience are unmatched. And I know that our kids had the time of their lives, and the food was one of the most impactful parts of the trip!
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about bringing your kids to Provence, and I’ll do my best to answer! If you are interested in activities with your kids in Provence, check out my Ultimate Kid’s Provence Guide!
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