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You can easily live on 4 things in France-- bread, cheese, chocolate, and wine.
Bread
For those of us "food focused", bread in France is one of the most wonderful pleasures in the world. They have master delicacy of ingredients and baking like no one else.
Cheese
France has over 400 different cheeses! These recipes are guarded secrets passed down from many generations. Most have sought protection under the AOC or Appellation d'origine Contrôlée, these same laws also protect the glorious wines, which limit the amount of production that can occur helping limit the massive industrialization that has plagued other countries. Plateau de fromages or cheeseboards are available in most restuarants, served with bread. The stables are the Bries, Camembert and a wide variety of goat cheese called chèvre, most places also will carry their local cheese as well.
Wine
The French like their wine-- and so will you! But it's not common to drink excessively, taken more like an appetizer, to compliment a meal, or during a social engagement. Most bars and cafes display the prices with the common 15% consumption fee. The cheapest drinks at the bar are called au comptoir, and the pricier table outside is referred to as la terrasse. It's normal to sit for hours chatting or just passing the day with a single coffee or wine. There are the reds "rouge", whites "blanc" and "rose". Table wine is called the Vin de table or vin ordinaire-- in most restaurants these are both good. Avoid the touristy places, the wines can be expensive and the quality poor. You can buy a nice bottle of wine for 30F/USD $4.58. Over 60F/USD $9.15 for a "very" nice bottle.
Meals
French cuisine is some of the best you'll find anywhere! The flavors are incredibly rich, the presentation is colorful and it's all made with pride French are famous for. Meals tend to be regional, meats like pork, beef, lamb are common to most regions. Seafood favorites like oysters, lobster, mussels are also common throughout France. All prepared in mouthwatering variation, marinated in butter, garlic and rich creams.
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