Originally published on Medium.com 29 January 2019
Living in France, Iâve realized that being vegan here is not what I had anticipated. My preconceptions of France as a developed country and the influence it has on the world in terms of humanistic ideals, made me think that this would be transferred onto animal welfare. Albeit the animal rights group L214 which has been proactive in defending animal rights, around 1.5â2% of French people identify as vegetarians. This low figure is a stark reality of French culture and its gastronomy, where food items like cheese, foie gras and charcuterie washed down with a glass of non-vegan wine, make veganism seem invisible.
In nearby England for example where the vegan scene is booming, vegans have the luxury of opting for vegan menus at generic restaurants, in addition to the myriad of vegan pubs, restaurants and shops spread around. What Iâve noticed in France, especially in Bordeaux where I am studying, is that vegan options are harder to find. Vegetarian options are plentiful, mostly containing cheese, and if the chefs are able to âveganizeâ your order, then theyâd be happy to do so.
However, the process of ameliorating your vegan experience in France can be a bit difficult. So this is why I have compiled a few thoughts and experiences to try and show you that it can be done; if youâre careful enough with food items and have your eyes peeled on hidden vegan gems, veganism in France is not that bad!
The Wine:
Bordeaux is known for its wines, and to my surprise, most wines are not vegan. I was shocked when I found out about this because I was gorging down on wine from the first day I had arrived in this beautiful city. Experiencing wines from in and around of Bordeaux’s many vineyards, Medoc, Saint Emilion and many other wines appealed to my taste buds. However, reality struck when I learned that many of the wines that I tried were unfortunately not vegan. The reason solely lies within the filtration process of the beverage, where fish guts or eggs are mainly used to purify the wine. I was so shocked when I learned this because I never knew wine can be non-vegan.
Nonetheless, vegan wine is widely available in Bordeaux and France. If youâre looking to buy wine to go, then it is possible to find various vegan and Bio (organic) wines in generic supermarkets like Carrefour and Casino. The price of vegan wines are generally more expensive than your average wines because theyâre mostly Bio (organic), and thus are pricier. If youâre going to a restaurant or a pub, ask the service staff prior to ordering, or you could look up the wines beforehand to make sure theyâre vegan.
One of my favorite vegan wine brands in Bordeaux is âCubitonâ. The wine is bagged inside a cube container, giving it a very unique look. The red wine is very delicate, aromatic and flavorsome with a hint of vanilla. Since the grapes are organic as well, the quality of the taste is savoring.
Vegan Foods:
What I like a lot about France is the quality of its fruits and vegetables. You can buy high quality fruits and veggies at your local markets for a very reasonable price. Here in Bordeaux, Capucins Market âMarchĂ© Des Capucinsâ, is a very popular food market where you can buy everything fresh! Itâs a hotspot on the weekends where the Bordelais/es frequent to buy their weekly groceries, meet up with friends and family over delicious French and international cuisines or just to enjoy the ambiance and friendliness of the city and its exuberant culture.
In terms of finding vegan alternatives, lactose free milks are widely available in most shops. Tofu and soy-based alternatives are more limited, and thus I would recommend bigger markets like Carrefour or Auchan. However, as of now, I have not found vegan alternatives such as mock meats, fish, cheese at generic stores. Youâre more likely to find these alternatives at a âBio Shopâ or vegan stores. âUn Jour Vertâ is an amazing vegan store in Bordeaux that provides high quality vegan alternatives from a variety of tasty cheeses to vegan foie gras and salmon. I usually go there once a week to stock up on some tasty vegan bites!
Eating out:
As of now in Bordeaux, eating out has been quite difficult. From my experience, pubs will only offer fries. Kebab shops after a night out wonât offer any vegan options, except for fries. Restaurants wont typically have a vegan menu but as Iâve previously noted, asking the chef to veganize your dish could work! Also, if youâre ordering something to take away or to dine in, make sure to state that youâre vegan as Iâve had bad experiences before where I once found pieces of bacon in my vegan pizza from Dominos, and a piece of beef in my supposedly vegan Thai Pad dish. However, if you strictly eat at vegan places, a quick google search should do the trick! My favorite vegan restaurant in Bordeaux has to be âWild Note Vegan Burgerâ. They make amazing vegan burgers which I would rank highly with Londonâs Mildreds, and their vegan cheese is just delicious!
I can happily say that I am loving my time here in Bordeaux, and that I have fallen for the French way of living. In a culture where the people are immersed heavily in their language and cuisine, it is not surprising why France produces amazing dishes that many crave for! The culinary experience in France for me has made my vegan journey somewhat difficult, but on a brighter note, I sense that the vegan scene in France will explode just like it has in England. With the various activist movements across the country that promote animal welfare and climate change awareness, France is surly heading on its way towards a greener and cruelty free future.