Full French Breakfast

While this is a savoury take on the French breakfast table—a French version of the full English breakfast—it’s worth celebrating the original roots of the petit déjeuner. Light, sweet and all about pastries or bread with butter and jam, the classic French breakfast is an institution. Adding this savoury option shows the French breakfast can be indulgent too, without straying too far from the French ingredients and techniques.

What is a typical French Breakfast?

A French breakfast, or petit déjeuner, is a small, sweet and light meal based around bread and pastries. Unlike some countries breakfasts, the French breakfast is about quality and not quantity. Fresh French bread, a baguette or a tartine (a slice of bread with butter and jam) is the cornerstone of the breakfast table. Croissants, pain au chocolat and brioche are also popular and often served with a hot drink like coffee, café au lait, black tea or hot chocolate. For those who prefer something lighter, yogurt, fruit and honey can also be part of the morning meal.

What do French people eat for breakfast?

In France, breakfast foods are sweet not savoury. Many French people start the day with a coffee or café au lait and bread with butter and jam. Croissants, pain au chocolat, and other viennoiseries (flaky, buttery pastries) are often eaten as a treat, especially on weekends. A bowl of cereal or a serving of yogurt with honey and fresh fruit is also common for those seeking a lighter start to the day. Brioche and tartines are other favourites, and a glass of orange juice or another type of fruit juice often completes the meal. While French people enjoy a light breakfast, it’s absolutely delicious and sets the tone for the rest of the day.

How is French Breakfast different from other countries?

The French breakfast is different from the big, hearty breakfasts you see in the UK or the US. A full English breakfast includes eggs, bacon and sausages. The French breakfast is simple and carb focused. Pastries like croissants, pain au chocolat and brioche are the stars of the show, often with coffee or tea. Unlike American breakfasts which might include pancakes or fried eggs, the French breakfast is light and rarely includes savoury dishes. This is the French way of choosing quality over quantity.

What Are Popular French Breakfast Pastries?

French pastries are the stars of the typical French breakfast, offering buttery, flaky, and delicious options. Here are some of the most popular French pastries:

• Croissants: Buttery and flaky, the breakfast classic.
• Pain au Chocolat: Croissant but filled with chocolate.
• Brioche: Rich, soft bread lightly sweetened and often served with jam.
• Pain aux Raisins: Spiral shaped pastry with raisins and custard.
• Madeleines: Small, shell shaped sponge cakes perfect with tea.
• Beignets: Fried pastries dusted with sugar, a treat for a slow morning.

These French classics can be found at boulangeries (bakeries) and are usually eaten fresh with a coffee or hot chocolate. The buttery and flaky texture combined with the sweetness make these pastries a breakfast favourite in France and around the world. While breakfast foods in France are typically sweet, their balance of flavours and textures makes them just as satisfying.

How to Make a Traditional French Breakfast at Home?

Making a French breakfast at home is really easy and doesn’t require much prep.  Start with fresh bread like a baguette or some brioche and serve as tartines—slices of bread topped with butter and jam.  Pair this with a hot drink like café au lait or black tea. For a touch of indulgence, bake or buy croissants or pain au chocolat from your local bakery. You can also add a side of yogurt with honey and fresh fruit for a lighter option. If you’re feeling fancy, try baking your own madeleines or brioche. Serve everything on a breakfast table and you have a meal that’s as good as it is simple.

Why French Breakfast is Loved Around the World

The traditional French breakfast has become popular around the world for its simplicity and sophistication. Unlike heavier breakfasts, the French morning meal is all about light and sweet flavours, like buttery croissants, pain au chocolat and bread with jam. This refined approach has made French breakfast foods staples in many households, with items like café au lait and brioche becoming breakfast favourites everywhere. Whether you’re visiting a boulangerie in France or having French toast at home, the charm of a French breakfast is in turning simple ingredients into a delicious and satisfying start to the day.

Beyond Pastries: Other Simple French Breakfasts

Croissants and pain au chocolat are the stars of the French breakfast show. But there’s more to the table than just pastries. Take pain perdu for example—French toast. It’s a great way to revive stale bread, often topped with a sprinkle of sugar or a drizzle of honey. 

For something savoury, a croque monsieur—a toasted ham and cheese sandwich with melted cheese on top—can make the meal of the day feel a little more indulgent. Some families may prepare soft breakfast cereal with milk, though this is less common than in other continental European countries.

The French Breakfast Table

A French breakfast is as much about the experience as the food itself. The French eat breakfast with intention, they savour every mouthful. You’ll often see coffee with milk (café au lait) served in a big bowl, perfect for dipping slices of fresh bread or pastries. You might see small servings of fruit, a sprinkle of seeds or even slices of radish with buttered bread for a more traditional touch. This lighter approach to breakfast is one of the hallmarks of French cuisine where quality and simplicity are more important than size.

A Market Driven Breakfast

In France, breakfast is often driven by what’s in season. Locals bring home fresh radishes, jam or butter from the morning market to add to their breakfast. Fresh milk and local pastries or cheese are also breakfast staples. Many French people like to use this opportunity to indulge in regional specialties like pain perdu or brioche. This connection to fresh ingredients and traditional breakfast habits keeps the meal honest and authentically French.

A Little Something Before Lunch

Unlike the big breakfasts of New York or the breakfasts found in other parts of the world, the French breakfast is small and simple, saving room for lunch which is the main meal of the day. Many families will start with a coffee, a slice of bread with butter and jam and maybe a small glass of milk or fruit juice. For those with a bigger appetite, pastries like pain au chocolat or a flaky croissant can be added but the focus is always on keeping the meal light and pleasurable.
 

Breakfast in Modern French Homes

While the French still enjoy the classics, modern trends have brought more variety. A bowl of breakfast cereal or yogurt with seeds and fruit is a quick and common breakfast in many homes. Coffee with milk is still the drink of choice but tea or hot chocolate may also be served. For children hot chocolate, warm milk or fruit juice are the traditional breakfast beverages of choice. Some families prepare simple addtions like radish slices on buttered bread, showing off the balance of flavours that French cuisine is famous for. Despite the recent evolutions, the French breakfast remains light, delicious and satisfying.