Potatoes (Pommes de Terre)

Potatoes in France

According to the French Ministry of Agriculture, France is the 3rd biggest producer of potatoes in Europe and 10th biggest in the world. In 2021, about 9 million tons were harvested from around the major regions of Nord Pas de Calais, Picardie and Champagne-Ardenne.

Potatoes originated in America - known as 'papa' by the American Indians. Used in 16th Century Europe to feed animals, people were hesitant to eat them as they grow underground, known as 'tubers' (told in the history museum in Marseille).

They only came to France in 1785, thanks to chemist, Antoine Parmentier who introduced the potato to King Louis XVI at Versailles for their healthy properties. Parmentier then had them planted in 1786 first in les Sablons (Neuilly) then Grenelle, the current Champ de Mars at the Eiffel Tower.
As a result, the French classic potato dish is named after him - Hachis Parmentier is the French equivalent of cottage pie.

Potatoes are always cooked. Most of France's crops are transformed into potato chips (UK: crisps), frites (French fries, UK: chips), dried purée flakes, and potato starch for thickening soups, sauces & patisserie.

There are basically 4 types of potatoes: firm, soft (fondant), floury and coloured varieties.

Most Popular Potato Varieties in France and Qualities for Cooking

The following are the most popular potato varieties in France. Each kind is best for different cooking methods, given below:

• Firm, waxy potatoes: la Charlotte, Ratte, l'Amandine, Belle de Fontenay, Annabelle, Franceline and Nicola
  Equivalents out of France: Anya, Yukon Gold, Yellow.
  Best for boiling, steamed, fried, in stews (daubes, ragoûts), gratins and in salads, as they keep their shape and firm bite and don't disintegrate during cooking.
• Softer, fondant potatoes (between waxy and floury): la Monalisa, Samba, l'Agata. l'Alcmaria from the île de Ré.
  Equivalents out of France: Marfona, Orla, Triplo.
  Best for gratins, boiled potatoes, roasted.
• Floury potatoes (fluffy and dry): Bintje, Agria, Caesar, Manon and Marabel (Equivalents: King Edward, Maris Piper, Cosmos and Desiree)
  Best for soups, purées (mash), baked and for making frites or French fries.
• Coloured: Good all-rounders are
  Roseval and Chérie (red/pink potatoes). Equivalent is Desiree and good for mash,
  la Corne de Gatte (stripy) and Vitelotte (purple), so deep in colour, they look black.
  I've seen the French surprising guests at hallowe'en using purple Vitelottes in soup!

For top quality potatoes, look for the Label Rouge, certifying good quality: you'll find them with Pompadour, Belle de Fontenay, Merville (Bintje) and Manon.

What French Potato is Best for Cooking?

La Charlotte is THE multi-purpose French potato as slightly waxy. The equivalent all-rounder potato like Charlotte outside of France is Yellow or Yukon Gold.

Potatoes for Raclette: Charlotte, red/rosé Roseval and Chérie are ideal served with this classic melted cheese dish. Raclette cheese is melted in little trays and poured over potatoes. While in Savoy, they're served as a side to the Fondue Savoyarde.

What is the Healthiest Potato?

Small, new potatoes (pomme de terre primeur) from the Île de Noirmoutier are always first to arrive and have IGP quality status. They're slightly sweet and contain double amounts of Vitamin C as regular potatoes.

About 25 producers from the island or Noirmoutier in la Vendée (Pays de la Loire region) harvest potatoes from mid-April after only 90 days following plantation (compared to 120 for other varieties) and sold within 72 hours. The most popular variety from Noirmoutier is Sirtema.

Potato Nutrition

Although high in carbs and rich in energy, potatoes have more potassium than bananas, (great for muscle and heart health) plus a good source of magnesium. They're also high in vitamin C, B6 and contain fibre if you eat their skins.

However, it's how you cook them that can alter their nutritional properties. Baking, boiling or steaming are healthier options than potato chips or French fries.

Potato Chips (crisps in the UK) are the worst for you. 100g of potato chips pack 550 calories, five times the carbs and sugar spike of boiled potatoes, and almost zero satiety. You'll feel hungry soon.

What's Bad for Potatoes?

Bad storage isn't good for potatoes and so they'll lose these vitamins and minerals. Store them in a cool, dry and dark place, never in the fridge. According to a BBC report, avoid storing near onions or in metal containers, as this will discolour them, turning them green.

Are Potatoes Gluten Free?

Potatoes are gluten free. Just be careful how you cook them.
If you add wheat grains in their preparation, this will change them but potatoes cooked in their natural state without any wheat or grains will keep them gluten-free.

Note that Pommes Dauphines, Pommes Noisettes (smaller and crispier) or Pommes Duchesse are not gluten free. They're made with wheat flour (mixed with choux pastry) then fried for their characteristic crunch. These are popular French convenience food potatoes found in butcher shops (boucheries), supermarkets and frozen food stores.

French Potato Recipes

A collection of our most popular French recipes with potatoes - from thickening classic soups (potages) to bubbling gratins. Spot my 'red herring' recipe below which isn't French but includes potato in the sweetest Scottish treat.

Did you know that Alexandre Dumas mentions drying potato leaves to make a more fragrant tobacco than the original in his Dictionary of Cuisine?

When the simplest of soups is given the French touch with an elegant name. Add this Leek and Potato Soup or Potage Bonne Femme to your menu.

Previously called Potage Parisienne, this rustic soup was given an upgrade by chef Auguste Escoffier. Normally not blended, this is served with potato bits in it and more often made with the more waxy varieties like Charlotte (Yellow or Yukon Gold).

Watercress soup (soupe au cresson) uses floury potatoes to thicken it. The result is so delicious and a good boost of vitamin C too.

Try this most delicious smoked garlic and rocket (arugula) soup with potato. If you can't find the smoked garlic, use one garlic clove (as much stronger) and add smoked salt for something so different.

Perhaps the most traditional of French potato dishes is this creamy potato gratin, Gratin Dauphinois.

Raw potato slices are baked in milk, cream and garlic until the top is crispy. Normally not served with cheese but we won't look if you add some too.

Try a delicious variation to this gratin dauphinois by infusing smoked tea (Lapsang Souchong) into the milk and cream first. The result is subtle and so good served with salmon and sautéed green beans.

Prefer your French potatoes with onions? Then make a Gratin Savoyard, which is like the Gratin Dauphinois without the cream.

Instead it's layered sliced potatoes and onions baked in chicken stock. Sounds boring? It's extra crispy on top and less of the calories.

Cooked together in a Dutch oven, this most tender pork roast recipe is cooked with potatoes and rosemary. Serve with buttered apples on the side and it's a family favourite for Autumn and Winter.

Add sliced potatoes to these baked BBQ chicken drumsticks. Delicious as a one-tray weekday dinner, the spuds are as tender and crispy as the chicken!

Serve cooked potatoes with their skins on as one of the classic accompaniments for a French cheese fondue Savoyarde.

Although potatoes are not in the classic French Niçoise Salad from Nice, there's nothing stopping you from adding them if you prefer. Best with cooked new potatoes (e.g. Ratte), cooled and sliced.