A guide to French potatoes including their different types - from waxy to floury, the most popular in France, what kinds are best for cooking, to the healthiest potato - even a slang French expression using them.
French Potato Season
For new potatoes (pomme de terre primeur/nouvelle): Spring and Summer (May-August). Generally for all other potatoes, available all year round.
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 and was known as 'papa' by the American Indians. Used in 16th Century Europe to feed animals, folk were hesitant to eat them as they grew underground (told in the history museum in Marseille).
They only came to France in 1785, thanks to chemist, Antoine Parmentier who introduced them to King Louis XVI at Versailles for their healthy properties. Parmentier had them planted in 1786 first in les Sablons (Neuilly) then in Grenelle, the current Champ de Mars at the Eiffel Tower.
As a result, Hachis Parmentier is the name given to the French classic equivalent of cottage pie, in honour of Antoine Parmentier.
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: Roseval and Chérie (red/pink potatoes), la Corne de Gatte (stripy) and Vitelotte (purple) are good all-rounders. What about using purple Vitelottes to surprise guests at Hallowe'en?
(Equivalent is Desiree with red skin - good all-rounder and good for mash)
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 All-Round 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.
What is the Healthiest Potato?
New potatoes (pomme de terre primeur) from the Île de Noirmoutier are always first to arrive and have IGP quality status. They are reputed for their sweetness 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.
What is Bad for Potatoes?
Bad storage isn't good for potatoes. 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.
French Expression Using Potatoes
"J'ai une de ces patates" or "j'ai la patate"
French slang expression meaning I'm full of energy, full of beans (literally translated, I've one of these potatoes or I've a potato).
Are Potatoes Gluten Free?
Are potatoes gluten free? Yes. 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 or Pommes Noisettes (smaller and crispier) are both not gluten free as they are 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 talks about 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.
Slice potatoes and add alternately with sliced tomatoes, onions, courgettes and aubergines to make a version of the classic French Tian de légumes.
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.
Last but not least are 2 Scottish recipes. Potatoes are one of the main ingredients in this creamy smoked haddock soup (chowder), known as Cullen Skink.
Would you believe that potatoes are also one of the main ingredients in the classic sweet macaroon bar in Scotland?
As these treats are particularly sweet, I've made them into bite-sized portions as Scottish macaroon bar snowballs, rolled in chocolate and coconut.
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