I’m asked a lot about how we maintain a vegetarian diet when we visit France (in general) or Paris (in particular.) The answer is, in a couple of words…not very well. Don’t let the guide books fool you. Paris is not ready for primetime in the vegetarian department. However, and it’s a big however, Paris IS moving at warp speed in the vegan department. Don’t ask me why Parisienne’s “get” vegan, but not vegetarian. There are lots of worthy vegan joints popping up daily here and they are doing it quite well, as a matter of fact. But, for those of us who still consider cheese (and dairy) a staple in our diets, there is a huge communication gap as to what constitutes a vegetarian dish, even if one speaks (cough, cough) decent French. This started on our flight inbound, where we asked, specifically, for a vegetarian meal, NOT a vegan meal. Aaaand, we were given a vegan meal, right down to the Promise “butter” pat. Nothing like shelling out buckaroos for business class and getting a green bean salad for an entree, lemme tell you.

The French however don’t necessarily grasp the concept that fish is not vegetarian, but cheese is. Chicken was also an ever-present staple on the vegetarian la carte. Go figure. And, if one manages to adequately explain that, “cheese is fine, dairy is fine, but no viande, s’il vous plaît,” one shouldn’t be brave enough to dare ask if the sauce they are serving with whatever vegetarian dish you think you’ve ordered started with a chicken stock base. “Oui, Madame – c’est délicieux, no?!” Look at it this way, it would be like asking YOU to watch the super bowl without chicken wings. See? It just doesn’t translate, does it?

And so, bottom line, we opt for doing the best we can. Sometimes our best MIGHT include snails and duck breast on a certain significant other’s plate one festive evening, though I would never out him in that way. (Mostly because salmon roe may have found its way onto my lunch dish one evening.)

I’m just saying – sometimes, one has to do as the Romans do. Actually, I’m not sure what the Romans do in Paris. But I do know that these mostly full time vegetarians here in the states eat what they are served in Paris. And, damned if they don’t enjoy it, too.