From Friday, 26 July to Sunday, 11 August, France will host the Summer Olympic Games, including the Paralympics from Wednesday, 28 August to Sunday, 8 September. Capital city Paris, Marseilles on the Mediterranean coast, and the village of Teahupo’o on the French Polynesian island Tahiti, will all welcome athletes and visitors with the theme “Live together, play together”.
VENUES
Paris needs no introduction, with its River Seine, iconic Eiffel Tower, fashionable Champs Elysees, Notre Dame Cathedral, sidewalk cafes and renowned cuisine. The large port city of Marseilles, approximately 660km south of Paris, is well-known for its culture and culinary traditions. Teahupo’o, on Tahiti’s southwest coast, in the South Pacific Oean, is lauded globally for its spectacular seawater waves. Aside from watching approximately 10,500 Olympians give of their best at 329 events, acclaimed French cuisine will also attract the expected 15 million visitors.
NATIONAL CUISINE
Whether relaxing at sidewalk cafes with coffee and croissants or dining in Michelin-star restaurants, eating and drinking will surely provide meaningful memories. France’s national dish pot-au-feu (stewed meat and vegetables) mostly uses beef. Parisian dishes include boeuf bourguignon (stewed beef in red wine) and coq-au-vin (wine-braised chicken), with tipples of kirsch or absinthe adding to the mood. French onion soup, escargots, baguette, cheese, macaron …
In Marseilles, bouillabaisse (fish stew with fresh herbs) is favoured, also panisse (chickpea fritter) and navettes (biscuits flavoured with orange-blossom water). Sip on pastis liqueur with its anise appeal.
On a visit to Tahiti, my husband and I ambled through a market in capital Papeete where locally caught seafood took centrestage; tuna, parrot fish, delicate prawns and huge crabs abounded. We dined, seaside, on Tahiti’s national dish, poisson cru, comprising marinated raw fish with vegetables, providing zesty lime and coconut tastes, finishing with banana po’e (bananas in coconut milk). Local beer Hinano quenched thirsts, alongside fruit juices.
FRENCH FOOD IN SINGAPORE
From simple cafes to Michelin-star restaurants, the choice is ours – kouign amann (butter cake) from Tiong Bahru Bakery outlets, croissants from Delifrance locations, elegantly crafted dishes at award-winning Odette in the National Gallery. National dish pot-au-feu is the signature dish of Clos Pasoh at Bukit Pasoh Road. For a taste of Marseilles, enjoy bouillabaisse at Claudine, Harding Road. Possibly the first French restaurant in Singapore is Les Amis. Now located at Shaw Centre, the wine cellar also attracts with its sterling choices. Hearty fare is found at L’Entrecote The Steak & Fries Bistro at Duxton Hill. For a rural setting, visit The Summerhouse at Park Lane in Seletar.
Though Tahitian, or South Pacific-style, poisson cru is hard to come by here, similar tastes are found in ceviche and poke at South American and Hawaiian eateries.
Cheer our teams on with the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger”.
