Today we would be taking a tour into the Dombes region to visit the picturesque town of Chatillon sur Chalaronne where we will have the opportunity to taste the regional specialty of frog’s legs and visit a snail farm.
Now I have had snails on many occasions. I love them especially done in a garlicky butter sauce. Frogs legs never, so this would be a first.
“Cuisses de Grenouille” for those like me who don’t know is a delicious dish that the French call ‘frogs legs’. Frog’s legs are particularly traditional in this very region, the Dombes. Only the upper joint of the hind leg is served, which has a single bone similar to the upper joint of a chicken wing. 3,000 to 4,000 tons of frog legs are consumed annually in France and that represents around 80 million frogs.
Frogs have recently been declared a protected species in France so today most are imported from Asia.
The Restaurant where we ate the Frogs Legs
Frogs Legs
Peter and Tania sucking the sauce of the Frogs Legs
Did I like them? I found them very fiddly to eat, not at all like a chicken wing. Hardly any meat on the bones so your basically sucking the sauce. I did love the wine that was served with them. I love the way the French especially when doing any food tasting they always serve great wine.
The visit to the snail farm was so interesting and of course we got to sample different ways you can prepare them along with the glass or 3 of some mighty fine wine!
Did you know that humans have been eating snails for at least 30,000 years, based on archaeological evidence. Couple of years ago, scientists found evidence of the world’s first snail feast along the Mediterranean coast in Spain. Thousands of years later, Romans enjoyed their snails fattened on milk, while monks in medieval Europe kept snail gardens, as snails were classified as neither fish nor meat according to the Catholic church. Thus making them a valuable source of protein during Lent. They are high in protein, low in fat and rich in essential fatty acids.
The snails, row upon row
The Farm House
Escargo…..soon this will be on a plate somewhere…
The Wine
Escargo…..soon this will be on a plate somewhere…
Close up of the snail underneath
Snail
The farmer with the snails
Snails
Snails
The Farm House
The snails, row upon row
The Wine
Today in France there are less than 200 Snail Farms.
Travel and Lifestyle with Bree 
they all so cute and impressive with the little heads, i read your post and happy to see the article which quite amazing. Thanks for sharing.
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Oh gosh! I don’t think I could eat those! I’m pretty brave but that may be too much for me. Kudos to all of you though! Sounds like a really fun experience!
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I won’t say they taste like chicken…when people ask what something strange tastes like as they don’t. These take on the herbs and spices of whatever is put on them 🙂
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Hmm not sure how I feel about this but loved the post! Frog legs, snails??
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Thank you so much xx
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Well deserved, enjoy
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I’ve had frog legs twice. The first time was at a French restaurant in Australia, and they were fat and juicy and delicious. The second time was in Asia, and they were exactly as you described them – awful. I guess there’s a reason they are now protected in France, but it seems a shame that they have to import such a traditionally French meat from Asia. I wonder if the French ones were fat and juicy like the ones I first ate.
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I think originally the Frogs Legs grown in France would have been nice and fat and juicy. I think now its over commercialism maybe (i have no clue actually) that is making them skinny and yucky
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I do enjoy snails in a garlic sauce. I actually prefer when they are taken out of the shell and then plated instead of being served in the shell. As for frogs legs, I am still to try those! 🙂
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My first ones in the shell was in Paris, took me a bit to figure out the “tongs” they provided to get them out. No need to rush re the frogs legs….ha
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Thanks, I’ll note that one 😂
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Yes im going to have to try and eradicate that mental picture of the snail before attempting to eat them in the future
Great photos
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oh dear….the one I put in the picture is not to be eaten hahah they are so cute….
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Gosh. Why on earth did you have to show us close-ups of the adorable little snail-faces? Now I won’t be able to eat them! 🙂 And thank you for confirming my opinion about frogs’ legs. I thought maybe my palate wasn’t refined enough to appreciate them, but I too found myself thinking more about the wine. Wonderful post!
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Yes you will especially when you love them xx Garlic and herbs and butter or some garlic and chili and lime …..Im so pleased to hear you also were thinking more of the wine than the legs….
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