Dinner Table Setting French Etiquette

The French have a very methodical approach to organizing a dinner table for special occasions. The procedure is particularly unique in France since a classic French meal has 13 courses. Present day norm restricts it to three or four courses. A French dinner often consists of a salad with vinaigrette for the starter, main course, cheese course, dessert, and coffee.

A fresh plate may not always be necessary for each course. After each course the plate is wiped clean with a piece of bread. However this is done gently as a means of cleaning the plate for the next course, not slopping up the leftover sauce. It is more polite to use a piece of bread on your fork, rather than in your hand. In a more formal setting, each course is served on a new plate.

The thing to remember is that as the number of courses increase, the size of the portions of food on the plate decreases. The same is true for the amount of wine in the glass. Aperitifs begin with champagne, negroni and on occasion whiskey. With the French dining etiquette plays a vital role in the creation of an impressive environment.

Avoiding a faux pas is an absolute necessity and laying a table properly in France is quite an art. The table should be immaculately and even artistically laid. Napkins should never be in paper, china has to be unblemished and candles are de rigueur in the evening. Cheese, three to five cheeses, and salads are usually offered in trays and bowls that go around the dining table.