Tracing Terroir(s): the role of maps, guidebooks, and regional products in constructing the French gastronomic imaginary

Abstract

ABSTRACT Before French cuisine emerged as the global benchmark for gastronomic excellence, tempting tourists both near and far, a tradition of culinary travel, largely linked with the valorization of regional cuisines and products, had already been established among French citizens themselves, having notably arisen during the inter-war period. Stimulating a sense of cultural unity and shared values, inspiring imaginations, and boosting commerce alike, the idea of a national cuisine, encompassing France’s diverse regions, offered a sense of continuity, comfort, and rootedness in a time of socio-economic upheaval. Beyond this, the expansion of food certification labels, linking products with places, and the integration of the concept of terroir grew in importance and scope. This paper seeks to explore the roots of the inter-war boom of culinary tourism within France and to trace the representative power of regional cuisines and products through analyzing three inter-related factors: culinary guidebooks and literature, gastronomic maps, and authenticity labels, all of which facilitate a sense of belonging, whether symbolic or literal for the citizen or foreign tourist. I will identify contributions of these three components in constructing a collective culinary identity, and will propose how concepts of terroir are now being adapted and employed today to address a changing nation.