The intangible cultural heritage of humanity
According to the UNESCO (United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization), what is meant by “cultural patrimony” changed considerably during the last decades, partly because of the different tools developed by the organisation.
The cultural heritage is not limited to monuments and artifacts collections. It also integrates traditions and alive expressions inherited by our ancestors and passed out to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events, knowledge and skills regarding nature and universe or the knowledge and skills needed for traditional craftsmanship. Therefore, it is natural to include the French Gourmet Meal!
What is the Gastronomic meal of the French?
Still according to the UNESCO, the French gourmet meal is a customary social practice designed to celebrate the most important moments in one’s life, such as births, weddings, birthdays and reunions.
It is a festive meal where its participants perform the art of “eating well and drinking well”. The gourmet meal focuses on the idea of feeling good together, the pleasure of taste, and the harmony between humans and the products of nature.
Among its main component, can be found:
- a meticulous choice of dishes selected from a ever growing corpus of recipes.
- The purchase of quality products, preferably locally sourced, with matching flavors
- Pairing food and wines
- Table decoration
- specific gestures during tasting (“inhale” and “taste” what is served at the table)
The French gourmet meal must respect a strict pattern:
It starts with drinks and finger food and ends with a digestive, with two to four dishes in between, i.e an appetizer, a fish and/or meat course with a side of vegetable, some cheese and a dessert.
Renowned gourmets, who have an in-depth knowledge of tradition and preserve its memory, keep the rituals alive and contribute to their oral and/or written transmission, particularly to younger generations. Gourmet meals bring family and friends closer together and, more generally, strengthen social ties.
What is the art of “eating well”?
The notion of “eating well” is in the centre of French people’s concern. But what does it mean ?
In the early 90’s, when asked what “eating well” meant to French people, the vast majority associated this notion with satiety, stomach satisfaction and taste, but also with the pleasure of sharing a meal with family or friends.
Today, the French have completely changed their expectations when it comes to meals. Consumers want food that is healthy, fresh and good for their health. In a study conducted in 2017, by the Observatoire société et de la consommation, the French want food that doesn’t harm their health and does good for them and the planet. As a result, 53% of survey participants said they had increased, reduced or eliminated consumption of a significant number of food products.
What does this French gourmet meal include?
The French gastronomic meal is divided into six parts:
- The aperitif
- First course
- Main course
- Cheese
- Dessert
- Coffee and/or digestif
It brings families and friends together around notions of sharing, joy and transmission, but the gourmet meal is also a very important diplomatic tool in France.
In 2014, Laurent Fabius, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, created the term “gastro-diplomacy” and highlighted the economic stakes underlying the promotion of French cuisine. He quotes Churchill addressing British troops during the Second World War, “We are not only fighting for France, we are also fighting for Champagne.”
The application to UNESCO
The project to list the French gastronomic meal as an Intangible Cultural Heritage was initiated by the Institut Européen d’Histoire et des Cultures de l’Alimentation. (IEHCA) in Tours.
In February 2008, the “Mission Française du Patrimoine et des Cultures Alimentaires” (French Mission for Food Heritage and Cultures) was created as an association under the French law of 1901. Chaired by Jean-Robert Pitte (a French geographer specializing in landscape and gastronomy) it is directed by Pierre Sanner, responsible for carrying out the project, in close collaboration with the government, and in particular the Ministries of Agriculture and Culture.
Meanwhile, historian Julia Csergo was seconded by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research to coordinate the scientific preparation of the candidacy file. Between 2008 and 2010, a large number of events were organized as part of the candidacy (study days, meetings, colloquia). Thanks to France’s mobilization, on November 16, 2010, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, meeting in Nairobi, decided to include the Gastronomic meal of the French on the list of intangible cultural heritage. The same year, in order to meet the conditions for registration, it was added to France’s Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A cultural heritage to be transmitted
The inclusion of an element on one of UNESCO’s lists of intangible cultural heritage must be accompanied by safeguarding measures to ensure its “protection and promotion” in compliance with the ICH Convention.
In this context, France has undertaken to implement an action plan with the following main objectives:
- Passing on the values of the French gourmet meal to new generations,
- The development of national and international research and cooperation instruments,
- The creation of dedicated cultural establishments.
It is within this context that the “Cities of Gastronomy” were born. There will be 4 of them throughout France:
THE VILLA RABELAIS IN TOURS
The Villa Rabelais is the first gastronomic city in France. Inaugurated in September 2016, it focuses on heritage as well as the human and social sciences, notably through the creation of a University of Gastronomic Sciences. + More details
THE INTERNATIONAL CITY OF GASTRONOMY AND WINE IN DIJON
Work began in 2019 on the site of the former General Hospital, close to the city’s historic center. The mission of the City is to promote both the French gourmet meal and the “climats” of the Burgundy vineyards, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. + More details
THE INTERNATIONAL CITY OF GASTRONOMY IN LYON
Located in the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie was born in 2019, with the themes of food and health at the heart of its project. + More details
THE PARIS-RUNGIS GASTRONOMY CITY
It will open its doors in 2029, next to the Rungis National Interest Market. Its aim will be to promote sustainable food and responsible gastronomy around the social practice of eating. + More details
To celebrate its 10th anniversary as an intangible cultural heritage site, and to discover or rediscover the gourmet meal so dear to our hearts, a number of events took place in Paris. You can have a look on their website to study what has been done.
