- Culinary arts in France (1)
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- Culinary Dictionary (1)
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- Famous products of French gastronomy (6)
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- Food addresses in Paris (1)
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- Food patrimony in France by region (5)
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- Food trends in France (7)
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- French gastronomy personalities (3)
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- Our food tours pictures (2)
The history of the sandwich
The sandwich owes its name to John Montagu, diplomat and British admiral in the fleet of King George III of Great Britain, and above all the fourth Earl of Sandwich!
The story goes that during a never-ending game of cards, John Montagu, who was a great gambler, had two slices of bread filled with cold meat, cucumber slices and cheese served to him. The sandwich was born! It had the advantage of allowing the consumer to keep his hands clean and not leave the gaming table for the meal.
However, it’s more likely that the Earl, caught up in his government activities, regularly ate meat-filled bread on the quick, right at his desk.
Sandwich consumption spread to England and then the United States in the 19th century. At first, it was reserved for an elite: aristocrats or businessmen, in social circles and clubs. This is where the name club sandwich comes from.
In 1928, the invention of a machines for the industrial production of pre-sliced bread contributed to the democratization of the sandwich in the United States. At the same time, the fast-food industry was expanding. Fast-food outlets, focused on sandwiches and particularly burgers, took off in the 50s.


The introduction of the sandwich in France
According to George Gordon Byron, a British poet better known as Lord Byron, the sandwich seems to have come into common use in France in the 1830s.
It was in the 1930s, however, that the sandwich became popular, particularly among workers, who ate it during their breaks. Sandwiches then consisted of two slices of bread, usually topped with pork fat or lard. They didn’t need to be kept in the fridge or reheated, making them a convenient meal to eat, for example, on building sites. Sandwich consumption did not disappear, and spread to all social classes from 1945 onwards.
The composition of the sandwich evolved: baguette replaced large loaves of bread and ham, and pâté and crudités made their appearance in the sandwich.

What are the ingredients of the ham and butter sandwich?
France’s favorite sandwich owes its success to its simplicity and the quality of its ingredients: crisp baguette with an airy interior, soft butter and the famous jambon de Paris or “white ham”, a cooked ham poached in a flavored vegetable broth.
The ham-and-butter sandwich: an indicator of purchasing power
According to a study published in 2017, out of 2.4 billion sandwiches sold in France, 1.2 billion were ham-and-butter, i.e. one sandwich out of two!
Modeled on the Big Mac index, calculated by British weekly The Economist to determine whether a currency is over- or undervalued against the dollar, French food consumer consultancy Gira Conseil created the jambon-beurre index in 2008..
Cet indice permet de mettre en avant les évolutions du pouvoir d’achat des ménages français. Il est publié chaque année à l’occasion du Salon Sandwich & Snack Show qui se tiendra du 20 au 22 septembre 2020 au parc des expositions de la Porte de Versailles.
This index highlights trends in the purchasing power of French households. It is published each year on the occasion of the Sandwich & Snack Show, which will be held from April 2 to 3, 2025 at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center. If we look at price trends over the last ten years, we can see that the price of ham and butter sandwiches fell sharply during the 2008 crisis. However, the price started to rise again in 2011 in towns with more than 50,000 inhabitants, and three years later in smaller towns. This index highlights the differences in purchasing power from one city to another.
The ham and butter index was last updated on March 20, 2018.
That year, the most expensive ham-and-butter sandwich was found in Paris, with an average price of 4 euros, and the cheapest in Tulles, with a price of 2.48 euros. Finally, the sandwich in Nantes was closest to the French average price of 2.95 euros.
Even though the emblematic ham-and-butter sandwich has faced competition from the hamburger over the last ten years, it remains the ideal lunchtime companion for the French, whether at work, on a trip or on a picnic. You’ll find it in every French bakery!
The best places in Paris to enjoy a ham and butter sandwich:
Caractère de Cochon
42 rue Charlot 75003 PARIS
Brasserie Lazare (chef Eric FRECHON)
Located inside Saint-Lazare Train station 75008 PARIS
Chez Aline
85 rue de la Roquette 75011 PARIS