Restaurants the locals use

For Paris, many locals with an interest in good food consider the 11th arrondisement generally the best one for quality food. There are of course good choices in every arrondisement but the 11th would be a starting point for you.

Thank you!

Don't be so sure about wanting to eat breakfast like the locals -- the typical French breakfast is a shot of coffee, a fresh pastry, and a cigarette.

Brunch has been getting popular there, though, so many bo-bos (equivalent of yuppies) will try to find an American or Italian style brunch spot. For instance, you will see the word focaccia on boards instead of fougasse. Why? Trying to be chic/cosmopolitan.

In Lyon, locals will generally not eat in Vieux Lyon, just as San Franciscans pretty much never eat at Fishermans Wharf.

In Marseilles the typical breakfast for those with some money would be shakshuka.

Some of the most enjoyable restaurants in the world are around Arles, but you would need to make your reservation yesterday, probably. https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/france/provence/places/the-alpilles-arles-and-the-camargue/arles/restaurants

Not to be snarky, but many locals stop at Starbucks, maybe McDonalds for lunch (France is one of the largest markets outside the US for McDonalds), then get takeout from the Chinese or Italian place, if they have not picked up some cheap ready-to-eat meals at the Carrefour or Monoprix. But that is probably not what you want.

Don't worry if a place has a few tourists, after all, everyone has to eat.

I suggest doing some searches, for France, certainly the Michelin guide is worth a look, avoid the places with stars to save the budget, but the guide also includes lots of regular, solid restaurants worth a look. I like to search for something like "food blogs [city]". That will give you all kinds of interesting takes on the food scene, some real out of the way places, just look for the dates of the post, something 5 years old is worthless most times.

Others will certainly have some specific recommendations for a few of those towns, if nothing else, the tactic of wandering, heading away from the city center, looking at the place and the menus, always pays off.

I don't know. We just stayed in the 6th arrondisment in Paris. The restaurants we ate at seemed like it had a larger percentage of locals than tourists. The gardens all seemed that way as well. Unless we were at the Eiffel Tower; taking a Seine river cruise, the Louvre, gawking at the construction of the Notre Dame or inside Musee d'Orsay; I didn't feel like we were only seeing tourists.

I don't feel like you have to go especially out of your way, and you want to be in city center, so there will be both.

In Marseilles the typical breakfast for those with some money would be shakshuka.

I'm not sure why that would be a breakfast typical for those with money considering the large Arab and North African population in Marseille for whom such a dish would be popular and who do not tend to be wealthy.

Just because a place is popular with locals doesn't always mean that the food is good. Price is often a more important factor for many people so I always look at other factors before deciding on a place to eat, popularity isn't one of them.

In Lyon visit the Cafe Du Soleil at 2 Rue St Georges. A typical buchon in a not-too busy corner of Lyon a short walk from the Metro. Try a very typical and delicious Lyonaisse spacialty, a quenelle.

In Paris, my favorite bistro is Le Petits Papiers on rue Oberkampf. Thierry the owner/chef is very talented. Any time I've been there, I felt I was the lone tourist. Be sure to make reservations because it fills up fast.

In Marseille, you might want to $plurge. If you ever want to try bouillabaisse, this is the city in which to do it. Chez Fonfonis noted for an excellent version but it’ll set you back 65€. Unfortunately, with the passing of Madame Rose, the wonderful Italian restaurant Chez Vincent il Vesuvio has closed. Best pizza in France, inspired Italian meals all overseen by the 93 year old Madam.

Economical breakfast? Un café et un pain au chocolat! Just about anywhere!

@JC when I wrote 'some money' I did not mean wealthy, I meant as opposed to not having money. I also didn't think it necessary to spell out what the demographics of the city are.

Anyway, Marseilles has plenty of variety to choose from, and combines urban hustle-bustle with the joys of Provencal living.

I wish there was an answer to your question. We have found, when in a tourist destination, it is hard to find local experiences. We have had success by walking away from popular tourist area into more residential areas. We have had success when we ask at the front desk of our hotels for locals that they eat.

On the other hand we have had good meals in tourist areas by simply walking away from the main areas. For example while in Venice, we got lost and found an area clearly not frequented by tourists. Stopped for a drink and a light meal which we enjoyed. In Tuscany we stopped at a place that had a lot of trucks. Had a great meal.

The trick is, in my opinion, is to look around and take a chance. Food may not be great, but the price is reasonable and the locals will appreciate you.

I stayed in the same hotel in Paris this summer, a 2 star, as I did last summer where the breakfast served was in the same manner as it was in the 1970s and 1980s prior to the "buffet" breakfast. The guests are both French and foreign, mostly European though.

This hotel is an exception since all 2 or 3 star hotels offer the buffet style breakfast, not this one. The breakfast is a throw back to what I experienced 40-50 years ago in Paris in 2 star hotels.

Fred didn’t describe the hotel breakfast from 40 years ago, but we’d get a porcelain pot with coffee, another with warm milk, a basket with ½ a baguette per person, a fresh croissant, butter and jams. That’s how most of us still eat breakfast at home, except the bread is leftover from the previous day and there’s no croissant. Lunch is the big meal that fills us up.

Locals have taken us to Brasserie George’s in Lyon. Reserve ahead.
I had a good meal recently at Entre midi et deux in Aix. Réserve. Another recommendation we received from a local: Les Galinas.

I can second Cafe du Soleil in Lyon. Also in Lyon, , totally local is , though owned by an American, a very small and very inexpensive restaurant Le Bistrot Nicephora. We walked down from the Notre Dame Basilica and after lunch visited the Jardin des Curiosities and then kept walking down!