Need to eat Gluten Free in Italy and France

It is easier to have GF choices in Italy than in the US. Menus are well marked with the symbol.
Buy Elizabeth Minchilli’s Apps for Rome and Florence. You can select for GF options.
We have celiacs in our family so are very aware of looking for GF options wherever we travel.
If a server in a restaurant does not understand use Google Translate to communicate clearly.
Dismiss English to Italian and Italian to English before your trip. Our family members also worry about cross contamination during food preparation. Something to consider.

Yes today more than ever since gluten intolerance affects people all over the world it is easy to eat gluten free in the small towns in Italy. The ones you mention are popular with tourist. We easily found and ate at a restaurant in Orvieto where they made gluten free pasta. Most restaurants have the menu posted outside where you will see the words senza glutine in Italian on the menu.

In restaurants ask about the "Fitness Platter". It's generally a variety of vegetables. I have walked out of many of restaurants in Europe without finding anything I could eat. You need to remember this term.

Gluten intolerance is reportedly extremely common in Italy. The restaurants there seem to be very aware of the situation and responsive to it. I don't think you'll have particular issues in France, either, but I think it may be easiest in Italy, based on what I (not gluten-intolerant) noticed on menus. On a couple of occasions I noticed small stores specializing in gluten-free foods.

You'll find it quite easy to deal with. French and Italian standards are pretty good about having restaurants accommodate various allergies and have been ahead of the US on that. Like you would in the US, always make your server aware of your gluten allergy - do not just order something that says "gluten free" on the menu. That way the kitchen is aware and can be careful in their preparation. You might find it helpful to have a card printed in French and Italian noting your gluten allergy, but most servers will understand in English in main cities and more heavily tourist-ed communities.

A few other things to consider - as you may already now be aware, sauces can be a source of gluten due to thickeners. This could be an issue in France as they tend to use sauces more. Risotto is sometimes made with gluten thickeners (the cheap easy way) so be careful with that. Most Americans equate Italian food with pasta - this is a myth. Italians do not generally eat pasta as a meal - it might be a course or side. But if you do want to eat pasta, most restaurants will have a gluten free version if you ask. And be careful eating packaged food as the labels will be in French or Italian and it can be hard to identify gluten items in them.

In restaurants ask about the "Fitness Platter". It's generally a
variety of vegetables. I have walked out of many of restaurants in
Europe without finding anything I could eat. You need to remember this
term.

I'm not sure what vegetables have to do with gluten intolerance. Vegetable dishes can still have gluten in them.

Thanks, everyone for your suggestions. I feel better about planning a trip to Italy. In searching for gluten free restaurants in Florence, there's actually a hotel that has a gf bar - Hotel Londra. Lots of options, even in the smaller towns.

Douglas.... What Foods Are Gluten Free? Fruits and vegetables are top of the list.

You won't have any problems. In my small town of Vignola, it is quite easy and there is even GF choices at the pizzeria.

Hello Catherine, I found a list of gluten-free restaurants in Rome: https://www.romeing.it/gluten-free-restaurants-rome/
Hope it can help! Indrea

Indrea,
Thanks so much for your list! I'll definitely have to hit a few of them the next time I'm in Rome. Grazie!

no prob :)

I remember every hotel breakfast in italy had gluten free choices --like rice cakes--all individually wrapped.