France clings to foie gras amid ethical debate

As Christmas and the year’s end approach, certain foods are a fixture on French tables: oysters, smoked salmon and foie gras. Alongside truffles and caviar, foie gras is regarded as one of the world’s three great delicacies and is typically reserved for special occasions. A well-known saying holds that truffles follow prices set by nature, caviar follows prices shaped by time, and foie gras follows a price deliberately created by human hands. Perhaps for that reason, France in 2006 officially designated foie gras as part of its national gastronomic heritage, recognizing it as a luxury the country has refused to relinquish.

The origins of foie gras can be traced to around 2500 B.C., as depicted in wall paintings discovered along the Nile River in ancient Egypt. The murals portray geese being force-fed to enlarge their livers. The Romans later adopted the practice, feeding figs to geese to fatten their livers and calling the dish iecur ficatum. That term later became the root of the modern French word for liver, foie. At the time, foie gras was consumed exclusively by the wealthy and powerful.

After the Middle Ages, foie gras became firmly embedded in Catholic culture as a celebratory dish marking the end of periods of abstinence. It developed into a food prepared by slaughtering geese in autumn and preserving their livers in terrine form, allowing them to be aged and enjoyed throughout the winter months. By the 19th century, foie gras had appeared on the tables of the bourgeoisie and came to be viewed as a special-occasion dish rather than an everyday food. Over time, it became closely associated with Christmas.

Today, most foie gras produced in France is duck foie gras from the southwestern Perigord region, which is also the variety most commonly consumed by the French. By contrast, goose foie gras from the Alsace region is regarded as more refined, prized for its creamier texture and greater delicacy. Production is limited, and prices are correspondingly higher. France remains the world’s largest producer and consumer of foie gras, with annual output exceeding 18,000 metric tons. Per capita consumption averages about 120 grams a year. The United States follows, driven largely by demand from high-end restaurants, while consumption in China is rising rapidly.

Ethical debates surrounding foie gras have persisted. French actress Brigitte Bardot has campaigned for a complete ban on foie gras production since her retirement, calling it a disgrace to French gastronomy. Some cities, including Bordeaux and Montpellier, have stopped serving foie gras at official events. However, the Strasbourg Administrative Court ruled that a production ban was not possible, despite European Union animal welfare provisions. This ruling underscores the tension between tradition and ethics.

Even so, market realities point in a different direction. Foie gras production, which had fallen through 2023 amid the spread of avian influenza, has rebounded following the introduction of vaccinations. Sales recovered in the 2024–25 season, and surveys show that more than 90 percent of French people eat foie gras at least once a year.

Traditionally, foie gras is enjoyed in thin slices laid atop brioche, seasoned with fleur de sel and served with fig or onion confit, often paired with a glass of Sauternes. It can also be eaten cold, but many chefs favor the poele method, lightly searing one side over high heat for 30 to 40 seconds. When the exterior is caramelized and the interior melts on the palate, foie gras once again affirms its status as a luxury that France is unwilling to relinquish.