Sausages of France

A French fresh sausage is simply called saucisse, a term which often implies also a relatively small size. The commonest fresh types are saucisse de Toulouse, quite large, with an unusually high proportion of lean meat, and intended for grilling; and saucisse de Strasbourg, for poaching.

The general French term for large sausages, whether fresh, smoked, or cured, is saucisson. They are almost exclusively boiled. Indeed, the most common boiling sausage is simply called saucisson à cuire, although specific regional names exist in different parts of the country.