Flandre

In its food preferences French Flanders is closer to neighboring Belgium than to France. It is the only part of the country where the herring, salted or smoked, is the favorite of all classes.

Valenciennes, located on the Escaut River, which empties into the sea at Antwerp, is, like many Belgian towns, famous for its lace. Like other Flemings the workers of this thriving industrial city delight in game, especially wild rabbit, cooked with prunes or grapes. They are also ravenous eaters of hearty stews and quaffers of beer in quantity.