Assiettes de grenouilles cuisinée comme en Dombes — ©Plat de grenouilles|Corinne Bertrand

Frogs Cooked Like in the Dombes

Frogs Cooked Like in the Dombes

Coming to the Dombes and not eating frogs would be like going to Bresse and not eating chicken!

A Typical Dish of the Dombes

An Essential Regional Dish

“Frogs Cooked Like in the Dombes” is a French culinary specialty that earns us some jibes and critiques from certain European countries. The French are sometimes nicknamed “frog-eaters”!
And what frogs they are! The Dombes can boast of its delicious recipes that contribute to its fame!

Gaude flour, Bresse butter, garlic, parsley—the restaurateurs are dedicated to elevating this traditional dish!

Grenouilles comme en Dombes — ©Grenouilles cuisinées comme en Dombes|Corinne Bertrand

©En famille au restaurant|Corinne Bertrand

©Grenouilles cuisinées comme en Dombes au restaurant Duverger|Claire Curt

©Manger des Grenouilles en Dombes à l'Auberge de Montessuy|Corinne Bertrand

Frogs where do they come from?

Do Frogs Come from the Dombes?

Unfortunately, no, the frogs no longer come from the Dombes. They were once abundant by our ponds and thrived there. Intensive agricultural practices and overexploitation have decimated their populations.
The French, big consumers of frogs, devour nearly 4,000 tons per year.
Due to overexploitation of these amphibians, frog hunting was banned in 1980 and the species was protected in 2007.
Some exceptions exist, particularly for pond owners who are allowed to engage in this practice only in July and for personal consumption.

In most French restaurants, 99% of frogs come from Turkey or Eastern European countries and arrive in France alive. However, initiatives are being launched in France to create frog farms. This is the case of Patrice François, a frog farmer in the Drôme since 2010. Leading a farm, he shares the difficulty of establishing such a production. Today, he supplies the Michelin-starred restaurant Paul Bocuse and the 3-star restaurant Georges Blanc in Vonnas!

While waiting to see Dombes frog farms, they remain elevated by the territory’s chefs.