French Fish Names

What’s that fish called in French?

Deciphering a French fish and seafood menu. Do you know your Églefin from your Espadon?

English to French fish names on Taste of Savoie
Wild Cod served with semoule (polenta) and vegetables in a foam emulsion
at Le Denti in Annecy

This is a question I have been asked many times when going through a french menu trying to identify the fish dish. So I thought I’d put together a glossary of some of the more popular french fish names and common vocabulary associated with fish and seafood with the translation into English. Scroll down to find the English fish name translated into French. Hope you find this useful next time you shop for fish or eat out in France.

Shellfish – Crustaces

English to French Shellfish Names

English NameFrench Name
Brown CrabTourteaux or Dormeur
ClamsPalourdes
CocklesCoques
Crayfishécrevisse
Dog Cockle (Clam)Amandes de Mer
King PrawnsGambas
LangoustineLangoustine
Prawns – largeCrevettes Royale
Prawns – largeGrosses Crevette
LimpetsPatelle
LobsterHomard
MusselsMoules
OysterHuître
Razor clamCouteau
ScallopsCoquilles St. Jacques
Shrimps/small prawnCrevettes (roses)
Shrimp – small brownCrevette grises
Spider crabAraignee de mer
WhelksBulots
WinklesBigorneaux

Fish – Poisson

English to French Fish Names

English NameFrench Name
AnchoviesAnchois
BarracudaBrochet de la Mer
Bass (Atlantic)Bar
Black BreamDaurade grise
BrillBarbue
Brown TroutTruite Fario ou Brune
CatfishSilure
CodCabillaud
Croaker, Meagre, Drum fish or Salmon BassMaigre
Dog FishRoussette
Dover SoleSole commune
FlounderLimande
Fresh water CharOmble Chevalier
Gilthead BreamDaurade Royale
GrouperMerou
GurnardGrondin
HaddockEglefin
HakeMerlu/Colin
HalibutFlétan
HerringHareng
John DorySaint-Pierre
Lake fish from Lac LemanFera du Leman
Lemon soleLimande sole
LingJulienne
Mackerelmaquereau
MonkfishLotte
PerchPerche
Nom du poisson en Anglais
Sea Bass Northern Indian style at Baaji, Les Gets
English NameFrench Name
PikeBrochet
PlaicePlie
PollackLieu Jaune
PollackLieu Noir
Rainbow TroutTruite Arc-en-Ciel
Red MulletRouget
Red BreamDaurade commune
SalmonSaumon
Salt CodMorue
SardineSardine
Scorpion FishRascasse
Sea Bass (Mediterranean)Loup de mer
Sea BreamDaurade
SharkRequin
SkateAigle de mer
Skate wingsAiles de Raie
perch fillets – small lake fishFilets de Perche
SturgeonEsturgeon
SwordfishEspadon
TroutTruite
TunaThon
TurbotTurbot
Sea bassAbadèche rouge
Sea smeltAbusseau
WhitebaitFriture
WhitingMerlan
Pike – youngBrocheton
ZanderSandre
English to French fish and seafood names on Taste of Savoie
Atlantic Sea Bream topped with tempura squid at Le Christiania in Les Gets

Molluscs – Mollusques and friends!

English to French Seafood names

English NamesFrench Names
Conger EelCongre
CuttlefishSeiche
EelAnguille
FishPoisson
OctopusPoulpe
seafoodfruits de mer
SeaweedAlgue de Mer
SquidCalamar, Chipirons
WhaleBaleine

General English to French vocabulary used may help when ordering, shopping for or cooking
fish and seafood in France

English WordFrench Word
bonel’arête
bonedsans arêtes
cleanedpréparé
cooked in paper in oven (steamed)en papillote
descaledécaillé
filletfilet
Fish steakDarnes de poisson
freshfrais
frozensurgelé
loinlonge
peeled or shelledDecortiqué
ShellfishCrustacés
skinnedSans peau
slicetranche
smokedfumé
tailqueue
to gutvider
bonedl’arête
English to French fish and shellfish names on Taste of Savoie
Fruits de Mer at Chez Pierre in Arcachon

Classic French Seafood Dishes

There are many classic french fish and seafood dishes in France. I’ve picked out a few of the most popular that you will likely find on a French menu when touring around France.

French NameBritish Name
Nicoise Salada salad typically made with Tuna, egg and new potatoes that originates from Nice
BourrideFish stew from Languedoc-Roussillon made with fish, seafood, vegetables, aioli and olive oil
PôchouseFresh water fish stew from Burgundy using Eel, Pike and Bass poached in Aligoté with a cream sauce
Meunièremeans Millers Wife – fish is coated in flour and sautéed and the sauce is brown butter, parsley and lemon
BouillabaisseProvencal fish and seafood stew with tomatoes served with rouille* on croutons
Rouille*A mayonnaise type sauce typically served with fish soup and Bouillabaise – made with olive oil, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper

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English to French fish names translation
English to French fish names

photographs ©CaroBlackwell

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10 thoughts on “French Fish Names

  • July 5, 2020 at 12:37 pm
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    Chipirons in the South West = squid, I think.

    Reply
    • July 6, 2020 at 2:40 pm
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      ah yes good point this is in the Basque region they are known as chipirons

      Reply
  • February 5, 2022 at 12:35 pm
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    Rock lobster / Crayfish == Langouste

    Reply
    • February 5, 2022 at 1:28 pm
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      Thank you, it seems some of these fish have several names!

      Reply
  • July 27, 2022 at 6:04 pm
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    We recently had a French shellfish, bijou…..would love to know the English equivalent

    Reply
    • August 8, 2022 at 5:55 pm
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      Interesting can you describe this shellfish? Bijou is normally translated as jewel – so I am wondering if this is the use of ‘jewel of the sea’ but not a specific shellfish?

      Reply
  • September 9, 2022 at 8:43 pm
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    I have some small fillets the fish merchant called ‘Vives’. Bought in south west France. They are about 3 – 4 inches long?

    Reply
    • September 10, 2022 at 9:44 am
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      I would be extremely cautious about Vives fish – these are weever or weaver fish and are venomous. They are a sand coloured fish from 15 – 50cm long and known to sting bathers in the Mediterranean if they are threatened. Their sting contains venom but I believe not fatal, although apparently very painful and if someone has allergies could be more harmful. As to whether you can eat them, I have no idea but given what I have just found out, I wouldn’t touch them!

      Check my source here – Connexion

      Reply
      • September 10, 2022 at 11:34 am
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        Ok, thank you for the info. I bought them from Intermarché but given what you’ve told me l think we’ll give them a miss. They weren’t expensive.

        Reply
        • September 10, 2022 at 12:12 pm
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          Hi Linda, I am not professing to be an expert, but doing a quick google search it says they can be eaten if you are willing to risk the venomous spines!! Not sure I would be, maybe worth asking the fishmonger where you bought them

          Reply

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