The word apéritif comes from the Latin aperire, meaning “to open.” In essence, the apéritif is meant to “open the appetite," both physically and socially. In France, food is ritualized. There is an opening act, the main show and a closing act. I am convinced it is why the French have a healthy relationship with food. It is culturally unacceptable to eat between meals and meals themselves are always taken together/shraed - such a long-standing human tradition, and yet, it is being lost far and wide.
The apéro is the gentle transition from the day’s work to the evening’s pleasures, and in France, it has long held a sacred place in daily life.
The tradition began to take recognizable shape in the late 18th century. Early apéritifs were medicinal: herbal elixirs created by monks or pharmacists, believed to aid digestion. By the 19th century, drinks like vermouth, Dubonnet, and pastis became popular, especially in southern France, and apéritif culture began to evolve into the ritual we know today — a blend of alcohol, light bites, and conversation.
🇫🇷 Local Variations Across France
Every region in France brings its own flair to the apéritif:
• In Provence, it’s all about fresh, sun-drenched ingredients: olives, tapenade, anchovy-laced anchoïade, goat cheese, and rosé. The mood is casual and usually outdoors, with friends gathered on a terrace or under the trees.
• In the southwest, you might find foie gras with sweet white wine from Jurançon.
• In the Alps, the apéritif might involve genepi, a herbal liqueur made from mountain plants.
• In Brittany, cider and salted butter-laden snacks reflect the regional flavors.
But across France, one constant remains: the apéritif is not about impressing, it’s about connecting.
Provençal Apéritif: A Way of Life
In Provence, the apéritif is a nearly daily occurrence in the summer. Locals stop by each other’s homes without ceremony. A bottle of pastis might be served with a clink of ice cubes and a bowl of chips or radishes dipped in salted butter. Some gatherings are more elaborate, with multiple boards of savory bites, but the heart of it is always ease, abundance, and good humor.
No one is in a hurry. Children run in the garden. Adults linger at the table long after the last sip is taken. In summer, the apéro often replaces the evening meal. A glass of chilled rosé is poured, nibbles are laid out and the conversation drifts into the night.
It’s this feeling — of generous, unhurried gathering — that Couleur Nature linens are designed to evoke. They carry the color and texture of the landscape, the simplicity of French tradition, and the joy of being around a beautiful table.
