Upon visiting grocery stores in France, you’ll find that they look similar enough to what you’re used to back home. They have all the usual departments like produce, dairy, a butcher and all the grocery shopping staples.
But if you look more closely, you’ll see that there are all kinds of amazing French products just waiting to be discovered. One brand I’m so happy to have come across is Brets. They make the best potato chips in France and today, we’re taste testing 13 varieties for you.
In full transparency, this is definitely NOT sponsored. We happily went nuts buying all the chips and were not compensated by Brets.
Over the years, I’ve been to a bunch of French grocery stores and I enjoy writing and making videos about them. From huge hypermarchés, to little corner markets, to organic stores, to your regular run-of-the-mill grocery stores, I’ve been to them all and truly enjoy grocery shopping (just not on Saturday afternoons!).
I’ve written about differences between U.S. and French grocery stores and shared my best tips for tourists grocery shopping in France… as well as videos over on my YT channel pointing out my favorite products and touring my top stores.
This post came about because I posted a photo of the supermarket display on my FB page, and surprisingly, it got a ton of engagement so we had to do a post. You had a lot to say about chips!
A selection of the potato chips we tasted
One item you’ll find at pretty much every French grocery store is the much-loved potato chip. They’re popular with the French, and if you want the best brand out there, look no further than Brets.
With a wide array of interesting flavor combos, Brets potato chips are a step above your everyday chip. They are worth a taste the next time you find yourself wandering the aisles.
Where can you buy Brets chips? They’re a popular mainstream brand so you won’t have to look far in France. Brets chips can be found at pretty much any supermarket in France, although most stores only carry about 5-6 flavors. If you’re in the U.S., shop here.
Here’s a recent display of Brets in my local Intermarché pictured below. Most of the time, they only carry a handful of flavors, but with all the summertime BBQs and get-togethers going on now, it looks like they wanted to have the full spread available to shoppers.
Flavors like Saveur Pastis, Cheddar Jalapeno, and Sauce Curry, to name a few, are all new for 2024.
Growing up, I wasn’t too adventurous with my chips back in suburban NJ. We had BBQ, sour cream and onion, oil & vinegar and I think that’s about it. My favorite was oil & vinegar. But Brets takes it to an entirely new level.
For this post, we steered clear of the most “normal” flavors like BBQ and rotisserie chicken (poulet rôti) since a bunch of brands make them and instead went for more inspired varieties.
About Brets
Before I get into our taste test, let me tell you about the brand. Brets is a family-owned business that was founded in the ’90s. The chips are produced in Brittany, St Gérand to be exact, and they exclusively use potatoes from Brittany because of their quality.
In 2020, Brets started a second production line in Pouzin (Ardèche). Between the two sites, Brets employs 450 employees and produces 45,ooo tons of chips per year — which is 180,000 tons of potatoes!
Over the years, the brand has grown to be the second most popular flavored chip brand in France (and I’d argue the best!).
Flavored potato chips only became popular about two decades ago in France and it’s pretty impressive how much Brets has grown, especially considering they’re a young brand.
Something you’ll notice on their logo at the top of the bag is that they call themselves “le chipsier français.” The word “chipsier” isn’t an actual French word but in this context, it would refer to someone who makes chips, so “the French chip maker.” It’s a clever slogan.
Over the past week, Tom and I gladly took on the task of tasting 13 flavors so our thoughts are just as fresh as the chips.
Something to note is that most of the flavors are pretty subtle and not overpowering at all. You still feel like you’re eating a potato chip and not a crunchy chili, piece of bacon, block of Camembert or whatever the flavor is. You can taste the flavor, but it’s light and that’s definitely a good thing. No one wants to be blasted by a particular flavor.
If you were blindfolded, you might not be able to pinpoint exactly what flavor you’re tasting but you’d know that you wanted to eat a few more. 😉
Also, all of Brets chips are textured with ridges/ripples and there’s also a slight price variation between the flavors (30-ish centimes). A 125-gram bag costs about €2.
Brets chips taste test
For each variety, we tried the potato chips two ways: First, we just put one in our mouth, immediately crunched the chip to break it down, chewed, and swallowed. Second, we put the entire chip in our mouth and licked it to really taste the flavor before crunching away and slowly breaking the chip down, as a way to savor the flavor.
We wanted to make sure we thoroughly tasted each flavor and took our taste test very seriously… and 200 chips each later, we have our final rankings. 😉
OK, let’s get to it.
Brets potato chips: Our taste test rankings
Here are the 13 Brets chips we tasted for the blog post (in no particular order):
Saveur Chili Pointe de Menthe (Chili with a touch of mint)
I’ll just come out with it. These were EXCELLENT and rank in my Top 3. The mint taste is very mild and pairs perfectly with the equally mild chili. You’ll notice a slight twinge of a refreshing mint leaf right away. It’s not a mint candy sort of taste or anything artificial.
I thought the combo might be weird before tasting them, but it was not. Brets could have even bumped up the mint taste a notch — it was that good and I wanted more! If you look closely at the bag, the “pepper scale” on the bag to to the right of the word chili, you’ll see that only one of three is filled in. That means there’s not much heat, so these won’t burn your tongue in the least.
Normally, if I’m having something with “chili” in the name, I’d want it to be hot but this cool flavor combo didn’t leave me wanting more heat. They were great as-is!
Tom is not a fan of anything chili/pepper/spicy so he rated these lower but says “the flavor is really well done.”
Diane’s score: 9/10
Tom’s score: 5/10
Côte de Bœuf Grillée (Grilled prime rib)
This is Tom’s top flavor and he describes it as “juicy meat on the grill.” We don’t eat actual côte de bœuf (prime rib) super frequently, so he says it’s a way for him to channel the flavor he loves in chip form and it didn’t disappoint. He says it reminds him of our Christmas prime rib dinner.
I like them as well but the grilled/meat flavors just aren’t my favorite.
Tom wanted me to mention that Brets is excellent at reproducing flavors in chip form across the board in a very accurate yet subtle way. They never taste overbearing or artificial and for him, the côte de bœuf is the perfect example of that.
Diane’s score: 5/10
Tom’s score: 9/10
Cheddar Jalapeño
I enjoy hot and spicy food and was pretty pumped to try this flavor. The pepper scale (two out of three peppers) seemed to denote they’re about a medium level of heat, and as a cheddar lover as well, I had high hopes. They did not disappoint. Great mix of spice and cheese but they weren’t as hot as I’d hoped so that’s why they didn’t get a higher score from me.
The French aren’t big fans of spicy food (hence my husband’s low score). This flavor didn’t have me reaching for a glass of water to cool my mouth down. Despite that, it’s a great flavor and I’d buy them again.
Diane’s score: 7/10 (would have been an 8 or 9 if they were spicier)
Tom’s score: 3/10
Saveur Pastis
Pastis was the most unexpected potato chip flavor we came across. New for 2024, curiosity got the best of me, so naturally we had to buy a bag — despite the fact that neither of us are fans of Pastis liqueur or licorice-flavored things in general.
If you’re not familiar with it, Pastis is an anise-flavored herbal spirit and apéritif. Its anise and licorice notes come from ingredients like anise seeds, fennel, and licorice root itself. The alcohol is about 45% alcohol by volume, but the bag of chips is clearly labeled “sans alcool” (without alcohol) just in case there were any doubts.
So what do Pastis chips taste like? Well, the first thing that hits you is the licorice smell and flavor, then you taste the potatoes and the salt as you chew, and as you swallow, you’ll get a light licorice taste again on the finish.
They’re not disgusting by any means, but I’d say steer clear if you aren’t a fan of the Pastis taste in general. We both thought it was an odd flavor for chips.
Diane’s score: 2/10
Tom’s score: 2/10
Saveur Bacon Grillée
We both love bacon, so could Brets bring bacon to life in chip form? They sure tried and we’re here for it! These have a slight initial smokiness to them and taste like bacon in a frying pan.
As with all the flavors, it’s somewhat subtle and you won’t be overwhelmed by the taste of bacon. It’s not artificial or over the top. I’m not a huge fan of grilled/smoky flavors as I mentioned, but they were pretty good. Tom said they were really well done but a bit too écœurant for him.
P.S. Tom wanted to clarify something about his lower-ish score here although he likes the flavor and is “impressed by the taste.” He says the higher the score, the more likely he is to eat an entire bag in one sitting… that he’d just keep reaching in for one chip after the other.
He likes this flavor but the bacon flavor is a bit strong “like when you leave it in the frying pan until the bacon is dark and crunchy.” Although he likes the taste, he’d eat five or six chips and be satisfied.
I’m not an eat-the-whole-bag kind of snacker and didn’t feel they were too bacony or anything. But they were good. Just not one of my favorites.
Diane’s score: 6/10
Tom’s score: 6/10
Pili Pili
Pili Pili (also called piri piri) is a hot pepper originally produced by Portuguese explorers in Portugal’s former Southern African territories. Based on the bag alone, I had high hopes for these chips. I was ready for some heat since these are the hottest ones Brets makes, as you can see by the three peppers filled in on the pepper scale up there on the bag.
Except…. I didn’t end up tasting them at all. MAJOR bummer. Right before I put one in my mouth, I checked the ingredients and realized the chips contained something I’m highly allergic to, so I unfortunately had to pass on this variety.
I’m still majorly bummed out because I’m sure they are exactly what I was looking for… a nice burn and a step up on the heat scale from the cheddar jalapeño ones. Oh well, nothing is worth a hospital visit. Tom hates anything spicy and I knew he wouldn’t like them at all, hence his low score, so these are going in the trash.
Diane’s score: N/A
Tom’s score: 1/10
Tartiflette
If you’re not familiar with it, tartiflette is a hearty potato dish from Savoy in the French Alps. It’s made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons, and onions.
Let me start off by saying I’m NOT a huge fan of tartiflette (the meal). It’s too heavy with all the potatoes and isn’t something I love. Tom, on the other hand, loves a good tartiflette in the winter. So that’s why this flavor surprised me. I actually LOVED them — like seriously kept going back for more. Brets captures the flavor impeccably well.
Right after the crunch, there’s a hint of lardons with just enough cheese that the combo is seriously impressive. This is my top flavor and I never would have guessed.
Tom says eating these chips mentally transported him to when he had tartiflette in the mountains with his family on a ski trip. They’re THAT good.
Diane’s score: 9.5/10
Tom’s score: 9/10
Tomates Séchées & Vinaigre Balsamique (Sun-dried tomatoes & balsamic vinegar)
OK, most of Brets chips have very subtle flavors but this one might be the exception. Right away, you’re hit with a blast of balsamic vinegar and it’s quite sweet. It makes you pucker up a little bit. The sun-dried tomato flavor is very mild and overpowered by the excessive vinegar.
We didn’t like these at all. The sweet vinegar was too strong and kind of ruined it. They looked promising but hard pass from us.
Diane’s score: 2/10
Tom’s score: 3/10
Saveur Cheddar Oignon de Roscoff
Roscoff onions are from Brittany and are known for their pink color and mildly sweet flavor. I like onions and cheddar, so how’d the combo come together? REALLY well.
I think the onion taste was a little more prominent than the cheddar and together, the flavor combo was great. You can really taste the Roscoff onion subtleties. Brets nailed the flavor here, once again.
Diane’s score: 7/10
Tom’s score: 7.5/10
Saveur Camembert
Camembert is a popular creamy cow’s milk cheese in France, so of course Brets has a Camembert chip! They are cheesy and wonderful. They taste like straight up cheese — you almost get hints of very ripe Camembert — so if you’re a cheese lover, you’ll want to try these. If I blind taste tested them, I’m not sure I’d know they were Camembert chips specifically but they’re realllly good.
Diane’s score: 8/10
Tom’s score: 8/10
Saveur Poivrons Grillés Chorizo (Grilled bell peppers chorizo)
These have a slightly spiced paprika sort of taste with a hint of bell pepper and smoky chorizo. They’re pretty good and would be great for a summer barbecue. We didn’t think they were outstanding, but they were solid if you’re into a smoky taste and a tiny kick of spice.
Diane’s score: 6/10
Tom’s score: 5/10
Saveur Pizza au Feu de Bois (Wood-fired pizza)
A quality wood-fired pizza is one of my top meals, so I had high hopes for these chips. Could they encapsulate all the goodness of a wood-fired pizza? The verdict is… not exactly. They’re good but just weren’t a standout flavor for me. I tasted the oregano and herbs upon the first crunch and Tom said the wood-fired crust was the first thing he tasted and was really mesmerized by these.
They’re a solid chip variety but if you’re a true pizza lover, you might be a little disappointed and want to go for actual pizza instead.
Diane’s score: 5/10
Tom’s score: 8/10
Saveur Miel Moutarde (Honey mustard)
If you’re a fan of honey mustard, you’ll like these. The flavors are equally balanced (mustard might win out a tiny bit over the honey). You definitely taste the sweetness from the honey and get a kick from the mustard. It’s more of a spicy mustard and not yellow mustard.
The combo of flavors is a bit less subtle than some of the other flavors, though.
These are well done but were a bit too bold for my personal taste. Tom didn’t think he’d like these and was pleasantly surprised.
Diane’s score: 3/10
Tom’s score: 5/10
Brets chips: The winners
From the flavor name alone, I thought I’d have ranked the Pizza Feu de Bois a bit higher so my top flavors surprised me a bit. Tom was a little more predictable.
Overall, here are our top flavors:
Diane:
1. Tartiflette
2. Chili Pointe de Menthe
3. Camembert
Tom:
1. Côte de Bœuf
2. Tartiflette
3. Camembert
**Special mention:** Pizza au Feu de Bois/Cheddar Oignons Roscoff: Tom had a hard time ranking his favorites because he’s a chip lover and appreciated all the flavors. Many of them ranked really high for him and he wanted to make sure he gave both the pizza and Roscoff onions flavors more love here in his special mention because they were THAT good.
One more note: Tom’s all-time favorite flavor from Brets is Fromage du Jura which has a flavor profile kind of like Camembert, just with Jura cheese. If you’re not familiar with Jura, it tastes like Comté cheese, from the Jura Mountains. They didn’t have any Jura chips when we did our shopping this time so they weren’t included in this taste test. But we eat them often in our house and they are 100% worth a look if you find them on your next grocery run!
Where to buy Brets chips in the U.S.?
If your taste buds are salivating, head over to myPanier if you live in the U.S. to grab a few bags for yourself. They’re my go-to online French supermarket and won’t disappoint!
Get the Camembert chips here and Tartiflette here.
Read this post for more about French snack food!
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Have you tried Brets potato chips? What are your favorite flavors or what flavors would you try if you had the opportunity?
Disclosure: This post is NOT sponsored by Brets. I am an affiliate of myPanier.
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So fun! I’ll be in France in a few days! Can’t wait to try some of these. Thank you for doing all the hard work of taste testing! BTW, I love your blogs, so full of wise advice on France and life in general!
First, have a wonderful trip and if you’re able to pick up a few bags of chips, definitely reply back and let me know which ones you like the best!
What a fun post! I love the seriousness that you two brought to the task. When we come to Paris in February I look forward to trying the Tartiflette and the Côte de Boeuf varieties (if they are still available).
Hi Diane. What a terrific blog. Im sure it took Tom and you hours shopping for the varieties of Brets you wanted to taste test, do the tasting comparisons, record the results and post them into your blog. Worth every crunch,. I also read your companion blog on chips and snacks from August which is a good book end. Im not big on snack foods but pretzels and potato chips would be my
favorites. And I only buy Brets while in France. Other than plain and lightly salted, id select the Camembert and the tartalette. I was under the misimpression that chips were served with apero. I tend to serve a dish of Cape Cod Kettle Chips with other appetizers during cocktail time when entering. I remember in the early ’60s in the Wildwood boardwalk arcade, a couple made fresh chips to order for 10
cents served in a waxed paper bag. Other than that it was Wise Owl chips for 5 cents a small bag.
So thank you very much for your excellent and interesting blogs and YouTube videos. They are the highlight of my days.
Sincerely Joe and Gigi retired in Cape May.
Love this! I posted a similar photo the first time I saw the Brets display. We have tried several of Brets flavors and I buy them when I can find them. I am looking forward to trying the beef flavored ones and the tartiflette. Try the Tomme de Brebis avec Cerises Noires an interesting Basque flavor combination.
We are slowly discovering the varieties of products and different flavors available in French grocery stores. Some of the groceries aisles make my eyes cross there are so many choices. And then again sometimes I can’t find what I think is a staple like a can of chicken broth. But I am learning to adapt.
Australian here and I lived in France in 1989 and, back then, chips didn’t seem that popular outside of something to put on the table at an apéro, and the only flavour was plain salted. I used to have to go to the Marks & Spencers store (British store in Paris) to get any other flavour when I was feeling a bit homesick and just wanted to eat some salt and vinegar chips!
What a really interesting variety of flavours! I think I would like quite a few of these and would definitely enjoy doing a taste test like these!
What delicious fun! When we were in Pernes, we kept buying big bags of Aioli flavored potato chips at our grocery store.. I think they may have been Lays. We can’t find them here in the States , and we have looked and looked for them. Try them if you see them there.
Yes, Brets aioli ones are great too!!! YUM!
just found some at a store in Quebec City near my house (I’m American though). I got fromage du jura, confit d’oignon au vinaigre balsamique, and fromage frais fines herbes. Cheese ones are ok for me, my 8yo liked them, belgian hubby did not. i love the onion balsamic, haven’t tried the cream cheese and herb but I assume they’ll taste like sour cream and onion.