Foodie cities have amazing options, but they're different from the ubiquitous excellent food the French have.

Foodie cities have great farmers markets, but in much of France that's just ordinary in any town. Foodie cities have a wider diversity of ethnic restaurants than French towns, but in the towns every restaurant is always solidly great. There's just no room for Olive Garden.

I don't mean to get all utopian. I've had some so so food in France. But you can get great wines in every convenience store, for shockingly little money. The French really do care about food way more than Americans do. Those Americans who try are seen as being kind of weird.