In 1826, Charles X bought the Grignon estate to house a school of agriculture, whose statutes were approved by royal ordinance in May 1827. So began the oldest of France's schools of agronomy, today part of AgroParisTech. Two hundred years on – what does the food on our plates owe to that science?
Over the course of an evening, Finnish and French researchers explain how wheat breeding, the microbiology of sourdough and cheese, sensory analysis and agroecology have reshaped what we eat.
The talks are followed by a tasting across various tables. This is not a journey back in time – the taste of 1827 is beyond our reach, and we'll explain why – but a chance to taste, in today's foods, what two centuries of research made possible, with French and Finnish traditions side by side: sourdough breads and ruisleipä, Comté and leipäjuusto, fermented vegetables, and the proteins of tomorrow.
Have a recipe handed down in your family? Send it with your registration and it will join our recipe wall.
The evening will be held in English.
Admission is free, but registration is required.
Organiser: French Institute in Finland
Registration
Registration opens at 10:00 on 11 January 2027. The registration form will be added to this page when registration opens.
Accessibility information
Access to the French Institute in Finland and its interior spaces is adapted for persons with reduced mobility. However, please note that the ramp leading to the entrance is steep and requires the help of an assistant for wheelchair users.
There is no accessible restroom at the French Institute in Finland, but the accessible restroom is available on the same floor close to the conference room to visitors throughout the evening.
Further accessibility information before and during the event:
Mathieu Girerd, mathieu.girerd(at)france.fi, +358 (0) 505 544 509