The top ten heartiest French winter dishes Check out these hearty French dishes. Warning waste lines may expand. Shutterstock/www.taste.com Winter is coming, as everyone keeps saying, so The Local has put together a list of top French dishes from meaty stews to cheesy gratins and other French classics that will help you through the coming winter months. Rich, hearty dishes don't necessarily come to mind when you think about France's famed cuisine. But the French are in fact experts in comfort food. He's ten of the best winter dishes from France and links to recipes if you fancy trying to cook them. Pot-au-feu Canal Gourmandises Paris Pot-au-feu is a mouthwatering stew of different kinds of meat, marrow bones and root vegetables. Preparation is easy but the stew needs to cook on low heat for quite some time. The meat, veggies and broth are served in separate dishes, accompanied by horseradish, spicy Dijon mustard and pickled gherkins. The bone marrow is spread on to toasted pieces of bread, but this may not be everyone's cup of tea. Click here for recipe Onion soup French onion soup is well known outside of France, and with good reason. It's easy to make and it'll definitely warm you up when it's cold outside. There are a few different, but all delicious, variations on the recipe. Some suggest a slice of bread on top while others are gratinéed to create a crusty layer of cheese. Alight If you're a fan of mashed potato then you're going to love aligot, a specialty from the Aubrac region. Blend the mash with cream, cheese, butter and garlic until you've achieved a perfectly smooth texture. Normally, cheese from the region is used such as "Tomme d'Auvergne" or "Tomme de Laguiole" but if you can't get your hands on that mozzarella or cheddar work fine too. Backoeffe The Alsace region bordering Germany is famous for rich dishes. Backoeffe is a type of stew with cubes of mutton, beef and pork which are marinated overnight and then slow cooked with vegetables in a casserole. Fondue It would be impossible to survive an Alpine winter without this famous dish from the Savoie region. It's easy to make, delicious and the best way to refuel after a long day on the slopes. Boeuf Bourguignon This hearty meat dish is one of the most famous recipes of the Burgundy region and is well known outside France too. It's prepared with cuts of beef, onions, carrots, celery and pancetta. To stay true to the recipe's origins, use a Burgundy red wine for the marinade and the sauce. Tartiflette Another delicious winter dish out of the Savoie region, tartiflette is a potato gratin with onions and bacon covered in melted reblochon cheese. Make sure to work up a proper appetite before digging into this dish or you'll be full after just a few bites. Cassoulet Cassoulet is a stew from the Languedoc region made with beans, meat and sausages. It takes a while both to prepare and to cook but the result is definitely worth it and will be a big hit on a cold winter night. Choucroute Garnie Choucroute garnie is another Alsatian specialty. It's similar to German Sauerkraut except that it's cooked in wine. Topped with ham hocks, bacon, onions and apples, it makes for a tasty and filling dish. Gratin Dauphinois Gratin dauphinois is a rich and creamy potato gratin from the Dauphiné region. It's a bit of a calorie bomb because of all the cream but that's what makes it so tasty. Traditionally, the gratin is made with just milk, cream and potatoes but many recipes suggest putting cheese in as well.