In certain parts of Europe you’ll be offered a digestif automatically at the end of the meal. In the French alps, at the end of the meal, strong Genepi will be plunked onto the table. If you find yourself in southern Italy or Sicily, it’ll be Limoncello (hopefully homemade), and in Corsica, you’ll be offered a choice of Myrtle liqueur or Chestnut liqueur. Watch out though- digestifs are often quite strong and if the men around the table have had enough to drink, the digestif degustation, or tasting of all the available digestifs you have in your cupboard, may become a contest. I briefly worked in one restaurant that would leave the bottle on the table and allow you to drink as much as you like!
Brandy, fortified wine and liqueurs are all popular digestifs in France. In Provence, you generally won’t be automatically offered a digestif except if you’re in the mountains. I suppose our food is lighter here so you don’t need as much help burning a hole in that solidified fondu in your stomach. However, there are some specialities from Provence that you can ask for to keep you warm on your walk home.
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