Haute Cuisine. This is the classic french fare of hearty portions, rich sauces, and classic recipes like Foie Gras, Bresse Chicken with Truffles, and Escargots stuffed with garlic butter. Auguste Escoffier is known for bringing this style to the French mainstream around the turn of the century. He published a book called Le Guide Culinaire, which formalized many preparation techniques. He used the highly sophisticated Cuisine of the 17th century as a starting point, and succeeded at making these recipes more accessible to a more modern yet still highly discerning France. The 4th edition of this book was updated around the time of his death and has been translated into English. It's supposed to be a great encyclopedia to both beginners and experts. I am going to pick it up and try out some recipes soon.
Nouvelle Cuisine. This is a somewhat controversial movement that came about in the 1970s, and it represented a stark contrast to the haute cuisine because of its smaller portions, fewer calories, and quicker preparation. The Troisgros brothers may have been the first to move this direction, but it was their apprentices - Paul Bocuse, Bernard Louiseau, Henry Gault, Guy Savoy, etc - who ran with it. The food was "of the moment" and this is appropriate because many feel it's losing relevance in the 21st century. Recipes include small, artistically arranged dishes that are void of heavy sauces, which were such a staple of Escoffier's style.
Cuisine de Terroir. Here we find that very French attribute of regional pride. One of the great aspects of french food is its variety. There are so many different regional styles of french cooking and cuisine de terroir reflects the uniqueness of each. Whether it's Salade Nicoise in Nice, or Beef Bourguignon in Burgundy, the names often reflect the city or region which they're from. Often you find this in smaller towns, which rely on the availability of local produce, dairy and meat to determine their recipes. But it has become increasingly popular in the big cities like Paris and Lyon as well. May also be referred to as regional or bistro fare. Examples would be Steak-Frites, Patés, or Croque Monsieur - a grilled cheese sandwich made with Brioche, Gruyere and Dijon Mustard. This is also served with French fries.
This is not a detailed description of the ever diverse French Cuisine, but it hopefully serves as a starting point. A couple of great authentic French restaurants in the Northwest are Le Pichet in downtown Seattle, Café Presse in Capitol Hill, and Carafe in Portland. Bon Appetit!
Great reading on the subject: The Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute Cuisine, A Meal Observed.
