French fries are believed to have originated in either Belgium or France, with both countries laying claim to their invention. Belgian lore holds that in the late 1600s, villagers along the River Meuse traditionally ate fried fish, but when the river froze in winter, they fried sliced potatoes as a substitute, creating the earliest version of fries

. Belgium has maintained this claim and even petitioned UNESCO to recognize fries as part of its cultural heritage

. On the other hand, French historians and some sources argue that fries originated in France, where fried potatoes were sold by street vendors in Paris as early as the 1780s, and became a popular Parisian dish in the 19th century. A Paris-trained cook brought the recipe to Belgium in the 1840s and popularized the stick-cut style fries

. The term "French fries" likely comes from American soldiers in World War I who encountered the fried potatoes in Belgium, where French is spoken, and thus dubbed them "French fries"

. In France and Belgium, they are usually called "pommes frites" or fried potatoes. In summary, while the exact origin is debated, the most widely accepted story is that French fries originated in Belgium, with strong French culinary influence and naming by American soldiers