Those fastidious foodies the French have paid Britons the ultimate culinary compliment by voting them the most adventurous for trying local and exotic foods on holiday.

According to a survey from travel company Expedia.co.uk, Britons are far from squeamish when it comes to sampling exotic cultural cuisine.

French hoteliers put Britons above Italians in the globetrotting gourmet table in a poll which also asked more than 1,000 Britons for their views on holiday cuisine.

Four in five Britons said it was important for them to sample authentic local food and wine on holiday. As many as 8% claimed to have killed their own food while away on holiday, and 37% have let a waiter or one of the locals choose food for them.

Only 4% of Britons said finding a full English breakfast or a place serving fish and chips was a holiday essential. France and Italy were the two best places to go for a good culinary experience, with Midlanders most interested in the type of food they get on holiday and those from the North of England the least interested.

Expedia.co.uk managing director Caroline Cartellieri said: “These findings really show how much attitudes to food in Britain have changed over the past few years — not just at home but in the way we choose and experience food abroad, as people feel inspired to travel more often and further afield.

“We have also seen a dramatic rise in demand for ’gastro holidays’ — from wine tours to cookery courses — from our customers over the last few years, so it’s great to see that the perception of British tourists abroad has changed and we’re even recognised by the French as appreciating local food.”

The top 10 'adventurous' dishes from around the world.

How many have you tried?

1 Fugu: Japan: The infamous pufferfish, highly poisonous unless cooked with extreme care. Some professional chefs prepare the fish so that there is a minute amount of poison in the meat, giving a prickling feeling and numbness on the tongue and the lips

2 Cobra blood: Indonesia: The blood and heart of the cobra mixed with Arak, a middle-eastern liqueur, and served as a shot

3 Fried tarantula: Cambodia: Best plucked straight from its burrow and pan-fried in sugar and garlic - they apparently are crispy on the outside but runny on the inside.

4 Durian: Vietnam: Fruit of the Malvaceae trees, with a skin covered in sharp thorns and an unpleasant odour, but has a custard taste. People in Indonesia make 'tempoya' by fermenting the fruit; which can then be minced with salt, onions and vinegar

5 Lamb fries: Lancashire, UK: Lamb testicles that have been peeled, bread-crumbed and fried

6 Mashonzha: South Africa: Found in mopani trees, these are worms that look similar to caterpillars and can be eaten alive, or fried

7 Iguana meat: El Salvador: The meat of the iguana is said to taste like chicken but is much tougher

8 Poi: Hawaii: Made from the poisonous taro root, poi is mashed and cooked into a strong-tasting, edible paste

9 Huhu: New Zealand: Fried larvae from the Hubu beetle

10 Boruga: Columbia: A Columbian rodent, highly prized for its meat and not easy to catch

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