When was sugar introduced into France or Western Europe?

[Mike I]

I'm curious when sugar became available for the cuisines of France and Western Europe through invading armies, trade routes, etc.

 

[Kaviani999]

Europeans had honey since forever. That contains sugar.

They had sugar beets, too, and started making a sweet syrup from it in 1590.

 

[NiceOne]

Of course, honey had been widely available in the West long before sugar as we know it. But sugar itself was developed first in India, and then spread to the West along with the Muslim expansion around the 8th century. It was certainly in southern France and throughout Spain by that time.

You can read more about the history of sugar development and use in Europe at the Wikipedia article below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar#History