When In Paris
Edited from a recent magazine article I was asked to write.
It may seem strange writing about Paris when we live in the Lamguedoc, but its worth remembering that the city is a mere four hours and a bit from Beziers making this an excellent day trip for visitors and guests and a great long weekend trip away for us staying at our Paris home. There is an early train to Paris leaving Beziers at approx 06h00 getting in town for morning coffee and there is a early evening train back approx 19h30. Train fares are indeed cheap if booked in advance. We are often asked, what are the best places to eat and the best places to shop when here…so here are a few of our selections. This is a work in progress naturally…….but more importantly, this is where we eat, drink, shop and relax.
Restaurants
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Verjus Wine Bar 47, rue Montpensier The brainchild of Braden and Laura of Paris’s supper club Hidden Kitchen, head here for an excellent selection of small plates, such as morsels of buttermilk fried chicken and celery root dumplings.
Spring 6, Rue Bailleul Executing a five-step tasting menu from a totally open kitchen, American chef Daniel Rose and his team offer an inventive and thoughtful dining experience just a stone’s through from the Louvre and excellent for a typical Parisian dining experience.
The Beef Club 58, rue Jean Jacques Rousseau If you love your beef this is the place for you. Opened by the team behind The Experimental Cocktail Club, The Beef Club is modeled on an Anglophone steak house and is serving up Longhorn beef sourced from Yorkshire by Ginger Pig.
75002
Frenchie 5-6, Rue du Nil Ex-head chef of Fifteen Greg Marchand’s table is one of the hardest to get in the city. Head here for the fresh and innovative market menu and casual, but fun atmosphere.
Frenchie Bar a Vins 5-6, Rue du Nil Following the success of Frenchie restaurant comes the equally sought out spot at the no reservations wine bar.
Blend 44, rue d’argout
Blend burgers are the talk of the town, based on a special blend by boucher boheme, Yves-Marie le Bourdonnec.
75003
Breizh Café 109, Rue Vieille du Temple Home to Paris’s finest crepes, Breizh cafe uses top quality ingredients to create a range of highly original buckwheat savoury galettes.
Candelaria 52, Rue de Saintonge Tacos, tostados and huevos rancheros are among the Mexican offerings at this busy eat-in, take out and cocktail bar in the Haut Marais.
75006
L’Avant Comptoir 9, Carrefour de l’Odéon This little wine bar is up there as one of Paris’s tiniest cooking establishments. Seen to be believed.
Le Comptoir 9, Carrefour de l’Odéon Often hailed as the father of the bistronomique movement in Paris, Yves Camdeborde’s modern take on the bistrot makes the most of the nose-to-tail philosophy and at the weekend offers good bistrot fare at reasonable prices
75007
La Fontaine de Mars 129, Rue Saint-Dominique This traditional Parisian bistrot is known for its hearty French fare.
75010
Le Verre Volé 67, Rue de Lancry The perfect cave á manger, with natural wines and a short market menu, this fun wine bar is a Canal Saint Martin favourite.
Bob’s Juice Bar 15, Rue Lucien Sampaix If you need a break from French food, we pop by Bob’s for a juice and a healthy salad from Mark’s New York style eatery.
Albion 80 rue Faubourg Poissionière An expat team who met at Saint Germain’s Boissonerie recently opened this oenologically-orientated bistrot in a trendy part of town.
75011
Rino 46, Rue Trousseau In this pocket-sized bistrot chef Giovanni Passerini offers a modern French menu with a strong Italian influence.
Septime 80, Rue de Charonne One of our favourite places to eat in Paris for its colourful, artistically executed set menu. We always return here when we are in the city.
Le Bistrot Paul Bert 18, Rue Paul Bert Perhaps one of Paris’s worst kept secrets, this neighbourhood bistrot dishes up all the French classics in a quintessentially Parisian setting.
Aux Deux Amis 45, Rue Oberkampf This quirky ex-Tabac attracts hipsters and locals alike who cram into the tiny space to swig natural wines and share plates of French ‘tapas’ in a fun and unpretentious setting.
Le Chateaubriand 129, Avenue Parmentier A neo-bistrot with a cutting edge no choice 5 course dinner menu; Inaki Aizpitarte is hailed as one of Paris’ coolest chefs since Le Chateaubriand opened in 2008.
Le Dauphin 131, Avenue Parmentier Inaki Aizpitarte’s trendy tapas bar designed by Rem Koolhaas opened to an enslaught of adoration from chefs and critics and offers an eclectic mix of high-end sharing plates.
Au Passage 1bis, passage de Saint-Sebastien Part of the new breed of neo-bistrots offering natural wines, sharing plates featuring excellent ingredients and a laid-back atmosphere.
Le Grain de Riz 49, Rue Godefroy Cavaignac This tiny Vietnamese restaurant serves genuine delicious Vietnamese food with a warm, friendly smile.
Chez Aline 85, Rue de la Roquette Chez Aline is a fabulous little lunch place where Delphine Zalpetti (ex Le Verre Volé) cooks up fresh simple dishes. It is a great place to head for a mid-week lunch.
75012
La Gazzetta 29, Rue de Cotte Petter Nilsson is one of Paris’s most celebrated chefs and his restaurant La Gazzetta offers an inventive market based menu at affordable prices.
75018
Le Bal Cafe 6, Impasse de la Défense An Anglo-inspired eatery offering great coffee, an exemplary kedgeree and an ideal terrace for an aperitif.
75019
Le Baratin 3, rue Jouye-Rouve Off a little sidestreet in Paris’s second Chinatown Belleville, you’ll find this restaurant serving simple, tasty French food and a great selection of wines.
Que du Bon 22, Rue Plateau A casual neighbouhood bistrot with a daily changing market menu at great prices.
Shops
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Mora 13, Rue Montmartre This store is a must for any budding chef. A little pricey, but all the products sold in the store are of great quality.
E.Dehillerin 20, Rue Coquillière Head to E.Dehillerin for everything you might want in the way of kitchenware; difficult to leave without and armful of copper pans, patisserie moulds and random knick knacks.
75002
G.Detou 58, Rue Tiquetonne A treasure trove of ingredients with everything you can imagine from foie gras to 10k bags of chocolate buttons.
75003
Mary’s Ice Cream 1, Rue Charles-François Dupuis Gelato lovers are well-catered for at this authentic little Italian gelateria run by Mary Quarta. I go here for the freshest raspberry sorbet in town.
75006
Grom 81, Rue de Seine The only French outpost for the Turin-born gelateria, Grom is one of the city’s best ice cream shops.
75007
Marie-Anne Cantin 12, Rue Champ de Mars Fromage aficionado Marie-Anne Cantin is a renowned cheese seller and refiner.
75009
La Chambre des Confitures 9, rue des Martyrs A gorgeous little boutique on a very foodie street, stocking a fabulous selection of extensive collection of jams, chutneys, confits and spreads for slathering on your baguette.
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La Cocotte 5, rue Paul Bert A quirky little store selling cute aprons, tea towels and other cutesy kitchen items.
75019
Ma Cave en Ville 105, Rue de Belleville Everyone needs a trusted wine seller, and this is mine! A great selection of wine featuring a number of hard-to-find organic and natural wines.
Cafés/Bars
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Le Telescope 5, rue Villedo This brand spanking new cafe is part of the new wave of excellent coffee shops transforming the Parisian cafe scene.
O-Chateau 68, Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau The brainchild of sommelier and social commentator Olivier Magny, O-Chateau is a classy wine bar.
75004
Le Cafeotheque 52, Rue de l’Hôtel de ville One of the key players in the transformation of Parisian coffee culture, Le Caféothèque serves exceptional coffee and sells beans to go.
75006
Da Rosa 62, Rue de Seine Hand sliced iberico can be nibbled over a glass of wine and some Italian olives on this excellent terrace for people watching.
75007 Coutume Café 7, Rue de Babylone Siphon coffee and Patisserie des Reves pastries are all on the menu at this chic little coffee shop with an Anglo-American feel.
75012
Le Baron Rouge 1, Rue Théophile Roussel A bustling cheap and cheerful wine bar that is perfect for a post-Aligre market carafe of wine and a plate of shucked-to-order oysters.
75019
Rosa Bonheur 2, allée de la Cascade In the park Buttes Chaumont this bar-cum-cafe is a chilled out place with outdoor picnic benches.
Bakeries/Pâtisseries
75001
Angelina 226 Rue de Rivoli So it is a little touristy, but this Parisian institution serves some of the thickest hot chocolate in town.
75003
Jacques Genin 133, rue de Turenne Head to his salon de the for a degustation of his delicate chocolates or try one of his assembled-to-order millefeuilles, one of the best in town.
Pain de Sucre 14, rue Rambuteau Part of the new breed of boutique patisserie in Paris, Pain de Sucre sells macarons and elaborate reinvented classic pastries.
75006
Pierre Hermé 72, Rue Bonaparte Arguably one of Paris’s most important patissiers, Pierre Hermé is famous for reinventing the macaron with his quirky sweet and savoury pairings.
75007
Patisserie des Reves 93, Rue du Bac Everything created by Philippe Conticini is so beautifully presented that it nearly looks like a jewel shop. Try Le Paris Brest.
75010
Du Pain et Des Idées 34, rue Yves Toudic ‘Le Pain des Amis’, a rustic sourdough with an epic smoky crust, is the brainchild of baker Christophe Vasseur, who supplies the city’s leading restaurants.
75011
Le Blé Sucré 7, Rue Antoine Vollon At this neighbourhood boulangerie discover beautiful breads, exemplary cannelé, and a range of pretty patisserie.
75018
Boulangerie Gontran Cherrier 22, Rue Caulaincourt Gontran Cherrier is not only charming but he bakes fantastically innovative bread, like his squidgy squid ink buns.
75019
Veronique Mauclerc 83, Rue de Crimee This local boulangerie headed by Veronique Mauclerc offers a variety of breads studded with nuts and raisins as well as a good selection of organic breads.
Picnic spots
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Place des Vosges When it comes to picturesque picnic spots, the perfectly symmetrical Place des Vosges offers a quiet getaway from the Marais crowds. Grad a world famous falafel wrap from the rue des Rosiers and enjoy by the fountains.
Ile Saint Louis So it’s not always easy to get a spot here in the height of summer, but if you manage to you can while away the afternoon with views onto the Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame and the Seine.
75008
Champ de Mars In the shadow of one of the city’s most iconic structures, join the hoards of other picnickers for an unbeatable view of the Eiffel Tower.
75010
Canal St Martin When Spring finally arrives and the leaves are back on the trees, the Canal St Martin comes into its own with a fun crowd of drinkers spilling out from the bars onto the cobbled canal banks.
75019
Buttes-Chaumont Not purely due to its proximity to my flat, but the Buttes Chaumont is one of my favourite picnic places in Paris. One of the few unmanicured parks in the city, this is one of the most charming parks to jog, picnic and play.
Markets
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Marche des Enfants Rouges 39, Rue de Bretagne This enclosed market in the trendy haut Marais is said to be one of the oldest in Paris.
75012
Marche d’Aligre, Place Aligre Open all week long except Mondays, the Marche d’Aligre is one of Paris’s most bustling markets.
75017
Batignolles An organic market open on Saturdays.
75016
Marche Place du President Wilson Head to this open air market on Wednesday or Saturday and you’ll find the famous Joel Thiebault and his beautiful heritage root vegetables grown just a few miles from Paris.
75019
Boulevard de la Villette A newly discovered local market where I stock up on delicious farm eggs and cheeses.
