Montmartre, Paris’ 18th arrondissement, symbolizes a variety of things to different people: some love the artistic vibe, (none other than Dali, Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh, to name just the painters, lived in the neighborhood,) while others enjoy the tranquility, (the narrow and often pedestrian streets tend to make the neighborhood quieter than other areas of Paris. ) Some know Montmartre for its Pigalle “red light district,” others for the Sacré Coeur Basilica, which majestically watches over Paris from the very top of the hill. Still others have begun to dream of visiting Montmartre after having seen it in the popular movie “Amélie.”
To me, Montmartre rhymes with friendship. Our close friends in Paris all live in Montmartre or very near to it. We’ve had countless parties, lavish dinners, and drinks in the area, and we’ve come to know it through the eyes of our friends who would never trade their arrondissement for any other. Up until now, when we would travel to Paris, E and I would always stay in the 2nd, attached to the Montorgueil area, because that’s where we lived for five months in 2009. The last time we visited Paris, we grew tired of always having to endure the long subway ride or pay expensive taxi fares to climb up to Montmartre and visit our friends. Therefore, we decided that the next time we were in Paris, we would try to stay there instead.
In an effort to get to know (and love) the neighborhood like the locals do, I’ve enlisted my friend Fred to show me his favorite shops, the places where he himself goes to buy his groceries. He’s been living in Montmartre for more than six years, and he’s the perfect guide–he’s a true gourmand who cooks with the natural abilities and instincts of a professional chef. He has made some of the best meals we’ve enjoyed in Paris, and I know exactly how much the quality and origins of the products he uses matter to him. Like most Parisians, he goes to many different, small, specialty shops instead of going to one large grocery store, and many of the merchants he regularly visits know him personally, by name.
Most of the shops we visited are gathered along the main streets of Montmartre: Rue Lepic, Rue des Abbesses, and Rue de Caulincourt. Walking from one of these shops to another is easy and fun, especially if you stop once or twice along the way to have coffee or a drink in one of the many neighborhood cafés – on the terrace, bien sûr. All year long, rows of tables and chairs facing the cobblestone streets of Montmartre provide the best venues for people-watching in Paris. What’s more, the terraces are even heated throughout the winter.
I’ll take you through the best gourmet shops of Montmartre hoping you’ll one day have the chance to go and live like a Montmartrois for a week. Warning: you probably won’t ever want to leave.
Looking for the giveaway? Scroll down, details at the end of the post!
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Gourmet Grocery Store: Marché des gastronomes
- Go for: Their amazing selection of fine Iberico (Spanish) ham. You can buy a whole leg, they’ll package it for you in an easy to carry cardboard suitcase.
- You’ll also find: Fresh fruits and vegetables, international and French specialties, gourmet gifts such as prettily packaged oils, spices, salts and jams. They also have a nice selection of fine wines.
- Where: 9, place Pigalle (M- Pigalle)
Phone: 01 80 06 85 56
www.lemarchedesgastronomes.com - Opening Hours:
Monday from 5 to 9 PM, Tuesday to Sunday from 10AM to 9PM.
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Spices and Condiments: Le comptoir colonial
- Go for: Their amazing selection of spices, including rare varieties like whole white cardamom, nigella seeds and over 30 different kinds of peppercorn.
- You’ll also find: Freshly-pressed olive oil from Provence, a large selection of bottled oils and vinegars, mustards, savory preserves, spice blends, whole cocoa beans, tea, coffee and some freshly prepared snacks like marinated olives and anchovies, tapenades, hummus, etc.
- Where: 22, rue Lepic (M- Blanche or Abbesses)
Phone: 01 42 58 44 84
www.lecomptoircolonial.com - Opening Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 8:45AM to 13PM and 16 to 20PM
Thurday: 16 to 20PM
Sunday: 10:30AM to 13:30PM
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French Specialties: L’épicerie du terroir
- Go for: French classics like foie gras.
- You’ll also find: Charcuteries (cured meats such as salami), Calissons d’Aix (a traditional candy made of ground almonds and candied fruit paste), nougat, Mariage Frère teas.
- Where: 26, rue Lepic (M- Blanche or Abbesses)
Phone: 01 42 62 94 66 - Opening Hours:
Non-stop everyday and Sunday mornings.
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American-Style Bakery: Berko
- Go for: Their collection of cute and delicious mini-cupcakes. Cupcakes are a relatively new trend in Paris and there are few bakeries that sell them. Berko does them with a great attention to detail and amazing flavors.
- You’ll also find: Mini-tartlets and superb cheesecakes. There are a couple of tables to enjoy the sweets on site with a cup of coffee.
- Where: 31, rue Lepic (M- Blanche or Abbesses)
Phone: 01 42 62 94 12
www.berko.fr - Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday, 10AM to 7:30PM
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Oysters: La Mascotte
- Go for: The best selection of the freshest oysters
- You’ll also find: A restaurant where you can enjoy the oysters and other seafood specialties.
- Where: 52, rue des Abbesses (M- Abbesses)
Phone : 01 46 06 28 15
www.la-mascotte-montmartre.com - Opening Hours:
Restaurant opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 12 to 15PM, 19PM to midnight
Saturday-Sunday: 12PM to midnight
The take-out counter may be open non-stop on weekdays; call to ensure they are before you go.
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Italian Specialties: La Bottega di Piacenza
- Go for: Italian cheeses like aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino-Romano or Mozzarella di Bufala.
- You’ll also find: Everything Italian: cured meats, sweets, wines, fresh and dried pasta, take-out dishes.
- Where: 53, rue des Abbesses (M- Abbesses)
Phone: 01 44 92 90 99 - Opening Hours:
Everyday from 9:30AM to 14PM and 3:30 to 9:30PM.
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Bread: Le Grenier à Pain
- Go for: Paris’ best baguette, as attested by the prize baker Djibril Bodian won in 2010 in the yearly contest organized by the city (La meilleure baguette de Paris).
- You’ll also find: Any other kind of bread, deliciously flaky (and buttery) croissants, pains au chocolat (chocolate croissants), incredibly flavorful savory breads like olive & emmenthal foccacia, sandwiches, and quiches.
- Where: 38, rue des Abbesses (M- Abbesses)
Phone : 01 46 06 41 81
Also: 127, rue Caulaincourt (M- Lamarck-Caulincourt)
Phone: 01 42 62 30 98
www.legrenierapain.com - Opening Hours:
Everyday from 7:30AM to 8PM. May close earlier on Sundays.
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Cheeses: Par ici les fromages
- Go for: Their excellent advice and beautiful selection of cheeses.
- You’ll also find: Butters, crème fraîche and other dairy products. They also sell English cheeses like the Stilton (harder to find in Paris).
- Where: 47, rue Caulincourt (M- Lamarck-Caulincourt)
Phone: 01 42 52 79 02 - Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: 9:30AM to 8:30PM
Sunday: 9:30AM to 1:30PM
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Haute Couture Pastry: Arnaud Larher
- Go for: Their intricate cakes and pastries. Arnaud Larher was named “Meilleur ouvrier de France” (Best Craftman in France), a very prestigious award.
- You’ll also find: Colorful macarons and chocolates.
- Where: 53, rue Caulincourt (M- Lamarck-Caulincourt)
Phone: 01 42 57 68 08
www.arnaud-larher.com - Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday from 10AM to 7:30PM
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Butcher: Boucherie Bourdain
- Go for: Friendly service and a large selection of fresh meats, including French specialties like offal or wild birds.
- You’ll also find: Traditional cured meats, terrines, rillettes, smoked salmon, whole roasted chicken sold with potatoes cooked in chicken fat. Yum!
- Where: 129, rue Caulincourt (M- Lamarck-Caulincourt)
Phone: 01 46 06 17 90 - Opening Hours:
Everyday but they may close early on Sunday. Call to inquire.
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Wine shop: Les Caves du Roy
- Go for: Their large selection of Absinthe, the French distilled and highly alcoholic beverage that was once banned for allegedly inducing hallucinogenic visions. No worries, Absinthe is now legal (albeit still very strong).
- You’ll also find: Passionate advice, awesome French wines, special tastings and oenology classes.
- Where: 31, rue Simart (M- Jules Joffrin or Marcadet-Poissonniers)
Phone: 01 42 23 99 11
www.cavesduroy.fr - Opening Hours:
Monday: 3 to 8:30PM
Tuesday to Friday: 10AM to 13:30PM and 3 to 8:30 PM
Saturday: 10AM to 8:30PM
Closed on Sunday.
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A note about staying in Paris: the best way to see the city as if you were living there is by renting an apartment. This gives you the chance to rub shoulders with real Parisians instead of tourists and to cook your own meals should you feel like taking advantage of all the great shops I just introduced to you–for more than just buying souvenirs.
During my many visits to Paris, I’ve made inquiries to many different rental agencies, but the one I always return to is Paris Attitude. They have a wide range of apartments in all of Paris’ arrondissements, for all budgets, and in all sizes. Their apartments are very well maintained, and many have been renovated. Their Web site features a wealth of information, including dozens of pictures of each and every rental. I’ve never been disappointed by Paris Attitude; the service is efficient, and the rental process isn’t complicated. Don’t hesitate to try renting an apartment and experiencing Paris as a Parisian does the next time you travel to Paris. I’m sure it’ll allow you to see the city in a completely delightfully-new and different light.
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David Lebovitz Giveaway!
By some stroke of luck, pastry chef, blogger and author David Lebovitz was having a book signing session in Paris the very night I got there. He’s been a great source of inspiration to me so I couldn’t miss the chance to meet him in person. Though the encounter was brief (many people wanted to meet him as well!) I managed to get a copy of his latest and very popular book, Ready for Dessert, signed for one lucky Food Nouveau reader! Since Christmas is just a couple of days away, I decided to also giveaway my first edition copy of The Sweet Life in Paris (which is like new). I liked this book so much that I got myself a new copy signed by David :)
David Lebovitz busy signing one of his books. The beautiful woman in front is Heather Stimmler-Hall from the blog Secrets of Paris, who was also there to promote her latest book, Naughty New York.
To win: Leave a comment saying why you’d like to go to Paris. If you went to Paris before, tell me what you liked best about the City of Lights. Don’t forget to enter your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. Contest is open to readers worldwide.
Bonus entry: Like my Facebook page and get a bonus entry! Leave a comment on the Facebook page or mention Facebook in your comment on the blog so that I know you went there.
Two winners selected at random will be announced on December 31th, 2010 at noon.
Good Luck and Happy Holidays!
I loved Paris when I went in the summer of 2009. I loved the little shops, bakeries and pastries shop that are everywhere in the city. I'm planning a return trip to the city of lights this coming year for my 30th birthday. What a way to spend your birthday!!! I'm planning to hit every chocolate shop in the city:)
Jenifer
I have spent my own 30th birthday in Paris in 2009…!! I have to say, there's no better place to celebrate. Two of my friends were with us, we had dinner in a fancy French restaurant then strolled around the city and stopped to have a drink or two. I'll remember it for the rest of my life and I'm sure it'll be the same for you! Enjoy :)
I want to go to Paris to eat! Macarons taste tests, croissant taste tests, cheese taste tests. . . what more could I want?
I "liked" your Facebook page!
Two years ago I went to Paris with my best friend and I have to say everything we saw, ate or did was fabulous! I felt like the city was an explosion of cultural and culinary delights! We really enjoyed the Denon Wing in the Louvre, picking out teas at the old-world Mariage Freres, eating macarons at Laduree, strolling through Luxembourg Gardens and drinking hot chocolate at Angelinas. I especially loved the gardens at Musee Carnavalet and the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries at Musee Cluny. If I were to go back for the day,
I would go back to the Musee Marmottan to look at the Monet paintings and then go eat ice cream at Berthillon!
Not many comments mentioned Paris' incredible museums, happy you did! There are so many of them, featuring such great exhibitions! I wanted to go and see Monet's exhibition at the Grand Palais, it seems incredible, but I couldn't make it. One big regret! So much to see, so little time…
I've been to Paris 3 times now, and each time my favourite things was happening upon little tucked away neighbourhood restaurants. Between Vietnamese, Moroccan and French food, there was always something just perfect for my mood.
It's true that Paris features an amazing selection of restaurants serving international cuisines! Not true of many other European capitals. If you get tired of croissants and foie gras, no worries, you'll find something else :)
WOW – thanks for the post. I just returned from Paris shortly and reading your post brought back sweet memories! I'm so happy to hear you got to catch DLebovitz – I'm a little jealous too. I borrowed SWEET LIFE IN PARIS from my local lib and then went to get my own copy after I returned the book. It's one of my favorite books and I was referencing everything DLebovitz had advised when I was visiting Paris. It's awesome how I found your post through DLebovitz's FB pg! There were so many things I loved about Paris but one thing that stands out compared to where I live, is that the vibe and atmosphere in Paris is just simply tranquil and exciting at the same time. So many delicious dishes to eat, my stomach was never hungry the second I woke up. There were still so many places I didn't get to visit even after spending 12 days there, that I can't wait for my next visit. I will definitely have to start saving for the next trip after christmas!! Thanks for holding this contest, it's very generous of you :) Happy Holidays!
I'm very lucky that David was kind enough to share my link! I'm happy it gave me the chance to meet new readers like you. Happy Holidays to you – and a very happy 2011! I wish you get the chance to go back to Paris!
My friend Anne told me about your blog, and I just love it! Here is my contest entry: I have only been to Europe twice – once to Paris by myself, and once to Paris with Anne, who took me to fulfill a "Bucket List" dream we both had of going on a David Lebovitz chocolate tour. Because couldn't afford David's tour, we made up our own, and it was wonderful!! Here is a video featuring the "Seven Different Kinds of Chocolate In Paris" that we sampled (candy, cake, croissants, macaroons, hot cocoa, gelato, and dessert). http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1722374…
Looks like a great adventure! What a great idea to build you own tour. You definitely included all the best Paris has to offer! Thanks for sharing the video link but I couldn't watch it, possibly because of privacy restrictions.
Easier to say what I don't like about Paris: not being there all the time!
Ha! Well said!
paris? why paris? because it's paris!!! it's always been the destination, and all i read (you, david, orangette, online) makes me long for a visit.
Honored to be included with David and Molly of Orangette in your inspirational readings! I hope you come back often.
PS – I have also posted a comment on your facebook page. You are one of the few unhidden on my facebook page by the way.
I achieved my lifelong dream to visit Paris this summer, along with my mother and daughter. We were fortunate to stay in a wonderful apartment in the 5th arrondissment, and had beautiful weather as well. I am now compiling a "next time I go to Paris" folder, and slide many of your suggestions in the file! I would love to take a cooking class the next time….and take one of your chocolate tours. PLEASE choose me. :-) J'adore Paris!
I love the 5th arrondissement, it's a quiet part of Paris, not too touristy, but with many great sights. One of my favorite things in Paris is to stroll around le Jardin du Luxembourg, then choose one chair around the fountain and sit and read for hours, just enjoying the park. It has an instant calming effect on me! A cooking class in Paris is a great idea, there are so many yummy options!
I have never been to Paris but I would love to both for the museums and the food. I want to eat cheeses that I'd never experience otherwise, eat a macaron from Pierre Herme, and drink lots and lots of champagne.
This is what's great about Paris. It doesn't matter which arrondissement you're in– there are always places like this in your neighborhood. There's nothing really unique about any of the places you list here. You could find equivalents in nearly any arrondissement, and any half-an-arrondissement, in the city. There are those top spots that are worth traveling for, but it's remarkable how high the local quality is, if you spend the time to check things out. And it goes beyond food– shoe repair, tailors, flowers, etc. For all of its annoying bureaucracy and pointless formality, the every-neighborhood-is-a-village aspect of Paris is what makes it such a livable place.
I completely agree. Wherever you stay in Paris, you can totally discover your very own favorite neighborhood shops. I also love all the little specialty shops, I think it makes shopping in Paris very unique.
Love your blog and the wonderful pics of Paris. Planning my first trip there in September 2011. What an inspiration your blog post is!!! Thank you-I will forward to my traveling companions!!!
I will never forget my own wanderings around Montmartre, discovering shop after shop of culinary wonders. I made so many purchases to bring back to friends during that particular holiday season, but for some reason the one that I remember most vividly is a fabulously beautiful assortment of sugared fruit jellies, glistening like gems in their wonderful shapes – perfect sugarplum-like treasures that I have never been able to find in the US. So gorgeous, one did not wish to consume them, but once one was devoured having a second or third was impossible to decline.
I look forward to visiting your face book page again, having liked it today.
Pâtes de fruits is my Mom's favorite. Every time I bring a box back to her (my favorite are from Fauchon), I have a really hard time not to pick one up for me as well! These little wonders are pretty expensive, I think they're better given as a gift! I save my money for Pierre Hermé's macarons :)
There may quite possibly be too many things to love about Paris to choose just one. But, on my most recent visit, my favorite moment was sitting on the cement wall above the Seine with my best girlfriend chatting away about the struggles she's faced in the last year and shedding not a few tears of gratitude for her recovery from cancer. It started as a simple stroll to the Isle San Louis for ice cream and ended with watching a most amazing sunset over Notre Dame. Paris moments are hard to beat… and it will take many, many more visits for me to even get close to experiencing the many things I still want to see, do, and taste!
What an incredible and unforgetable moment! Thank you for sharing. Sunsets on Notre-Dame from the Rive Gauche simply have no equal. I'm happy you shared such a beautiful moment with your friend.
I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks in Paris in December '07 and was there for Bonne Annee. An awesome, awesome experience. I visited and stayed with a friend that was attending Le Cordon Bleu at the time and stayed in Bezons west of the city. With my friend being a culinary student, we experienced Paris in a way no guide book could illustrate. Early morning baguettes, delicious foie gras, amazing teas and my favorite…Parisian macarons! We did a few touristy things like Versailles and Le Tour Eiffel, but also did many off the map things like walking Montmartre, Trocadero and many small boulangeries and patisseries described here and in some of your other articles. Your advice to visit Paris by becoming part of it is absolutely true.
Your recipe for macarons brought me here, but your great writing style and passion for the city I love has kept me. (that's saying a lot considering I'm from the Bay Area and love my hometown of Oakland and the beautiful San Francisco across the Bay)
While researching macaron recipes, I came across yours and David Lebovitz'. Your step by step breakdown has me the most excited. I've also gathered some info from his blog as well. Winning the books would be awesome, but win or lose, I'll still be a regular reader here.
Thank you so much for your kind comment! Sounds like you were fortunate enough to enjoy Paris in a very unique way. I think it's great to mix visits to major attractions and off-the-beaten-track activities. I mean, who can go to Paris but avoid the Eiffel Tower?
I hope you'll have great success in making your macarons. Come back and tell me about it!
I studied in Paris when I was in college, and although it's hard to choose just one favorite thing about the city, mine has to be Les Puces at St. Ouen (flea markets), especially the Marche Vernaison. Awesome vintage/antique linens, furniture, books, art, decor, and jewelry, knicknacks, etc.. We would go every Sunday and spend hours meandering through the alleys and peeping in all of the stalls…. Wonderful place to get lost.
Oooh! I'm definitely saving your list for my next trip to Paris. I went about 10 years ago with my now ex-husband, and I really want to go back with my fiance. I'm sure it's very different now. I want to rent an apartment, so this list will be perfect!
I loved walking around the little neighborhoods and exploring out of the way places. It was October when we went, and my favorite memory is when we accidentally woke up at 3 a.m. and got showered and ready before we realized what the time really was. We decided to go out on walk and found a bakery that had just opened where we bought pastries for breakfast. I'll never forget walking through the crunchy sycamore leaves eating a warm pain au chocolat while dawn broke over Paris. Heaven!
I "liked" your page on Facebook too! I'm so glad I read about you on David Lebovitz's Twitter feed!
I love your break-of-dawn story in Paris! Wandering around when the sun is just about to rise, being the first in line at the pastry shop, walking around and feeling like you own the city: MAGICAL! I wish you get the chance to go back really soon.
The first and only time I went Paris was in 2003 and it was only for 36 hours. 6 hours in I got a cold. Which means I got really familiar with the interior of my room.
Needless to say, it's time to go back.
What can I say about Paris that hasn't been said already. The more you go there, the more there is to see and experience :) Thank you for the post and wonderful photos! Now I'm off to "like" you on Facebook!!
… was in Paris in 1993. Memories – gathering roast chicken, cheeses, wine and pastries for a picnic.
Have read so many things on yours and Lebovitz's blogs that I am ready to go again with more to see and enjoy.
Did I mention that my birthday is December 31 with everyone celebrating?
Liked you on Facebook and mentioned the post.
Joyeuses fêtes!
Happy birthday Ginger! And a very happy new year! You must have the best birthday parties every year :)
I'd love to return to Paris to sample all the patisserie and viennoiserie that I didn't yet know enough to try when I was there before!
Gorgeous pictures; I'm ready to start packing.
I liked pretty much everything about Paris, but I guess the "feel" of the city was the best part for me.
My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Paris and then made it back for a weekend two years ago. It is one of my favorite cities, and of course I liked the typical things: the food, cafes, Musee D'orsay, etc. My favorite thing, though, was a purchase of 1 kg of Sel de Guerande from Poilane bakery. It cost me about 3.50 euros and was the best souvenir!
I love this post and being introduced to your blog. Lovely writing, amazing pictures.
I am a professional chef, and as much as I hate to admit it, never been to Paris. My trips to Italy have greatly shaped my cooking style (as well as growing up the in Bay Area and being shaped by the amazing food here), and my next goal is to get to Paris and catch up.
Winning the books, would be a great start. I have been a great fan of David's for a long time. (also joined your Facebook page)
Thanks again~!
There are so many inspiring cuisines around the world, I don't blame you for not having the chance to see everything yet! I myself have never been to San Francisco and I know how great of a foodie city it is. I hope to visit in 2011! I wish you have the chance to visit France too.