David Lebovitz, food writer, blogger and author of The Sweet Life in Paris, is kicking off our series (thanks, David!) and we hope you’ll stay tuned to the Hip Paris Holiday Gift Guide. We love helping you spend your hard-earned argent… in the right places, bien sûr. -Maggie

Most are familiar with Maille, whose cute little shop in the Place de la Madeleine dispenses mustard from a line-up of spigots into little earthenware pots. Maille is also available in just about every supermarket in town, and for those who don’t care about crockery, you can begin a wine glass collection with every pot you purchase.

But Amora is the brand that locals seem to prefer. Shortly after I arrived in Paris and was stocking my petite cuisine, I got on the bus carrying my bulging bag of groceries, filled with basics. I had picked up a hefty jar of Amora mustard, mostly because the glass had graduated lines on it, noting its future use as not a wine glass, but a more practical measuring cup. (Although sometimes in Paris, I find myself using one more than the other.) The woman next to me on the bus looked into my sack, smiled, and said, “Monsieur, c’est très, très fort, mais très bon.” – “It’s very, very strong, but very good.” And I knew I had made the right choice.

Yet most of the “Dijon” mustard sold in France – and the rest of the world – isn’t necessarily made in Dijon anymore, but produced elsewhere. Edmond Fallot Mustard is made by a company which was founded in 1840 in Burgundy, where the soil conditions are favorable for mustard seed cultivation. Nowadays, most other companies get their seeds from elsewhere in France, or from as far away as Canada.

In Paris, upscale supermarkets carry it as well as épiceries around town, and it doesn’t cost more than a few euros a jar. Specialty stores in America carry it and you can find it online. In Paris, I buy it at my very favorite food shop, G. Detou, that carries just about every flavor they make.

I have a friend, my first editor who lives in New York City, and nothing makes her happier than when I bring her a plain yellow plastic bottle of Amora. (Hey, she was my first editor – I told you she had good taste). For those traveling between here and there, the French have made it easy for you to take a squirt of their mustard home, to give to friends as holiday gifts, although I keep a tube, jar, or measuring cup – or even a stem of it – on hand for myself, too.

Related links:

• Lovely ways to use mustard glasses by David Lebovitz (Wine, anyone?)
• Fashion insider Melissa Skoog Dunagan of On My Plate shares her favorite Parisian food discoveries
• Dark Chocolate Lava Cake with Molten Maille Dijon Mustard and Honey Center recipe by Fig & Cherry in Sydney, Maille celebrated 30 years of retailing there last week
• Roast Pork and Carrots with Mustard Sauce from Girls’ Guide to Paris

Written by David Lebovitz  for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Fleur de Sel Foodfreak.de / Diptyque Candles Frankincensy

The plight of the Francophile is that, more often than not, he or she doesn’t live in France. In fact, it’s quite possible that he or she has never even been to France, or at least, not with any frequency. But because separation makes the heart grow fonder (and sometimes downright obsessive), we must come up with coping mechanisms to keep the French dream alive, no matter where we are.

If I were super-motivated, I’d be hosting regular French film soirées and presiding over a French lit-themed book club, but alas, that all sounds much too Type-A. For now, I will indulge in the little things that help me feel closer to the country where I really belong (and where I would be, if there were any justice in this world).

1. Tarragon Mustard. Maille whips up a delightful version, but I am partial to the Edmond Fallot variety, which I slather on whatever happens to be lying around.

Caudalie / Tarragon Mustard  Julien Hausherr

2. Roger & Gallet products. Their Tilleul (Linden Blossom) moisturizing cream changed my life, and I will forever associate its scent with my cozy little studio on rue Mouffetard. Abroad, you can find these products in department stores and boutiques that carry high-end bath products.

3. Fleur de Sel de Guérande. Keeping a container of this fancy sea salt in the kitchen ups the ante of just about any dish, and will inevitably impress your foodie friends. Sassy food blogger David Lebovitz explains why this salt is all it’s cracked up to be.

4.Diptyque candles. Yes, they’re $60 a pop in the United States, but they last for ages and manage to exude that understated elegance that you find in chic Parisian homes. The woodsy Baies scent (roses and black currant leaves) makes me want to hop the next plane to Paris (or just buy myself some housewarming gifts).

5. Crème de Cassis. It’s somewhat grandmotherly of me, but when in Paris, I get a kick out of perching at a zinc bar and ordering up a kir (white wine with a splash of cassis). At home, I recreate the magic by keeping a bottle of the blackcurrant-flavored liqueur on hand. It’s the best way to liven up the cheap white wines I am (for budgetary reasons) forced to drink in the States. France, how I miss you!

6. Caudalie. French women swear by this brand, whose natural products are infused with antioxidants derived from wine and grapes. Yum. Their “Soin des Levres” lip balm got me through multiple Parisian winters.

7. Flowers. The French did not invent flowers, but unsurprisingly, they use them to great effect. My living spaces tend to be fairly bare-bones, but introducing an overflowing vase of white peonies always adds the illusion of elegance (and an illusion is the best I can do for now).

Flowers Didier Gauducheau / Kir Julien Hausherr

What about you, readers? What do you do to feel more “French” when you’re elsewhere in the world?

You might also like:

• Diptyque Paris
• David Lebovitz on Fleur de Sel
• New York vs Paris: The choice is hard

Written by Tory Hoen for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris. Julien Hausherr is a photographer based in Paris, specializing in architecture, still-life and reporting. Contact: julienhausherr@hotmail.fr.

Buttery, flaky deliciousness… The Croissant. Photo by Robopy

One of the first things many tourists do upon arrival in Paris is go to the nearest café and order a café au lait and croissant. We expats like to whisper conspiratorially, “Only tourists order café au lait, it’s really un crème…” If we’re nice about it, we even advise our visiting friends of this nuance so they can be more local than tourist.

But when it comes to the croissant part of the equation, there don’t seem to be many insider tricks or tips. As omnipresent as croissants are in Paris, they don’t inspire the same loyalty and rivalry as macarons, the same adoring squeals of delight as petit gateaux, or the same declarations of the very, very best like baguettes or cocoa.

So on a recent Saturday morning, I gathered a group of bloggers and friends from all pockets of the world to at least begin making comparisons and declarations—it was the third edition of an American Smackdown in Paris. What did it reveal?

The contenders: (clockwise from top left): Gerard Mulot, Au Levain du Marais, sample plate of the mystery contender, and the inside of the Gerard Mulot croissant. Photos by Amy Thomas.

The contenders

To begin, it wasn’t even easy selecting who should be in the Smackdown. A few years ago, David Lebovitz shared his love for the “buttery beauties” from Au Levain du Marais (28 boulevard Beaumarchais, 11eme, 01 48 05 17 14). This, in turn, gave the boulangerie’s croissants a solid following in the blogosphere. It seemed like a good place to start.

And among Le Figaro’s contenders from several years back, many of the big and renowned boulangeries were, as expected, on the list. Having personally heard hearty praise for Gérard Mulot (6, rue du Pas de la Mule, 3eme, 01 42 78 52 17), number four on the list (behind Pierre Hermé (what can’t this man bake to perfection??), Triomphe and Laurent Duchêne), we had our Smackdown competitor.

But it seemed a shame not to include a third specimen. From somewhere off the radar. A mystery contender. Just to shake things up and keep it interesting. So, for the first time, the Smackdown had three challengers.

The tasters

Per usual, we were a motley crew of Smackdown tasters: One Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef (Rachel Khoo); one visiting blogger (Carol G) and two local bloggers (Kasia and Cynthia); plus friends hailing from London, Australia, New Jersey and one homegrown Parisian.

The contenders, staring each other off. Photo by Amy Thomas

The criteria

What makes a great croissant, great? A crisp shell that sends giant pastry flakes all down your sweater, for one. Then an inside that is light, airy and spongy; not too dense, tough or chewy.

Then there’s the flavor. Rachel explained that with so few, and such basic, ingredients—flour, water, egg, yeast, butter, and a little salt and sugar—quality is essential. Including the butter, bien sur. Patissiers use butter with a higher fat content than what we get at the grocery store, yielding that unmistakable buttery croissant flavor.

The results

While there was no runaway winner, the results of the Croissant Smackdown were très surprising and controversial.

For starters, Au Levain du Marais fared the poorest. While its “perfect form” was extolled, the flavor was considered “flat”, “not buttery” and simply “lacking”. It underperformed.

It was the exact opposite with Gérard Mulot. The non-traditional tubular shape disgruntled some tasters, but the flavor was favored. “Rich”, “yummy”, “super buttery”, “nice saltiness”—it was “what I expect from a croissant”. Happy bellies all around.

The real surprise came with the mystery contender, which was so neck and neck with Gérard Mulot’s top ratings, it nearly pulled an upset. On the positive side, it was considered “quite fluffy”, “puffy” and it “looked great”. But biting into it? “Flat”, “flavorless” and “blech”. Still, it really divided the room—four out of the nine tasters wanted to award this specimen with the Smackdown title.

Where did this second best croissant come from? None other than your local Monoprix.

The tasting panel, glowing in anticipation! Photo by Amy Thomas

Related Links:

• Read about the Smackdown on Amy’s blog, Dessert for Dinner
• Le Figaro on the best croissant in Paris
• Gerard Mulot
• Foodie Rachel Khoo’s website
• Paris Breakfasts blog
• Love in the City of Lights blog
• Adventure Eating blog

Written by Amy Thomas for the Hip Paris blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

Krishna Bhavan Indian Food – Kim Laidlaw

When it comes to Indian food, I’ve got high standards. For a start, I come from the UK, the country whose national dish is chicken tikka. I’m a well seasoned traveller on the Indian sub continent and even when I nip back to London, a trip to the Brick Lane curry houses is usually on the cards. So what’s a gal to do when she craves Sag Aloo in Paris, where Indian food isn’t the foreign fare of choice and when it is they put Laughing Cow cheese in their naan bread? Go to La Chapelle in North Eastern Paris, that’s what.

Krishna Bhavan Indian Food – Kim Laidlaw

This area, not far from Gare du Nord, is Paris’ Indian quarter and is lined with Indian restaurants, grocers and sari shops. The center of this hub is the rue Cail, where my long time favorite Indian restaurant on the street, and by default, in the whole of Paris, can be found: Krishna Bhavan. It’s a small and unassuming  joint, decorated with kitsch hindi statuettes and packed with all kinds of people delighted to be getting their curry fix on. The restaurant is entirely vegetarian and my dish of choice is the Thali, a huge platter with a little bit of everything in it – dahl, aloo ghobi, aubergines, popadoms and even rice pudding. I would also recommend the delicious mango lassi but you’d have to be rolled out of the place if you ate a meal and drank one of those too. To top it all off, the menu is extremely purse friendly with a main course coming in at about 5 euros. Next time you crave a proper authentic Indian in Paris, you know where to go.

Krishna Bhavan, 24 rue Cail, 75010 Paris, Open every day 11am – 11pm

Related Links:

• Parisien Salon: Asia in Paris
• Our very own Mizmaggieb’s favorite Parisian Indian meal
• David Lebovitz: vegetarian restaurants in Paris

Written by Kim Laidlaw. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

As the savory macarons (half of them, cream cheese and wasabi; half green olive tapenade) were passed around the 12th arrondissement apartment, the talk inevitably turned to food. It was a Thursday night, and I was at Rachel Khoo’s Mash Up soirée, an 80s-inspired, five-course dinner party organized through MyPrivateDinner.com, a site that coordinates tastings, workshops and other food-centric events. Rachel, a British cookbook author, class instructor and damn good chef, along with all us foreigners (plus a few locals) in attendance were self-defined foodies, so the night was filled with many edible adventures.

By the second course (a two-toned tartiflette of root veggies, roquette and copious amounts of Reblochon, which came on the heels of, wait for it, edible pacman with pâté powerballs), I was deep in conversation with Kimberley McLoughlin, an Aussie who just launched RedVisitor.com. While her site focuses on international travel, she’s also a restaurant devotée and knows the best eateries in the top culinary cities around the world. Clearly, I realized as I sipped my Tom Cruise-inspired Cocktail, I’m not the only expat in Paris who’s just a wee bit obsessed with food and eating and dinner parties and new restaurants and food porn and sweets and cooking classes and market tours and….are we full yet??

Edible pacman

In a word, non. Just a few nights before Rachel’s dinner, ParisbyMouth.com, a site dedicated to nothing other than food and eating in Paris, officially launched with a grand fete at American chef Daniel Rose’s Spring Boutique. The guest list read like a who’s who of Paris foodies: Meg Zimbeck and Barbra Austin, cofounders and restaurant reviewers; Clotilde Dusoulier and David Leibovitz, Paris’ most celebrated bloggers-turned-published writers, along with dozens of other expat bloggers; Laura and Braden of Hidden Kitchen; Elisabeth Fourmont of La Coquette… it was such a celebrated soirée, any foreigner worth her (Malden sea) salt was there (except, um, me…).

But Paris by Mouth isn’t the only new address in town making me salivate. Yelp.com, the community site of individuals sharing personal views and reviews of restaurants, bars, bakeries and other edible entities, has reached this side of the Atlantic, choosing Paris as its first non-English market to enter. And, heading the venture is none other than Zeva Bellel, the Brooklynite-turned-Parisian who proved her insider chops with her own business, Paris By Appointment Only.

The foodies

At least I’ve learned that when you’re hungry enough to sample the deliciousness everyone is blogging about, there’s always a special culinary event or two to attend, if you know where to look. In the case of Le Fooding’s events, however, you have to have a quick trigger finger (online tickets, I sadly learned, sell out tres vite). In May, an impressive roster of Parisian chefs—from the Bristol’s Eric Frechon to Rino’s Giovanni Passerini to Frenchie’s Grégory Marchand—helmed a series of Sunday soirées at Hotel Particulier for the 10th anniversary of Le Fooding. Since I missed every one of them, I’m hoping to have more luck with the upcoming July 2 Festival, a “convenience store” themed event of cocktails, cheeses, charcuterie, macarons and more.

If not, I’ll take comfort in sweets (as I’m wont to do). On July 4, Little Miss Cupcake is gathering the troops— Berko, Synie’s Cupcakes, Chloé S, Cupcakes & Co., and Little Miss Cupcake, bien sur—for Cupcake Camp, a fun festival of tasting and comparing cupcakes as they compete for such dubious titles as “Most Patriotic Cupcake” and “Cupcake with the Most Unusual Ingredient”. The most delicious bit is that the event’s proceeds will go to Rebuilding Haiti Now, which provides relief for Haiti’s earthquake victims. Cheers to that.

Related Links:

• Rachel Khoo’s website
• My Private Dinner
• Red Visitor
• Paris By Mouth
• Spring Boutique
• Yelp France
• Paris By Appointment Only
• Le Fooding: La Bazarette
• Hotel Particulier Montmartre
• Little Miss Cupcake
• Dessert For Dinner

Written by Amy Thomas for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

My boyfriend recently informed me that he had made a dinner reservation: “Someplace new… someplace I think you haven’t heard of.”

“That’s not possible,” I replied, and I meant it. For the past six weeks, in preparing to launch a new website, I’ve been following the restaurant press quite closely. If I hadn’t heard of it, I thought smugly to myself, then it probably wasn’t worth knowing about. I then proceeded to mock his choice. “Rino (the French pronounce this Reeeno)… will there be gambling after dinner?” He looked puzzled, knowing nothing of the Nevada town, and then decided to drop the subject. His redemption would come soon enough.

I ran off to Florence for the weekend and returned to find Rino the name on everyone’s lips. Those few short days brought a three-hearted review from Emmanuel Rubin (Figaroscope) and 4/5 dots from A Nous Paris.  Le Fooding called it “Italo-French genius.” Glowing praise from Alexander Lobrano included the words “simple, sincere, delicious, intense, this was one of the best meals I’ve eaten in a long time, and I can’t wait to go back for more.” There were emails waiting from friends, asking if I wanted to try this new restaurant that everyone seemed to be talking about. The boyfriend was (rightly) quite pleased with himself.

Meg Zimbeck

So let’s get to it: why is everyone talking? In part, because Rino is new (and there’s not much of that in Paris) and very cool. In walking from the Métro, we passed a record shop and the Bottleshop – a bar whose hipster contents on this balmy spring evening had spilled out all over the sidewalk. That vibe continued inside the restaurant, where the too-cool-for-decoration consisted of bare white walls and wooden tables.

A red dossier with the Rino logo (or was it Manpower?) was presented when we sat down. Inside, a folded-up wine list included a great selection of affordable bottles.  Of the 13 reds, nine were priced at €28 or less. That was also true for eight of ten whites. One or two were even (gasp!) less than €20. The waiter seemed to know his stuff (we learned later that he created the wine list), and so we asked if we might drink by the glass according to his suggestion. We tried four different wines, and they were charged at either €4 or €6 per glass. Not a misfire among them.

Meg Zimbeck

And how about the food? It’s hard to write about this without mentioning La Gazzetta, the restaurant where Giovanni Passerini had previously worked as sous-chef. Passerini’s dinner menu looked remarkably similar to that of his mentor Petter Nilsson. Like at La Gazzetta, Rino was offering a standard no-choice menu for €38 (4 courses at Rino, 5 courses at La Gazzetta) and a full-blown feast for €50 (6 courses at Rino, 7 courses at La Gazzetta).

On the menu at Rino that night:

• Barley risotto with anchovies, preserved lemon, and fish eggs
• Sea scallops with carrots, capers, and watercress
• Cod with swiss chard and pil pil (a Basque sauce)
• Chicken leg with tapenade and turnips
• Veal with oyster and beets
• Financier with pear ice cream and poached pear

For the record, my last meal at La Gazzetta also began with fish eggs, continued with cod, and and included some veal with sea urchin and beets. The similarities are obvious, but not unpleasant.

I was delighted by both meals, and by the sense of confusion that this kind of cooking creates. There’s something really fun about looking at a menu and having no idea about the taste of the proposed dishes. Barley and fish egg? It turns out to be stunning. Veal and oyster? Not as inspired as the raw version at Passage 53, but still interesting and new (to me). The most straightforward dish was dessert – a poached pear with ice cream and cake. It was simple and delicious – a soft landing back on earth.

Meg Zimbeck

In a nutshell: this is the new place that people will be talking about. Inventive combinations, clean flavors, playful spirit. Prices are easy, especially if you go for the standard menu (€38) and an affordable wine at dinner. Lunch is priced at €18 and €22. I’ll definitely be going back.

Rino
46 rue Trousseau, 75011
01 48 06 95 85
Closed Sun/Mon

Related Links:

• President Sarkozy’s favorite crêperie
• Meg Zimbeck’s dinner at La Régalade
• David Lebovitz’s decadent lunch at Les Crayères
• Barbara Austin’s writeup of Rino on Girl’s Guide to Paris

Written by Meg Zimbeck. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Erica Berman

The lucky guests were to hear all about David’s decadent new dessert cookbook and the inevitable trials and tribulations of his life  amongst the frenchies. We also got to learn about Meg and her culinary adventures. Meg is a Paris food writer and is currently in the final stages of developing (along with quite an impressive team) a new Paris foodie website, “Paris by Mouth” to be unveiled on June 1…..more on that soon on the HiP Paris Blog! As my friend Claudia from Miami is in town doing decorating wonders for a client, I invited her to join in the fun. It was an evening of fabulous food and conversation galore – one to remember and hopefully repeat. Below Claudia reminisces about this unique Parisian experience.  Enjoy! – Erica

Let’s be honest. Paris may be a foodie mecca, but all that amazing food isn’t a breeze to find. You have to research, ask the locals and scout out those hidden gems (far away from all the tourists). I did a lot of those aforementioned tasks and have produced my first “Paris Foods You Must Eat” list. Expect many more parts to come, but give me some time. I’ve got about two thousand photos to sort through, and many more neighborhoods to explore before I sleep, err, leave!

Growing up along the East Coast, I thought I had had the best seafood in the world. Um, that was until I tasted the scallops and oysters in Paris. Both are far sweeter here, with a lot more character and taste. The above scallops were caramelized and served on a beautiful plate with spring asparagus, carrots, beets and mache at one of my favorite restaurants in Montmartre called Le Miroir (94, rue des Martyrs, 18ème. Tel: 01 46 06 50 73. Metro: Abbesses or Pigalle.) If they are serving scallops the day you dine there, order them.

Perhaps it’s cliche but a visit to Paris would not be complete without tasting Berthillon’s famous ice cream (31 Rue Saint-Louis en l’Ile, 4ème. Tel: 01 43 54 31 61. Metro: Pont Marie). It’s delicious and so very pretty. A huge thank you to my very accommodating hand model who was accosted on the street by a crazy lady (me!).

I have indeed eaten my fair share of falafel while in Paris. Really, I’ve had no better falafel anywhere in the States. Personally, I think it’s the layering of flavors that makes each bite totally scrumptious – veggies, sauces, falafel, veggies, sauces, falafel. My favorite is directly across the street from L’As du Falafel (34, rue des Rosiers, 4ème, Metro: St. Paul), but this famous spot is delicious too.

A huge thank you to my Haven in Paris and Hip Paris colleague, Genevieve, who shared my first falafel with me. What’s that saying? You never forget your first falafel…?

Contrary to what I had heard and read, I have actually found a good espresso here and there across Paris. My favorite shots are accompanied with a little cookie, like here at Cafe des Musées (49 Rue de Turenne, 3ème, Metro: Chemin Vert, Tel: 01 42 72 96 17) or better yet, with a little square of dark chocolate like at Glou (101, rue Vieille du Temple, 18ème. Tel: 01 42 74 44 32. Metro: Saint Sebastien-Froissart or Arts et Metiers). Glou is also one of my favorite spots for lunch. It’s a tad over-priced, but I always have a great meal. I had the most amazing Belon oysters there, I swore I’d return before I fly back home. I better do that soon…

Okay, I didn’t eat this eclair myself but I had to slip this shot in from Le Miroir. It was served at lunch and one of my dining partners gladly ate the entire beautiful dessert, loaded with pineapple and caramel. It’s crusty and caramelized on top – just the way I like it.

One Sunday morning while searching St. Germain for croissants, I stumbled upon La Patisserie des Rêves (93 Rue du Bac, 6eme, Metro: Rue du Bac, Tel: 01 42 84 00 82). It’s expensive (how else do they pay for all those beautiful spotlights on each dessert?) but these little vanilla buns were delicious, dense and not too sweet. Dunk them in coffee and be very pleased with yourself.

Or, you can opt to go low-fi and do the traditional baguette with butter and jam. I probably did this way too often. But it really is just sooo good. This one is from La Terrasse des Archives (51, Rue des Archives, 3eme, Metro: 3eme, Tel : 01 42 72 17 57) in the Marais.

Cafe des Musées is good for more than just a nice little coffee. The fries were thick, salty and a little crunchy. David Lebovitz loves these frites, which compelled me to try them, and they truly are delicious. They were rivaled this past weekend by frites at Bistro Paul Bert, but I don’t have a photo of those, so these will have to do.

One of my favorite foods was happened upon at a colleague’s home. The lemon tart made by her boyfriend was so delicious, and I had to snap this quick photo of all of us grabbing final bites. All this restaurant and shop food is very special, but there’s nothing quite as special as homemade dessert, especially when it’s loaded with lemon juice.

Other Paris food fans:

• Meg Zimbeck
• Spring Paris
• Chocolate & Zucchini

Written by Maggie Battista for Eat Boutique.  Photos Courtesy of Eat Boutique. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

There are a few places in Paris that make you feel like an insider the minute you step through the door. It’s an incredibly gratifying feeling, given that other elements of life here can feel downright impenetrable to those of us who aren’t born and bred (make that incredibly well-bred) Parisians. So when I “discovered” Le Baron Rouge and instantly felt like a regular, I knew I had hit the jackpot.

It turns out that quite a few people have hit the same jackpot, but as popular as this unassuming spot is, it maintains its low-key, local vibe. French still dominates among the staff and clientele, and the guys behind the bar are no-nonsense but still friendly (especially the one with the beard… you can’t miss him). There’s not a lot of hand-holding here, but there’s no judgment either (to me, that’s the perfect balance), and servers are happy to help you navigate the long and interesting wine list scrolled on chalkboards near the bar.

Bill and Nancy

The intimate space holds a few comfy banquettes and a rustic zinc bar, where you can order a vast range of wines at ridiculously reasonable prices (about 2.50€ – 4€ each). You can also buy wine to take home from the giant wooden casks in the corner. For those of us that hail from the land of mass-produced Two Buck Chuck, the experience of buying wine straight from a barrel feels refreshingly legit.

But boiled down to its essence, Le Baron Rouge is a hangout, a neighborhood hub where locals (and aspiring locals) come to wind down after work or on weekend afternoons. The vibe is lively but relaxed, and it’s easy to lose track of time here while chatting with friends over plates of oysters and charcuterie (highly delicious and perfect for sharing).

Meg Zimbeck

During the warmer months, the weekend crowd spills onto the street near the Marché d’Aligre (a great place to shop for groceries pre- or post- wine). On Sunday afternoons, it’s all about the oysters. From late morning through about 4pm, friends convene, sipping rosé and sucking down bivalves to their hearts’ content. It gets crowded, but the small space seems to expand in order to accommodate all.

Le Baron Rouge has managed to strike an amazing equilibrium— it’s an institution without pretension, it’s a scene that doesn’t feel like one. And while I would gladly travel across town to get there, it never ceases to feel like the quintessential neighborhood wine bar.

Le Baron Rouge. 1, rue Théophile-Roussel, 12eme. Tél: 01 43 43 14 32. Metro: Ledru-Rollin (Line 8).

Read what these other foodies had to say about Le Baron Rouge:

• David Lebovitz
• Paris Talk
• Glorious Wines
• Bill and Nancy
• Too Many Chefs

Written by Tory Hoen,  for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

There’s no doubt about it: Parisian kids have a good thing going on. They’re well-dressed, well-fed and, by virtue of being French, are destined for terminal coolness.

I used to spend afternoons at a little park in the 5^th where the same group of schoolchildren always had their post-lunch play hour. In retrospect, I probably looked incredibly creepy as I sat there observing them, but I was totally mesmerized by the scene: their demeanor (distinctly Parisian, but innocently so), their adorable school clothes, their clear, deliberate French. I’m convinced that Paris—with all of its sensory pleasures—would be a fascinating place to grow up.

Ktylerconk

But what about Paris for visiting kids? The things that draw adult tourists—leisurely meals, aimless wandering, antiquing, romantic strolls—are the stuff of nightmares for restless young kids. But fear not, parents! Familial bliss is easily attained in Paris if you take a few lessons from how the French entertain their own children. And of course, make sure to build the three essential elements—animals, activities and sugar—into your daily itineraries.

Erica Berman

Picnics—It’s a no-brainer, but picnics are a lovely way to enjoy Paris in a stress-free environment. And when you’re traveling with a large entourage, it’s a good way to preserve funds. Parks that have large expanses of grass for lounging include the Champs de Mars and the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. The quais of the Seine and the Pont des Arts—a pedestrian bridge—are also scenic places to park your crew for the afternoon.

Jardin du Luxembourg—This picturesque park is the epicenter of familial frivolity in Paris. Kids can sail miniature boats in the central fountain, ride very slow ponies in trees on the western side, and spend hours chasing each other around the winding paths in various corners of the park.

Jardin des Plantes—Should I be embarrassed to admit that this is one of my favorite places in Paris? There’s a menagerie full of exotic animals (including red pandas and wallabies), a natural history museum, a carousel and miles of trails where kids can run around until they collapse. (Bonus: post-park, have tea and Algerian pastries at the Mosquee de Paris’ gorgeous tea salon, located right across from the Jardin’s southern entrance).

Tuileries—This stately garden has an area where there are a bunch of activities for kids, including a carousel and mini-trampolines. There’s a nearby café in the gardens where you can refresh after all the action. (Enter mid-garden near Metro Louvre-Rivoli on Line 1).

Titlap

Deyrolle—Most Parisians have vivid childhood memories of Deyrolle, which is part-store, part-museum, part crazy fantasy. It is home to hundreds of taxidermy animals, including a full-sized giraffe, zebra and grizzly bear. Be prepared for your kid to become obsessed with owning one of these things—and they don’t come cheap. (I believe the polar bear costs 24,000 EUR. But to own a polar bear… what bliss!)

Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature (Hunting and Wildlife Museum)—Animal lovers will also get a kick out of this museum, which houses oodles of taxidermy and trophies of exotic animals, alongside various hunting weapons (for the boys) and paintings by Rubens and other noteworthy artists (for their parents).

Erica Berman

Toy Stores—Parisian toy stores are (mercifully) about as far from Toys’R’Us as you can get. They’re full of wooden objects, unique dolls and “wholesome” toys that might actually make your kid smarter. L’Oiseau de Paradis store has multiple locations and is a good place to start.

Candy from Le Bonbon au Palais— This gorgeous candy boutique is as enjoyable for parents as it is for kids. The first time I walked by, I assumed it was a fancy home goods shop. Much to my delight, the dainty glass containers are actually full of artisanal, old-fashioned candy. Check out their drool-inducing video here.

Hot Chocolate—The ultimate remedy for any cranky child, and also an acceptable breakfast food in Paris. Head to La Charlotte en L’Ile for decadent hot chocolate in a cozy setting, or hit up Pozzetto for a sinfully rich afternoon fix.

Erica Berman

Gelato / Ice Cream—Paris knows how to do frozen desserts right. Berthillon (found throughout the city but most notably at cafes on the Ile St. Louis) is a local favorite. But of late, gelato from Pozzetto is all the rage, and Gelati d’Alberto stole my heart when it moved in near my old apartment. (They even mold the gelato into the shape of a flower). David Lebovitz gives a great rundown on Paris’ frozen food scene here.

Beyond that, enjoy, explore, and take advantage of the opportunity soak up Paris at a kid’s pace. For more ideas, check out:

• Delicious Baby
• The Washington Post
• Travel for Kids

Written by Tory Hoen,  for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.