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The Bakery and The Bard: My Favourite Special Spots in Paris.

16/9/2014

 

For the first time ever, I'm sharing my favourite bakery in Paris.

Shakespeare and Company Paris bookstore budget English poetry reading TurnipseedTravel.com
Everything about this bookstore is amazing! I love spending time in Shakespeare and Company.
If you told me that I could be in Paris next month, next week, or even tomorrow, I wouldn't even have to make a list - I'd immediately know all the special places I'd want to re-visit for the umpteenth time. There's just something about Paris that makes you want to create your own special memories and discover the little places that feel like they're entirely your own - even if you're not the only person there. I once swore I would NEVER share the details of my favourite Parisian bakery but after many requests I've been convinced to do so, along with a few others gems. Please let me know if you enjoy them as much as I do!
Cosi sandwich vegetarian Paris Rue de la Seine hot bread TurnipseedTravel.com
Cosi is my go-to place for amazing sandwiches in Paris

The Bookstore and the Bard

Shakespeare and Co is hardly a hidden gem - it's actually known as the best and the most popular bookstore in the world! But I'm always amazed by how many people go to Paris one, two, even several times and have never heard about it. This bookstore stocks all English books, has an English speaking staff, and has hosted some of the most notable English literary luminaries of our time. And yet it's utterly unpretentious. In fact, you can even live there in exchange for your labor, provided you're willing to sleep in the little alcoves tucked between the stacks. (This may just be my ultimate travel dream....) Best of all, it's mere steps from Notre Dame, so there's no excuse not to visit, even if you're only in town for a few short days.

The Bakery, The Bar, and The Beef Fried Rice

La Couleur des Bles Paris Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau Bread TurnipseedTravel.com
My top choices for La Couleur des Bles are bread and madelines.
Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau 1er Arr Paris France Louvre Turnipseedtravel.comWelcome to my favourite Parisian street!
Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau is my favorite street in Paris. It's just minutes from the Louvre and is at the centre of all the action. There is a great hostel, the BVJ, that serves delicious baguette and large bowls of chocolat chaud for breakfast and might just be the best located hostel in town (yep, book ahead).  But whether or not you stay at BVJ, there are still some great little nooks to check out. At #3 Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau is a rather non-descript Chinese takeout restaurant that is the perfect fix for when you're craving something other than bread and cheese and are homesick for fried rice and chicken balls. You could do far, far worse for food this close to the Louvre.

At #4 Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau is a bar called De Voltaire a Rousseau. It's tiny, it serves glasses of local beer on the cheap, and has a very limited menu of omelettes and a few other humble, yet classic dishes. This is the perfect place to hang out when you want few tourists, even less pretention, and a hearty dose of local gossip if you can strike up conversation.

And at #6 is La Coulear des Bles. Is it the best bakery in Paris? Probably not. Does it have any  particular claim to fame? Again, no. But it's MINE. I had been to Paris half a dozen times before I ever ate an actual meal -the plight of a most frugal backpacker. But this place kept me going with their humble offerings of baguette and madelines, both of which are solid taste winners if you ask me. It's another great choice for simple, affordable fare in the centre of Paris - and there's just something about it that has heart. For those visiting Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau for the first time, note that the street has two segments - you will want the lower segment closest to the Louvre.

The Best Budget Sandwich 

Cosi sandwich vegetarian Paris Rue de la Seine hot bread TurnipseedTravel.com
So happy to be reunited with Cosi once more!
Cosi sandwich vegetarian Paris Rue de la Seine hot bread TurnipseedTravel.com
Hot bread + tandoori turkey + coleslaw = LOVE!
During my first visit to Paris, I lived and died by the cheap eats section of my Let's Go guidebook - and I'm glad that I did because that's how I discovered Cosi. This tiny sandwich shop is neatly tucked away between St Germain and the Musee d'Orsay and has been my go-to spot for ridiculously delicious sandwiches on the cheap for nearly 15 years. 

The best thing about Cosi is the bread. A cross between pita bread and focaccia, their bread is a thin, durable, fluffy, hot, buttery pocket to stuff a whole host of ingredients. You can build your own but order from their chalkboard menu of popular combos. On my last visit, I got tandoori turkey and coleslaw and it was delicious. There's a great selection of ingredients for vegetarians to play around with, like salad greens, ricotta cheese, nuts, and fresh or marinated veggies, and if you order your sandwich with nothing more than double cheddar cheese it may just be the closest thing Paris has to a grilled cheese sandwich. Seating is upstairs and the surrounding neighbourhood is a fun place for apres-sandwich stroll. 
Cosi sandwich vegetarian Paris Rue de la Seine hot bread TurnipseedTravel.com
The fish market on Rue de la Seine, just a few steps away from Cosi.

Practical Paris

Paris has a clean, safe, efficient Metro system for navigating the city and you can also easily explore by foot or by bike. Accommodation choices are endless but I'm still searching for perfect Parisian go-to spot. My last hotel, L'Academie, was good but not great. Finally, don't discount local advice. Parisians love their city and are so proud of it. Brush off your high school French and don't hesitate to ask for specific recommendations. 

Tell me about YOUR Paris! Where are your favourite spots?


Looking for more Parisian inspiration? Hopefully these posts will help!

Hotel Review: Paris' Hotel Academie 
Paris: Day 2&3 of Our Round The World Trip
Budget Friendly City of Lights for First Timers
Secrets of the Louvre for Savvy Travellers
Exploring Paris by Bike


Micki link
25/9/2014 12:08:29 pm

Oh, sigh. I have Shakespeare and Co at the very top of my "to do" list for Paris. And the sandwiches at Cosi sound wonderful - as a vegetarian, I love the long list of veggie ingredients.

Vanessa
26/9/2014 04:37:36 am

Vegetarian food is hard to come by in Paris, especially when it comes to healthy, affordable, creative, easy lunches. I love French food, but all that cheese and meat can be so heavy so I think even non-vegetarians are happy to get something different, with some veggies mixed in.

Christina S. link
26/9/2014 02:16:49 pm

I want to go to Paris JUST to browse the bookstores. Heck, I don't even care if the books are in English.

I've been to Paris once - as an exchange student in 5th grade in a tiny town in France, we spent an afternoon in Paris. I dream of going back, but man are flights from the U.S. expensive!

Vanessa
26/9/2014 03:19:38 pm

You are long overdue for a return visit!!! I'm hoping you get there soon -maybe check out flight prices to London and take the train over....


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