48 Tasty Hours in Paris: A Culinary Tour for Those Short on Time By Miriam Edri

How to discover the gourmet wonders of Paris, every foodie's dream, without wasting time or skipping places that shouldn't be missed? Where to go, what to do, where to start?

It’s not easy, especially when you know that Paris is an open-air paradise for culinary enthusiasts. There is no street, passage, avenue or neighborhood without bakeries, patisseries, chocolatiers, delicatessens and other delicious things. The city is full of markets, bistros, cafes, restaurants and brasseries – an unimaginable variety with a range that ranges from standard and banal to original and special.

As usual, I'm here to help you sort out your Paris affairs, and offer you the most affordable and efficient itineraries. Visiting Paris for 48 hours? Here's what you should do to make the most of your time.

Day One – The Marais Quarter

I suggest you get to the Saint-Paul metro station and start your walking route from there. Before you cross Rue de Rivoli and enter the bustling streets of theMarais, take a short detour towards the Seine, in the opposite direction, to reach the excellent bakery Au Petit Versailles du Marais at 1 Rue Miron. The decor there is reminiscent of that of the Trianon in the Palace. Versailles And for that alone, it's worth visiting. The chef there is a Meilleur Ouvrier de France – a standard of excellence.

From there, hop on a minute’s walk to sample the signature brioche at Les Merveilleux de Fred, at 24 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe. If you don’t fancy brioche, you can enjoy a coated meringue here – a unique specialty of the place. Done? Return to Rue de Rivoli and cross it (use the crosswalk and look both ways. No private vehicles allowed, only public transport, bicycles and emergency vehicles).

Culinary tour of Place des Vosges and the surrounding area

Continue up Rue de Rivoli to the right, in the direction ofBastille, and turn left onto Rue de Tourne to reachPlace de Vosges (Place des Vosges). When you get there, there are two gastronomic spots you don't want to miss:

One, Chez Carette, the famous tea house located on the ground floor of one of the most magnificent private hotels on the Place des Vosges, at Carette 25 Place des Vosges. Here you will find all the classic French pastries, and pay particular attention to the macarons. The teas they offer are wonderful, as is the hot chocolate. Come inside for a warm and cozy atmosphere, or sit outside to watch the people go by.

The second spot is Chef Jan Bris's Lemon Tea and Pie House, inHotel Cours des Vosges, at 19 Place des Vosges. This private mansion has been transformed into a luxury boutique hotel with 6 rooms, each decorated in a different style. The small tea house that is part of the hotel is very pleasant in summer on the terrace, and the chef's pastries are particularly delicious.

We will continue to Rue des Francs Bourgeois. We are in a central artery of Marais DistrictThe street is filled with the scents of perfumes, fashion items and concept stores. In its center, Carnaval Museum, the beating historical heart of Paris, which once hosted Madame de Sévigné. 

Food stores not to be missed in the Jewish Quarter and surrounding areas

Pass the museum and turn left onto rue Pavée. Before the Jewish Quarter, continue on this street to number 14, and you will come to a small patisserie by chef Christophe Adam, called l'Éclair de genie. Here you will find éclairs for every taste and desire, as well as chocolates made on site. The chocolates can also be bought at various delicatessens in Paris. 

Continue up rue Pavée and turn left onto rue des Rosiers. You have arrived in the Jewish Quarter. This street will lead you to a small square called Pletzel (Yiddish: the little square), and opposite you will see La Boutique Jaune de Sacha Finkelsztajn – a strikingly yellow Ashkenazi delicatessen.

Before that, stop by the Florence KAHN boutique and indulge in Eastern European delicacies (address: 24 rue des Ecouffes). In my opinion, the challah here is the Rolls Royce of challah! The cheesecake, strudels, and even the pastrami – are simply delicious. On sunny days, you can buy whatever you want from the shop and sit down for a delicious meal on the terrace. 

The street continues with patisseries, delicatessens, restaurants, cafes, falafel and other Jewish and Israeli delicacies, but in the middle of the street there is an intruder, opposite L'As du Falafel – this is Yann Couvreur and his beautiful little pastry shop, which also includes a tea room, and even ice cream in the summer. Couvreur is a young dessert chef who specializes in vanilla mille-feuille (mille-feuille means a thousand leaves, and that is the guiding principle of this pastry). He worked in the largest Parisian hotels, as well as in Versailles, before opening his own place. His mascot is a fox – a nod to the fact that he is a redhead. Address: 23 bis rue des Rosiers.

Continue towards the end of Avenue de Rosier and turn left on Rue Vieille du Temple. Here you will also find many shops, and legendary cafes such as “Les Philosophes”, “La Chaise au plafond” and also Pick Clops, with its famous 1950s decor.

The culinary secrets of the Western Mara

Turn right on rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie. Here you will find trendy boutiques, hairdressers and super-trendy eyewear stores. Continue to number 18, and you will reach Pierre Hermé's boutique. The chef is mainly famous for rebranding and making the macaron a global sensation. Originally from Colmar in Alsace, Pierre Hermé is the descendant of a 4-generation line of pastry chefs. He has received numerous awards over the years, and has opened patisseries, chocolate shops and other boutiques all over the world. In 2015, he even entered the Grévin Museum, and recently visited Israel.

Continue on rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie and turn right onto rue des Archives. Go to the corner of rue des Archives/Rue Rambuteau and you will reach one of the most creative chocolatiers in France – Patrick Roget. He is also a chocolate sculptor! He is now 54 years old, and he is the son of bakers. He won the MOF award in 2000, as an artisanal chocolatier. His chocolate shops are wonderful, the chocolate is excellent – ​​a feast for lovers of the genre. There is also a Roget branch on our route in Saint-Germain.

After you have finished visiting and tasting at Patrick Roger, continue on rue Rambuteau for a short distance, until you reach rue du Temple. Turn left and continue walking for a few minutes, until you reach rue Saint-Merri. On your right is the patisserie Bogato, at 5 rue Saint-Merri. Here you can find pastries and birthday cakes and pastries for special occasions. There are crazy accessories here for baking enthusiasts, and of course cakes that you can eat on the spot.

The store has an attached cafe, waiting for you to come and enjoy excellent coffee (also with milk for vegans), and hot chocolate with marshmallows for those with a sweet tooth. By the way, the word bugato means “beautiful cake.”

We're almost done with the first day. Continue on Rue Sainte-Marie, and less than 100 meters away, enter the crazy shop/trattoria/restaurant – Eataly! A short hop from France to Italy, and you don't even have to get on a plane. For those who know Eataly from New York, the principle here is the same: pizzas, pastas, parmesan, burrata, mascarpone, lasagna, risotto, panettone, limoncello, truffles, tiramisu… everything we love from Italy, in one place, right here in Paris.

Allow yourself to be tempted and take a little of everything, then sit at the bar and enjoy it all with a good glass of Chianti, and of course a fine cup of Italian coffee for dessert. When you're done, if you manage to exit through the right door (there are several entrances to the complex), you can continue through a small and elegant courtyard, which leads to a unique Scandinavian clothing store, Arket, which also combines a cafe. Absolutely! Shopping and eating at the same time! Store/cafe address: 13 rue des Archives.

For lovers of (very, very) good ice cream, here’s one last stop: La Glacerie du Chef glacier David Wesmaël (at 13 rue du Temple). Upon entering the shop, you’ll wonder if you’ve arrived at a luxury jewelry store or an ice cream parlor. The presentation of the ice cream is a feast for the eyes and tasting it – a real pleasure!

Bonus

A 20-minute walk from the last stop of the daily route – walk up Rue de Rivoli in the direction The Louvre and the Concorde. Turn right towards Place Colette and the Comédie Française. Cross the Royal Palace and exit through the small door at the end of the palace gardens. You will arrive at the chocolate shop of a famous chef with 6 Michelin stars (!) – Alain Ducasse. Le Comptoir royal Alain Ducasse is located at 11 rue des Petits-Champs. You can have tea here in a setting that would be fit for Marie Antoinette and taste all the excellent chocolates. Brunch is also served there starting at 12 noon.

All locations from day one

•  Au Petit Versailles du Marais – Address: 1 Rue Tiron.
•  Les Merveilleux de Fred – Address: 24 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe.
• Chez Carette – Address: 25 Place des Vosges
• Hôtel Cours des Vosges – Address: 19 Place des Vosges
• l'Éclair de génie – Address: 14 rue Pavée
• La Boutique Jaune de Sacha Finkelsztajn – Address: 27, rue des Rosiers
• Florence KAHN boutique – Address: 24 rue des Ecouffes
• Yann Couvreur – Address: 23 bis rue des Rosiers
• Pierre Hermé – Address: 18 rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie
• Patrick Roger – Address: 43 rue des Archives
• Bogato – Address: 5 rue Saint-Merri 
• Eataly – Address: 37 rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie
• Arket – Address: 13 rue des Archives
• Le Comptoir royal Alain Ducasse – address: 11 rue des Petits-Champs

Day Two – The Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain

A journey through the Latin Quarter andSaint Germain The Gourmet Stations route is great fun! Beyond the markets, shops, chocolate and cheese factories, bakeries and patisseries, the route is dotted with historical and cultural sites, monuments and spectacular churches.

The final stage of your culinary journey is an archaeological and cultural journey in itself – the Taj Mahal of gastronomy: La Grande Epicerie de Paris.

Culinary tour of the Latin Quarter

I suggest starting your walk in the Latin Quarter by exiting the Monge metro station, where you will land at the neighborhood market square, Marché Monge. The market is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. On other days, you can start your journey at the Mouffetard market, at the Censier Daubenton station (every day except Monday).

Take a walk to the small Monge market! You will find fish sellers with excellent goods, Cheeses Goodies, fresh vegetables and stalls with cider and other wonderful treats. When you're done, walk up rue Monge to the Cardinal Lemoine metro station. On the corner of rue Monge and rue Cardinal Lemoine you'll find the excellent Guyot bakery.

The design of the place is impossible to ignore. They won the award for the best traditional baguette in 2022, so it's definitely worth stopping in and buying yourself a baguette as is or a sandwich made from one, for a real gourmet break.

Then, walk up rue Cardinal Lemoine on your left, and immediately turn right onto rue Clovis towards thePantheonTake a break in front of the Pantheon and look to the right – where you can admire the Faculty of Law building, which is part of the Sorbonne complex. On your left – the town hall of the 5th arrondissement of Paris.

Walk to the left of the Pantheon, past the 5th arrondissement town hall, and up rue Clotilde. This will take you to Place de l'Estrapade, the very square where "Emily in Paris“, and it’s also the location of her chef boyfriend’s restaurant, the bakery where she buys croissants, and the cafe where she hangs out with her girlfriend, Mindy.

After you've taken enough pictures and taken enough photos of Emily's surroundings in Paris, return to the Pantheon and move forward. Luxembourg Gardens, via rue Soufflot (the street is named after Jacque-Germain Soufflot, the architect of the Pantheon). On your right you will see the tower and walls of the famous Sorbonne University. When you reach the Luxembourg Gardens, walk along rue de Medicis, towards Café le Rostand, an institution in itself, where you can stop for a drink on the terrace or inside, and enjoy the Art Deco atmosphere and oriental touches.

Culinary tour of the Saint-Germain district

Then, continue on rue de Médicis along the Luxembourg Gardens, until you reach the Museum of the Gardens. Here you will find the Angelina café. Turn right onto the cobbled street, rue Férou, which will take you to Place Saint-Sulpice and its magnificent fountain and churches.  Saint-Sulpice Church Replaces the Notre Dame Cathedral During renovations (after the great fire of 2019). This is the seat of the new Archbishop of Paris, recently appointed by the Pope. The Archbishop represents the Catholic Church in France.

Walk around the Saint-Sulpice church and turn left of the church. On rue Saint-Sulpice to the corner of rue Mabillon. You will find two quality chocolate shops here. 

The first is the legendary Chapon et la Chocolaterie at 34 rue Saint-Sulpice – a chocolatier that has been famous in France and abroad since the late 75s, and is considered one of the best in the world. Patrice Chapon, the founder, makes chocolate in traditional ways. His flagship products, in my opinion: cocoa powder for baking and hot chocolate, and XNUMX% dark chocolate bars, pralines with smoked salt and pistachios.

Not far away, up rue Saint-Sulpice, you will find the Patrick Roger chocolate shop at 2 Place Saint-Sulpice. Roger is an equally famous chocolatier, whom we also met on the first day of the culinary tour of the Marais. The shop is not large, but impressive and looks like a modern art gallery. You can enjoy impressive chocolate sculptures here, and of course taste a selection of the excellent produce.

Then, continue on rue Saint-Sulpice towards rue Bonaparte, and here I invite you to turn right to reach Pierre Hermé. If you haven't had enough chocolate yet, you can try a particularly bold macaron from Pierre Hermé, called Ispahan, which contains roses, lychees and raspberries.

A few more steps down rue Bonaparte past Pierre Hermé, and you'll reach A la Mère de Famille (at 70 rue Bonaparte). This is a long-standing Parisian chocolate chain, dating back to 1761. There are several stores scattered throughout Paris and the chic suburbs around it.

Your sweet tour ends with a stop at Michalak on the corner of rue Bonaparte and rue Saint-Sulpice. From there, take a deep breath and continue on Rue de Sèvres. A pleasant stroll through the small streets on the other side of Boulevard Raspail awaits you.

Rue du Cherche-midi is dotted with chocolatiers. Alain Ducasse is at 47 on the street, and his excellent coffee is sold at Les Comptoirs Richard at 48 – he also supplies coffee to many of Paris’s cafés, bistros, brasseries and restaurants. You’ll also find his cheese shop, Chez Alexandre, at 19 Rue Saint-Placide. Further along, rue Saint-Benoit, you can enjoy a glass of wine at Vincent’s friend’s tasting room, Le Vin en Bouche, a local favourite, at 27 rue de l’Abbé Grégoire.

On rue Saint-Sulpice, you will pass by a fish shop called Moby Dick. It belongs to none other than the actor Gérard Depardieu, who lived in the neighborhood and bought several food shops on this street.

Last stop for today, but definitely a favorite – the Grande Epicerie de Paris, the gastronomic department of Le Bon Marché. To get there, walk along rue de l'Abbé Grégoire towards rue de Sèvres and you will arrive at a French and international temple of gastronomy. Let your cravings lead you! We are in the culinary heart of the first department store in Paris, founded by the Boucicaut couple in 1852, who were both merchants and philanthropists.

La Grande Epicerie opened in 1923 in a magnificent building, typical of the architectural design of the time, and reminiscent of the buildings and monuments built at the end of the 19th century for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, such as the Grand and Petit Palais. For Parisians, the Grande Epicerie de Paris has always been a store where you can find everything, even things you can't find in a regular supermarket or market. It's a huge delicatessen with an incredible variety of products (about 30), which come from all over the world. There's no one who won't find something delicious to eat here.

No fewer than 23 pastry chefs work here to make cakes and display them in the display cases on the ground floor. Here you will find an area of ​​luxury items such as foie gras, caviar, truffles and other delicacies. The butcher shop looks like a jewelry store – cuts of meat are professionally and delicately cut and displayed behind gleaming glass. 

If you feel like sampling oysters while you're wandering around, you can definitely do so in the fish section. There's a bar, tables, and stools, and the fishmongers will be happy to offer you oyster, seafood, or fish terrine tastings, as well as a selection of white wines from the cellar (for a fee).

The Grande Epicerie wine cellar offers a selection of the finest wines and spirits in France and around the world, with bottles starting at 7 euros and going up to 20 euros and more!

All locations from the second day

• Marché Monge – Address: 1 Pl. Monge
• Boulangerie Guyot Geraldine – Address: 28 Rue Monge 
• Café le Rostand – Address: 6 Pl. Edmond Rostand
•  Chapon et la Chocolaterie – Address: 34 rue Saint-Sulpice
• Patrick Roger – Address: Place Saint-Sulpice 2
• Pierre Hermé – Address: 72 Rue Bonaparte
• A la Mère de Famille – address: 70 rue Bonaparte
• Michalak – Address: 8 Rue du Vieux Colombier
• Les Comptoirs Richard – address: Rue du Cherche-midi 48
• Le Vin en Bouche – Address: 27 rue de l'Abbé Grégoire
• Moby Dick – Address: 50 Rue du Cherche-Midi
• Grande Epicerie de Paris – Address: 38 Rue de Sèvres

Le Bon Marché and the Grande Epicerie de Paris were bought a few years ago by the LVMH group (the acronym stands for Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) – which means that Bernard Arnault, the group's owner, is taking control of FranceWe talk about the subject on some of the tours I conduct.

On my culinary tours, however, you can enjoy the best French cheeses, paired with great wines from the southwest of France, taste the best madeleines, croissants and raisin bread, and discover delicacies like cod accras à la Réunionnaise. Along the way, you will discover everything you need to know about French eating habits and more. Contact me atMy websiteI will always have a place for you on the culinary tours of the most authentic districts of Paris!

Recommended hotels for foodies in Paris

HOY Paris – Yoga Hotel

A hotel for lovers of quality food and health. The HOY is a boutique hotel in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, offering a relaxed and luxurious experience, with a vegan restaurant that uses the best ingredients in the world. You can also enjoy yoga classes, Reiki and reflexology treatments, and leave relaxed and happy to continue your journey in the city.

For more information and orders

Hotel Hoxton

The Hoxton is located in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, in the heart of the bustling and cool Sentier neighborhood. It is housed in an 18th-century building and is stunning in its design. And best of all, the hotel’s restaurant, Rivié, is a brasserie that is open all day and well into the night, so you won’t go hungry for a second. The restaurant specializes in French food with an Asian twist, and the wagyu steak and oysters with figs are especially recommended.

For more information and orders

Cheval blanc

A super-luxurious, super-luxurious and super-fun 5-star hotel – it’s not a cheap experience, but if you can afford it, it’s an exclusive treat to remember later. The hotel is located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, and features an indoor pool, a gym and a luxurious spa, including a decadent American breakfast. And if that’s not enough, the Cheval Blanc is home to some of the best restaurants in the world, including Plénitude, a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars. If you’re going to indulge – then indulge to the fullest. Here’s Venus Williams, who will tell you about the luxurious hotel:

For more information and orders

The Tournelles

A three-star hotel in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, right in the heart of the Marais, a two-minute walk from Place des Vosges. The rooms are elegant and cozy, and there are several fun bars and cafes within a short distance of the hotel.

For more information and orders

Hotel du Petit Moulin

A unique boutique hotel in the heart of the Marais district. This is the first hotel designed by Le Croix, who unabashedly left his mark: bright colors, rich fabrics and mismatched prints. This hotel is also home to Paris' first bakery, where he used to Victor Hugo Buy his baguettes, and there are macaron-making courses here. A perfect experience for foodies in Paris.

For more information and orders