A Wine Fan in Paris (2018): It's Chablis o'clock

Where everyone instantly in love Paris, it wasn't a piece of cake for me. I didn't understand those endearing words. A tough city, that's what I thought. The city of love? Paris, je t'aime? Nope. Okay, admittedly: I've never even walked hand in hand with the man of my life along the Seine. That might help.

Still, I did get a little nervous when I first came to the neighborhood years ago. The Marais I walked around. Lovely shops, an even nicer wine shop, another charming French bistro. Oh dear, my mind was racing. I understand this is old news to many, but for me it meant rediscovering Paris…

In 2022, I revisited Paris and discovered that the Marais is already passé. The 10th and 11th arrondissements are the places to be. You can read our latest findings in this blog post .

Dinner at Les Philosophes

A gem in Le Marais is the restaurant Les Philosophes . You might have to search a bit for "affordable & good" restaurants in Paris, but we found it. Start with an afternoon snack at the wine bar next to the restaurant, then head to Les Philosophes for dinner. If you let them know you're sitting on the terrace, they'll come and get you if a table becomes available (because, you know, gems get busy, so you often have to wait). The menu includes: Very French dishes, like steak tartare and duck confit. And, of course, excellent wines.

Les Philosophes, 28 Rue Vieille du Temple

Lunch at Holy Belly

Not in Le Marais, but definitely worth a visit: Holy Belly (a tip from Jenny Alvares ). This is the perfect place for a hearty breakfast or a delicious lunch. More people agree, because when we arrived, there was a line. No worries, with an Instagrammable photo. With the door behind you, just snap a few photos to kill time. It's more than worth the wait.

The observant viewer will notice that there's no wine in our glass, but a refreshing iced tea to start things off. Holy Belly doesn't have wine on its menu (the only restaurant in Paris, perhaps?), but it does offer beer and cocktails.

Holy Belly, 5 Rue de Lucien Sampaix (metro station: Jacques Bonsergent)

Eiffel Tower: Wine & Photos

We decide to spend the rest of the afternoon drinking wine and taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower. We're in Paris, after all. I think we've seen the lighthouse from every angle.

Two bottles, twelve macarons and a few hours later we arrive wine shop The Repair of Bacchus I'm in luck, and I'm in luck. Wonderful wines and a man who also shares all sorts of wine stories. He talks about how Sancerre and Chablis are so similar, and how he appreciates making wine more accessible, but also finds it a shame that there's so much bartering involved, sometimes to the detriment of quality. Free wine in exchange for a positive review—well, that does happen all too often.

Back to the two sisters from another mister. Since it's around 25 degrees outside, it's a beautiful day for Chablis and Sancerre. High acidity, minerality, and crispness. A great pick-me-up!

The Repair of Bacchus, several stores in Paris.

Lunch at La Maison Rose

In Montmartre, you can enjoy a delicious lunch or brunch at La Maison Rose. If you're feeling particularly hungry, you're better off choosing the latter, as the lunch portions are geared towards skinny Parisiennes. We'll stay with the "light & crisp" wine category for a bit longer, as there's a Sylvaner on the menu. I find such wines quite suitable for warm weather and a light lunch.

La Maison Rose, 2 Rue de l'Abreuvoir

Even more for lunch at Bon Marché

Our weekend travel guide, Stan, knew we couldn't leave Paris without a visit to Le Bon Marché's food court. I could easily spend an entire afternoon there. Luckily, you can also stop by the tapas, fish, or sushi bar (and much more) to sample a few things. Well, delicious, that's what we do! 🙂

At high speed to Paris

Yes, because Groningen is further away. From Rotterdam, you can reach Paris in 2.5 hours. With the Thalys . Isn't it wonderful? If you book early, it's not that expensive either (from €70 for a return trip).

So okay, I'm in: Paris, je t'aime!