In Paris, a Micro Neighborhood Within a Neighborhood

Forbes Lifestyle Spirits In Paris, a Micro Neighborhood Within a Neighborhood Lana Bortolot Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Following May 30, 2023, 09:38pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Shhh, don’t tell anyone but Rue de Lancry in the Canal St. Martin is Paris’s best street Pedestrian bridge over the Canal Saint-Martin, Paris getty Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Louvre … those are among the many “been there, done thats” of Paris.

In a city as well-loved and visited as the French capital, finding a tourist-free, authentic experience can be a challenge. One such place is the area around Canal St. Martin, between Gare du Nord and Republique, just west of Belleville and at the juncture of the 10th and 11th arrondissements.

Once gritty and working class, “the neighborhood is like the ground zero for the food scene in Paris now,” says Caroline Morrison, the American-born proprietor of Landline General Supply Store , a San Francisco-meets-Paris atelier of crafted home goods and gifts in the 11th. “It’s a combo of grunge and cool,” says author Alice Feiring , a James Beard Award-winning wine writer who regards Paris as a second home, and prefers the neighborhood for its authenticity—mostly chain-store free—and its relative peace. “If you avoid Saturdays, it is relatively sleepy and crowd-free.

I love the morning calm, the canal for sitting nearby and taking notes, and just soaking in Paris. ” One of Feiring’s destinations is Rue de Lancry, the top of which starts at Pont Tournant de la Grange aux Belles (a canal pedestrian bridge) and ends at Place Jacques Bonsergent. Yet that modest stretch is rich in diversity of small-scale shops, dining and drinking and, specialty food purveyors.

It’s the author’s favorite place to stock up on writing materials (the similarly named Lancryer). Upon her recommendation of a few years ago, I put the street on my list and, really, had little need to leave. Here’s what I found.

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Seats about 20 and fills up fast. La Cremerie cheese shop Lana Bortolot La Crèmerie (No. 41).

Being the blue storefront, a beautiful array of cheeses and fresh-cut charcuterie. If Goethe had come here, he might have said “See cheese and die. ” Artisinal and ethically source meats.

And great tote bags Viande & Chef Viande & Chef (No. 38). Its motto is “food carnivore ethique,” which the owner loosely translated as ethically raised and farm meats.

Staying in a hotel and not being a carnivore, I had no reason to buy the goods here—as good as they looked. Instead I bought every version of the great-looking cotton tote bags with renderings by the owner’s cousin. Eight lucky American friends will get them as gifts.

I kept three for myself. Small-batch hand-made chocolates rule at Denver Williams Denver Williams Denver Williams (No. 57).

An American in Paris making small-batch fine chocolates by hand (you can walk in and see the chocolatier at work!) Low on intervention and ingredients, the shop prides itself on the purest expression of chocolate. All selections are suitable for vegetarians. Le Cinquante (No.

50). Even with its 1950s décor, it’s possibly the coolest bar on the street with a tiny counter seating about five and a couple of Formica-topped tables. Here you can get half pitchers of wines made from family vintners.

This didn’t happen when I was there, but a blog post describes a regular Sunday early-evening event called the ”Marcello Song System” a sort of request sing-a-long. Well, darn, Bad timing on my part. Lancryer on Lancry is a specialty stationery store Lancryer Lancryer (No.

34). It’s easy to see why Feiring makes a pilgrimage here: chock-full of notebooks, journals (my favorite, Leuchtturm), stationery, cool and affordable writing pens (I toyed with buying a German fountain pen for only 24 euros that just felt perfect in my hand, but realize I probably would never really fill it with ink from the bottle). Sur Mer specializes in fresh-caught seafood with a daily-changing menu Sur Mer Sur Mer (No.

53). Serving sustainably sources seafood (oysters are a specialty) with a daily changing menu based on market catch (they work only with small boats), paired with natural wines. BioCoop Lancry (No.

45) Everything au naturel in this “alimentation biologique” with food so fresh that there’s still dirt on the carrots and potatoes. NYSA Cavistes (No. 55).

One local of the chic wine store chain. Better selection and atmosphere than the ubiquitous Nicolas, but still … a chain. Follow me on LinkedIn .

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