Adventures in Paris: A Charming Walk on the Rue du Bac with Links to All the Spots (Save This for Your Next Trip)
Stroll One of My Favorite Streets for Style, Delicious Food, and Even Good Souvenirs!
Coucou les flâneurs et les flâneuses (Hello my dear wanderers),
Comment ça va ?
Are you feeling the Fire Horse energy or still slogging through a chilly season somewhere in the world or in your heart?
Whatever may be true, I’m so happy to see you here and so grateful for your company. Merci d’être venu.e.s (Thanks for coming) ☺️
Here in Paris, the days have mercifully started to stretch out a little longer and every once in a while the afternoon might offer a sliver of sunshine and the chance to say, “On se fait une terrasse ?” (Should we do a terrace?)
Lets Take a Walk in Paris on the Left Bank!
To invoke a sunny spirit, today I thought we’d do something different. I’m going to share with you a delightful walk you can do next time you’re in Paris, and it’s all on one street—rue du Bac, in the 7ème (pronounced seh-tee-emm) arrondissement.
On va se balader (we’re going to take a walk), and Monsieur B (he’s my French husband and the reason why I moved to Paris) kindly helped me to make an interactive map so you’ll have all the addresses and websites of the stops I’m recommending. But to orient you, we’re on the Rive Gauche (Left Bank), not far from the Boulevard St. Germain and the métro stops Solferino and of course, Rue du Bac.
Why Take a Guided Walk on Rue du Bac?
Rue du Bac has, well, everything. Over the last few years, the lower half of the street has started to become a true gastronomic destination, dotted with des chocolatiers, des cavistes, des boulangeries—il y a même un magasin qui offre un bar à mousses au chocolat (there is even a store that offers a Chocolate Mousse Bar). I know!
Wandering along (you can do this walk in either direction, but I suggest you start at the Seine, just near the Musée d’Orsay and work your way down), you’ll find pretty and quirky shops, a lesser-known museum, fun restaurants and cafés, a wide range of fashion, homewares and souvenirs, along with one of my preferred cavistes (wine shops) of the whole city and a cheese shop that sells my favorite salted butter, made with raw milk (hint: it’s not Bordier). If you take the rue du Bac all the way, you’ll end up at La Grande Épicerie, the uber-fancy grocery store of Le Bon Marché.
Here’s a quick little video I made and thanks to my real-life friend who I met because of Substack— Sacha Cohen—for the walking across the street shot 🥰
Scroll on down for my notes and tips on each place! I also put an étoile (star) by les incontournables (the must-visits).
And if like me, you enjoy wandering off piste here and there, I’ve listed a few petit détours (quick detours) as well. Or you can just follow your heart. In this neighborhood, you’ll run into charm wherever you turn.
All the addresses are on the interactive map. Click the map or the button below the map to see them all!
Start Here—Your Guide for a Charming Walk on the Left Bank ⬇
Les Antiquaires. This is a sweet spot for a coffee mid-morning or a glass of rosé with some frites (and/or oysters) at whatever time suits you. It gets its name from the area, which is filled with antique stores. If at all possible, sit outside and people watch. This place does get “bondé” (mobbed) at meal times and when the weather is really nice, but it’s not as insupportable (intolerable) as Café de Flore has become.
Petit Détour: Renaissance-Vintage Fashion Paris. If you’re into super high-end vintage couture, go introduce yourself to Madame Corinne Than-Trong, the gorgeous proprietor of this little gem of a boutique, but be prepared to be charmed by her, and check the opening hours as she’s mainly there in the afternoons. (1 block away, Rue de Beaune)
Bac à Fleurs. Always a visual delight, as this petit fleuriste arranges buckets and bouquets outside sur le trottoir (on the sidewalk)
Monoprix. OK perhaps you already know about Monoprix (if so, skip on down the street), but for those who may be new to Paris, you should definitely check it out. It’s what Target would be if it were in Paris and made better quality products. I’ve even bought beautiful 100% silk blouses there in the springtime, but you’ll find style-forward home goods, beauty and skincare products, adorable kids’ clothes (great for gifts), and a supermarket where you can buy wine and cheese for your Airbnb.
Maison d’Orsay. Highly rated parfumerie with so many lovely scents. Treat yourself!
⭐️Deyrolle/Le Prince Jardinier. This iconic store is not to be missed. On the ground floor you’ll find the boutique of Le Prince Jardinier, who is both a prince and a legendary gardener with a château/hotel/event venue in the Loire Valley boasting an actual tomato bar. The Paris boutique features upscale gardening items of beautiful quality. I bought Monsieur B an elegant jacket there and he sometimes wears it à la campagne (in the countryside).
Upstairs is Deyrolle, the legendary taxidermy shop founded in 1831. You just have to see it at least once, and they don’t harm animals—I already asked them about it. Just go.
Kujten. For those who love cashmere but with a fashion-forward sense, like this marvelous minimalist cape which I currently covet. A women-owned brand that is both sleek and soft. But it’s cashmere, so bring allll your money 😅
⭐️Chapon et La Chocolaterie du Bac. This tiny store doesn’t look like much until you realize that inside there is a bar à mousses au chocolat (a chocolate mousse bar). Right?! That’s right, after you have lunch at Café Varenne (and even if you already ate le Baba au Rhum Gouverneur there), just head down the street and order your favorite from among varying chocolate regions, including Ecuador and Madagascar. There is sometimes une file d’attente (a line).
Petit Détour: Musée Maillol. Just off rue du Bac is a lesser-known museum celebrating the work of Aristide Bonaventure Jean Maillol, a contemporary of Gaugin et al, who worked in tapestry, painting and sculpture. Pro Tip: These smaller museums in Paris can often be a really great alternative to mobbed galleries at Le Louvre, etc. 59-61 Rue de Grenelle
Les Drogueries d’Aujourd’hui at 71 Rue du Bac. Go directly here for nice French souvenirs, like my favorite packs of serviettes (napkins) with fun phrases on them. Your friends will think you really speak French, but you should look up what the expressions mean so you’ll know when they ask. Pro Tip: there are three of these shops within a block of each other, but my favorite is this one at number 71.
⭐️Comptoir des Elixirs. If you want to visit a spot I regularly frequent, I heartily advise you to pop into this store and ask for my friend Marco, the proprietor. He speaks English, is delightful, and has created a wonderful environment for learning about and buying wines (and whiskeys). You have to tell him Karen sent you!! 🍷
Chatelles. Quite simply some very very cute shoes and accessories, especially if you like flats. They also have a collection of clips you can attach to switch up your looks for journée/soirée.
Aoyama Flower Market. Another teeny-tiny florist that always has pretty things decorating the street. Pro Tip: Just next door is une papeterie (a stationery store). Look in the window to the side where they have examples of their envelopes and cards. My favorite is Sophia Coppola’s pink note paper.
⭐️Café Varenne. Go early for lunch (no later than 12:30) or be prepared to wait, as it gets bondé (crowded). Or better yet, reserve a table. This is one of my favorite restaurants to head to with a friend. The graphic red floor tiles, the back room with its colorful posters—the servers in classic aprons and black vests. It’s a casual but elegant vibe, very friendly, and you’ll see both tourists and real French people there because it’s actually good. They do have tables outside, and just around the corner on rue Varenne, they’ve got a tiny seafood comptoir as well.
Petit Détour: Grace Café. If you’re more into a super light, I hate to say “American style” ladies-type lunch of an avocado toast or a grain bowl with your Chablis, this is an excellent choice, and perfect also for a coffee, although like most places, it can be difficult to get a table for just drinks during meal periods. Anyhow, this lovely bright space is just across from a pretty park, and right off the rue du Bac on a quiet side street. It has a distinctly feminine vibe and by the way, they also have a location further down the road in Le Bon Marché if you prefer department store dining.
Oh My Cream! Skincare with an eco-responsible vibe and “clean” products, which are becoming more and more popular in France. Also, the name just makes me giggle every time. Is it just me?
Le Grand Comptoir. You know how everything in Le Bon Marché costs la peau des fesses (the skin off your ass)? Well, this is more of a realistic, non-oligarch French department store. It’s not nearly as large, and is tucked back off the street so you might miss it. But if you’d like to see where people like me buy napkins and tablecloths and the occasional boxy veste (jacket), check it out.
Speaking of l’art de la table, you’ll find multiple great fancy stores on rue du Bac if you saved room in your valise (suitcase) for candleabras and tureens.
L’Appartement Sézane Rive Gauche. Are you a fan of Sézane? I am. I love their bohemian dresses, and really want these red flats right now, arch support be damned. We were trying to figure out why they call it “the apartment” but I will say it has a counter with scarves and jewelry and a great shoe section, plus the straw bags for spring and summer are already out hallelujah!
Petit Détour: Au Babylone. This is some old-school French lunch type stuff, et tu sais quoi ? (and you know what?) I’m here for it. The restaurant, just off rue du Bac on rue Babylone, is only open from 11h30-14h30 (yep, that’s how you write times in French), and is run by two sisters who can seem brusk but who are in fact adorable, as long as you don’t cross them. It’s a small menu, and a very French place that fills up fast.
Chocolat Foucher. I sometimes ask myself, what’s it like to have a chocolate shop à dix pas (10 steps away) from La Grande Epicerie? But it must be working for them. And the chocolate is great. Plus, they offer 90-minute ateliers every Wednesday late afternoon, so check the website.
⭐️La Grande Épicerie. Is it over-the-top? Ah beh oui. Are you going to buy those Bernardaud platters and hand-painted tablecloths? Pas sûre. But the ground floor of this gourmet food store (part of Le Bon Marché, and with a sky bridge on the 1st floor if you want to cross over) is absolutely chock-a-block with excellent things to bring home from every region of France. Chocolate, cookies, tea, biscuits, vinegars, tote bags, aprons—you name it. Most real Parisians don’t shop here unless they’re filthy rich, but it is magnifique. Pro tip: look for the American aisle in the center of the store and tell me if it makes you feel proud or not.
Do you like this type of post? Could you leave me a comment with your thoughts?
Génial !
Hey, While You’re Preparing for Your Trip to Paris, Here’s an Entertaining—and Helpful—Lesson in How to Behave in France by a Sassy French Guy (in English)
Tu Parles Français ?
Also, if you want to learn how to speak French before you arrive, I’m telling you, try talking to this robot at Langua. I am a convert and a paying customer and it’s one of my main tools now because it actually works. I believe in using a whole bunch of different resources afin de peaufiner nos capacités (to polish our skills). Just try it and tell me what you think.
Planning a Bigger Walking Adventure in France?
If you envision a holiday walking through beautiful villages in the heart of rural France, check out the beautiful website of my friend (and fellow Buckeye) Meghan, who has created a company called We Wander France, hosting small group walking tours (she’s in the Dordogne), with accommodations at her renovated “stone manor basecamp” and all!
OK mes anges 😇, it’s at this corner where I’ll leave you today, but only temporarily. Let’s meet back here soon for more fun and stories. Or in Paris of course, on rue du Bac !
Until then, I’m wishing you long walks wherever makes you happy right now. I’m also wishing you those red flats from Sézane, and I’m wishing them for me too.
Bon week-end. Bisous 💋
Karen
PS I have a lot of fun sharing things I love with you. In some cases, if you purchase products I recommend, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. It all goes right back to this sweet little Substack.
This is marvelous and it was such a treat to see the street through your eyes! 😘
Karen, I loved every word, every accent aigu or grave! It was educational. It was fun and brought me back to the tiny tiny times I’ve had in Paris. It was in summer and the streets were filled with sunshine and some of the fondest memories I have of life. Thank you for bringing me back-and-forth it is on my list for this late spring or summer. I can’t wait!