A Visit to a Quintessential Parisian Bakery
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Our first stop was at a family run local bakery. Here, I had the choice between a pain au chocolat or a croissant. And I picked my favorite: the pain au chocolat and it was a good choice.
After all those years, I must have eaten hundreds of those flakey pastries and I can say, this one here was especially good.
The 2nd treat was a classical jambon fromage sandwich, a ham, and cheese sandwich. I believe normally it is cut into pieces to share between the group, but as the group was only me, I got the whole thing.
I took only a bite (it was good!) and my son happily enjoyed it in the afternoon.
While eating, Kritika provided insights into the history of the bakery and the different steps that are necessary to produce the French classics. We also explored the different professions and strict regulations when it comes to croissants. I had no idea!
The Art of French Cheese at a Local Fromagerie
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We then made our way to a charming cheese shop where we met Thibault, the cheese expert. He walked me through a sampling of five distinct cheeses, explaining the characteristics that define each type. Some background information included.
I had no idea how little I knew. Or why some cheeses are the way they are and what the region they come from has to do with it.
Thibault’s good humor and excellent English made this stop particularly memorable.
If you’d like to take some cheese home, they offer vacuum sealing services for your convenience.
Exploring the World of Macarons
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Afterward the cheese tasting, Kritika took us to a specialty macaron shop. Here, I got to sample two macarons: one chocolate flavored and then a variety that I could pick according to my taste. And I went for salted caramel, my all-time favorite.
Both of which were exceptionally delicious, especially the salted caramel one. It even had a liquid core.
Kritika took the occasion to tell me more about the history of Macarons and how they became the famous treats that they are today.
Relaxed Lunch at a Wine Bar
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Our group of two settled in at a local wine bar for lunch, where they expected us and had everything prepared.
The patron of the bar brought two bottles of wine to our table. A bottle of red and a bottle of white, from different French regions.
For starters, we had some cold cuts and a bit more cheese, that went well with the wine. And then we were treated to a Croque Monsieur, an absolute classic brasserie dish that is a Parisian staple food.
As an expert — the croque is one of my favorite ever – I can vouch that it was an excellent one.
During our meal, Kritika shared her knowledge about wine and the different French wine regions and here again, despite my already not too narrow knowledge, I did learn a few things.
The lunch was my favorite part of the tour. The wine tasting was lovely, already because the glass was not filled up with a sip to taste, but it was a proper portion. But also because it was time to chat and to get to know each other a bit.
Well, it was only the two of us, but I can only imagine it as great to sit with fellow Paris travelers and share your impressions of Paris and chat about food.
Because that’s one of the most Parisian form of socializing: sharing food, drinks, and stories.
Wrapping Up on Rue Montorgueil
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The Paris Gourmet Food Tour concluded with a stroll down Rue Montorgueil, one of Paris’s lively streets known for its food markets and specialty shops. And whether you decide on taking this food tour or not, Rue Montorgueil should be on your Paris itinerary. It’s a lovely street and worth the visit.
Anyway, we had our final tasting here, on Rue Montorgueil. We stopped at one of the best, if not THE best store for Brioches in Paris and Kritika got us a Brioche Praliné for tasting. Again, paired with history and interesting facts about this very delicious pastry.
For years, this store has been one of my favorites and I could not think of a more perfect ending of this Paris Gourmet Food Tour.
My Final Thoughts on the Tour
As you guessed by now, I overall enjoyed the tour. Even though I knew quite a bit about French and Parisian cuisine already, the tour was interesting and entertaining and: delicious.
About the Shops & Variety of Foods
The Paris Gourmet Food Tour gives you a good overview of classic Parisian food items, paired with French regional treats and specialties. It’s perfect if you want to get an authentic idea of what the Parisians truly eat.
And this is a point I would like to insist on because many associate escargots, frog legs and foie gras with French food. And while many do enjoy these specialties, they are more dishes for special occasions.
The Paris Gourmet Food Tour, however, gives fantastic insights into a day-to-day part of Parisian culinary. And from my perspective, it’s complete. That’s what we eat, but I am not sure if this is really what one would think of when hearing the word”Gourmet”.
But leaving the variety of proposed treats aside, I was impressed by the quality of the products. Because, you can get croissants and macarons everywhere, and the supermarkets have a good range of cheeses and cold cuts as well.
But the store we’ve visited during the Paris Gourmet Food Tour were well beyond the standard quality. I would consider them to be hidden gems that you would never discover without help from a local.
I was particularly thrilled to see the Brioche store on the tour itinerary. This brand, with several locations in Paris, is a favorite of mine and my husband’s—especially for their Brioche Praliné. It’s a special treat that many visitors might not know about, but is definitely worth discovering.
