Marais/Bastille Paris – All our local tips

Many pubs in Paris look like one another, and there are even more and more chains of pubs reproducing a same décor or atmosphere. This is not the case with Auld Alliance.

Located in the “lower” Marais (quieter than the very busy Marais, North of Rue de Rivoli), this pub has a strong personality, maybe because it’s one of the rare Scottish pubs in Paris. For that reason, it’s a good place to taste a great range of whiskies, or to celebrate the Burns night (25th of January).

The atmosphere is generally quite cosy, and it’s one of my first choices when I want to go for a pint and want to be able to talk without shouting. But it can also get very crowded and loud for sports events like the Six Nations (rugby) or the Old Firm (football derby between Rangers and Celtic). Watching a rugby match between France and Scotland here is a unique experience, the crowd being generally around 50/50, “Allez les Bleus” choirs and blue jerseys competing with bagpipes and kilts.

By the way, the “Auld Alliance” which gives its name to the pub is a historical agreement between Scotland and France in order to fight against their preferred common enemy… guess who!. That’s probably why Scottish expats and French regulars perfectly manage to mix in such a friendly and non serious atmosphere.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Auld Alliance | Bars | Pint of beer € 6.00
80 rue François Miron | Marais/Bastille | +33148043040
Mon – Fri 15:00 – 02:00, Sat – Sun 12:00 – 02:00

An excellent and always enjoyable spot for drinks and dinner is Bercy Village on the Eastern side of Paris. Away from the main tourist routes but always busy, this secluded pedestrian street offers a nice combination of outside terraces, restaurants, shops and even a cinema.

The street and buildings are converted docks, that once functioned as storage for the wine barrels that supplied Paris. The old train tracks (leading to the Seine where the barrels arrived by boat) are still visible in the middle of the street. The reconversion has been very well done.

The Village offers a selection of good shops (Agnès B, Nature et Découvertes, Sephora), a brewery (The Frog), restaurants and a USG cinema, guaranteeing a nice evening out all within a square mile. There are frequent free photo exhibitions in the portals that give access to the street.

The modern and rapid metro line 14 gives direct access within 12 minutes from the centre of Paris.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bercy village | Bars, Cinemas, Shopping
Cour St – Emilion | Marais/Bastille
Shops 11:00 – 21:00 daily

As a frequent visitor to New York City, I’ve become a fan of the cupcake-only shops that have sprung up and risen to fame through movies such as Sex and the City. Perhaps because it’s a throwback to my childhood, there’s a certain nostalgic comfort in these super sweet and colorful treats.

A disclaimer – nothing beats the bakeries and pastry shops in Paris for unique and delicious sweet treats on the go, but if you’ve got a cupcake craving that won’t quit, you’ll be pleased to know that cupcake shops have begun to pop up in Paris!

Berko, a shop on the outskirts of the Marais, is one such example of the new Parisian cupcake craze. A modern, sleek shop, Berko offers a huge variety of cupcakes for sale individually to eat on your walk or by the dozen for parties.

As you can see, the glass display case shows the mouth-watering choices and at less than three euros per cupcake, you can try more than one to find your favorite! The moist, chocolatey oreo cupcake is my go-to cupcake but I can’t wait to try a few more.

If you’re looking for an alternate to the typical pastry shop, stop by Berko for a sweet treat on your walk in the Marais.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Berko | Snacks | Cupcake € 2.85
23, rue Rambuteau | Marais/Bastille | +330140290244
Tue – Fri 11:30 – 20:00, Sat 11:00 – 20:00, Sun 11:00 – 19:30

Situated on the second and the third level of the Pompidou centre, the Public Information Library (Bibliotèque publique d’information) or BPI is one of the best public libraries in Paris.

It offers an exceptional collection of books that can be consulted only on-site; free admission; the possibility of 30-40 minutes of surfing (registration near the entrance to the library, from Rue Beaubourg) as well as using audio and video records. You can also watch a variety of TV programs or view archive materials.

Not only are the sources rich at BPI but it is an exceptional feeling to take a break overlooking Beaubourg or the place in front of the Centre with the usual grabbag collection of street artists. And in case you’re looking for art of a different sort, of course, the upper floors house one of the world’s most important modern art collections.

Since it’s the only library in Paris open Sundays, Sundays are crowded and the line is usually 15 minutes long. But once inside, you’ll have to admit that nowhere else can you can sit in a library and glance up at the Niki de Sainte Phalle and Jean Tinguely fountain a few meters away.

The whole experience is a real pleasure. In a single venue, you will find stunning museum, exemplary architecture, a huge reading corpus, a bookshop and cinema with auteur’s films.

My fascination with the whole Pompidou Centre never stops.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
BPI | Art & culture, Cinemas | Free
Place Georges Pompidou | Marais/Bastille
Mon & Wed – Fri 12:00 – 21:45, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 21:45

Although I’m not usually fond of this kind of fashionable and exuberant places, in one of the trendiest areas of Paris, I’m making an exception for The Curieux Spaghetti Bar, two steps from Centre Pompidou, at the entrance of the Marais.

Specialising in pasta, as its name suggests, it offers a €11,50 all-you-can-eat buffet at lunch on weekdays (it used to be  €9,50: it is a curieux way to implement the VAT decrease in restaurants!!!) at lunch and transforms in a regular pasta restaurant at dinner. But the best formula – the one which managed to capture me – is definitely the Italian-like “aperitivo“, served only for happy hour, between 17:00 and 20:00.

During that time, you can enjoy decent-sized mojitos (regular ones or flavoured with ginger, strawberry, banana…) for €6.00 or a beer, glass of wine, or soft drink for €3.00. But what makes it a real bargain is the free buffet of salads (3 different types, a different menu everyday), olives, and pieces of pizzas that you can enjoy unlimited provided you order a drink. Between 7pm and 8pm, it’s generally crowded, and you sometimes have to fight to get pizzas, so better is coming earlier.

The bar regularly changes decoration, always with bright colours, kitsch ceiling lights along the bar, and items reminiscent of pasta (for instance the main door handle).

Ideal place to eat and drink before watching a film at Le Nouveau Latina (check the Le Nouveau Latina article), located just one block away!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Curieux Spaghetti Bar | Bars, Restaurants (Italian)
14 rue Saint-Merri | Marais/Bastille
Sun – Wed 12:00 – 02:00, Thu – Sat 12:00 – 04:00

Climbing over body-bag sized sacks of clothes and shoes to claim some coveted item, scaling the rickety step ladder to the equally dangerous looking mezzanine level in search of boots and bags, diving head-first into the 3€ pit; all part and parcel of the somewhat extreme shopping experience chez Free ‘P’ Star.

Nestled in between the gay bookshop and the quirky theatre Point Virgule, this delightfully ungentrified vintage shop is literally packed to the rafters with second-hand delights. Somewhat more organized these days, areas of the shop now correspond to particular items (bags, shoes, dresses etc.) though vaguely ordered-chaos still generally predominates, especially at weekends.

Prices start at around 3€ in the piled-high troughs on the right hand wall (where dig deep you MUST), dresses/tops (in fact most things) are around 10/15€, bags around 5-20€ and shoes up to 20€ also.

Unlike many French shops, you will not accosted by stern shop assistants but it is essential you go in the right frame of mind – something akin to battle-mode!

And if it all becomes too much there is a lovely restaurant next door (the moules-frites are unmissable), an ice-cream shop on the corner and a number of great bars with trottoir facing terraces in the very near vicinity.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Free P’ Star | Shopping | Bags € 5.00
8 rue Ste-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie | Marais/Bastille | +33142760372
09:00 – 19:00 daily

La Promenade plantée is the only elevated park in the world. Situated on the top of an ancient viaduct it connects Bastille Square with the Periphery Boulevard. It is a nice, not too long walk (4.5 km) through the middle of the 12 arrondisement.

The experience is certainly atypical, as you walk on the approximately 9 meters high viaduct straight ahead, surrounded by different more or less exotic plants and trees and at the same time you are in the middle of the city. All around, you see the diverse architecture styles emerging and changing- great all in one, somehow surrealistic setting.

On the lower level there is a place for cyclists; it is a rare privilege not to cycle “with the cars”. Down, on the street level, in the arcades there are about 50 arts and crafts ateliers, which are the pride of the arrondisement and are really interesting to explore if you like that way of art/craft expression.

La Promenade plantée is usually not too crowded and it can also have a intimate atmosphere. With its intervention of plant and landscape art created by Vergely and Mathieux in the urban milieu this park deserves to be included in 7,8 days visit plan.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Promenade plantée | Relaxing | Free
Blv Picpus till Bastille | Marais/Bastille
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun 09::00 – 21:00

These 2 cafés one across the other are one of the most popular local coffee shop around Bastille.

They have an interesting mixture of artefacts and pictures, as well as tranquil ambiance during the day makes it a place you feel good at.

Sometimes too boboish and a bit pretentious, nevertheless it has a charm.

When I came  to Paris, at the beginning I was surprised that if you are by chance hungry at 16:00. it’s difficult to find a restaurant with kitchen opened. With time I saw that Parisians really respect the eating time table, so do the restaurants. With Le cafe de l’Industrie, it’s not the case. The kitchen is open all day around and the food is really good. The menu is bistro-range, with mainly French dishes.

In the right Industrie, a cat who is a household institution, will convince you, you have chosen well.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Café de l’Industrie | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Brunch € 20.00
16/17 rue Saint Sabin | Marais/Bastille | +33147001353
09:30 – 02:00 daily

A veritable feast for the senses, the Lèche-Vin is fun and it won’t break the bank. Tucked away on the rue Daval, it is highly recognisable thanks to the life-sized, fairly-light dripping Virgin Mary glowing in the window. The interior of the bar is adorned with religious paraphernalia to varying degrees of irreverence and tackiness. All is complimented by a warm red glow.

Happy Hour (18:00 – 22:00) offers an array of well-priced drinks with beers by the pint at € 4.00 (€ 5.00 after 22:00) and cocktails at € 4.50. The Lèche-Vin draws a young crowd, the atmosphere is laid-back and the staff affable and unhurried. Tables are swiftly reoccupied when vacated, the remaining space throngs with friendly banter and a ready willingness to squeeze in and around others or onto the long cushioned benches along the rear wall.

Towards the back room – with its bare, painted walls giving the definite imprion of a cave – is the toilet: a curious and highly note-worthy addition to the already quirky setting. Leaving piety at the rickety wooden door, these less-than-modern facilities possess the very antonym of godliness and a good measure of explicitness…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Lèche-Vin | Bars | Pint of beer (Happy Hour) € 4.00
13 rue Daval | Marais/Bastille | +33143559891
18:00 – 01:30 daily

With its two screens showing only “Latin” films (ie films from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Latin America, and more rarely Romania), and its dance-floor upstairs hosting latin dances classes, Le Latina cinema has become over the years an inevitable place for latin cultures’ enthusiasts wishing to watch an Almodovar film downstairs while hearing the noise of High Heels on the floor above…

Recently, Le Latina was slightly renamed in Le Nouveau Latina, and it slightly changed too, even if it keeps its strong Latin identity. Most of the films are still from Latin countries, but programming now is wider, and includes international auteur cinema (with a preference for films about homosexuality: we’re in the deep heart of the Marais), midday thematic cycles, and midnight cult films on Saturdays (very rare in Paris).

The first floor has been renovated and is now a very cosy tea salon (re-opening in October) which also hosts a small store selling DVDs, film posters and books about cinema (open until 19:00). If you add photography / drawing exhibitions and tango classes on Monday evenings (beginner / intermediate / free practise), it makes Le Nouveau Latina the perfect multidisciplinary space for modern “Latin lovers”…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Nouveau Latina | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Shopping
20 rue du Temple | Marais/Bastille | +33142466271
11:30 – 00:00 daily

With large pitchers of beer at € 13.00 apiece all night long, it is easy to discern the Pop-In’s continuing popularity. Aside from this, the tiny and eccentrically laid-out (note the odd use of stairs!) bar boasts a quirky array of mismatching furniture complimented by a diverse and animated clientele.

Performances by some of Paris’s coolest new bands feature weekly and the crowd is generally made up of a melange of ‘bo-bos’(bourgeois bohemian) and fashionable music aficionados. The Pop-In can get very busy – the basement is an infamous sweat-box! – in spite of which the atmosphere always seems to err on the side of fun rather than pretentiousness.

Check out their MySpace page for details of concerts and the like: http://www.myspace.com/pop_in

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Pop-In | Bars, Music | Beer (pitcher) € 13.00
105 rue Amelot | Marais/Bastille | +33148055611
Tue – Sun 18:30 – 01:30 daily

Who said that waiters and restaurant owners in Paris are rude? For visitors (and locals!), it may sometimes seem that an aloofness or even downright aggressiveness are an inevitable part of eating out in the city, but if you are looking for a complete change, go to ‘Le Rollin’. The décor is bright and smart if a little impersonal, but the service is anything but cool and detached.

Food is along fairly classic lines, weighted slightly towards seafood, but staff will guide you through all the corners of the menu, cheerfully pointing out items that may be most suited to your tastes. As you are waiting for your choices to arrive, freshly prepared little surprises are brought to the table from the kitchen (situated visably at the end of the bar!), such as soups served in cappuccino cups and served with a straw.

Staff are always present and ready to chat, including the chef who sometimes pops out of the kitchen to check that everything is ok. If you are in Paris as a larger group, note that this restaurant also has a semi-private area that can be reserved at no extra cost.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Rollin | Bars, Restaurants (French) | Lunchtime menu € 13.00
92, Avenue Ledru Rollin | Marais/Bastille | +330148065192
Tue – Sat 12:00 – 15:00 & 19:30 – 00:00

This event is organised twice a year (first next event: 28 April - 2 May 2010) along the quays of the Bastille channel.

It regroups about a hundred different artist with a wide variety of styles, ranging from photography, plastic arts, painting, sculptures et all that is in the middle.

There is something to find for every budget, and as the artists are present on the spot a nice chat and if necessary an explication is guaranteed.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Marché d’Art de la Bastille | Art & culture, Festivals & events | Entrance fee € 8.00
Place de la Bastille | Marais/Bastille
11:00 – 20:00

Le Marché des Enfants Rouges is reputedly the oldest food market in Paris, built under the rule of Louis XIII around 1615. The name, which literally means the Market of the Red Children, refers to the red uniform worn by the children of the orphanage that was located nearby.

Still marked out by a small iron gate off the rue de Bretagne in the now rather chic upper Marais district, today the market is alive with the aromas of fresh produce and the sounds of market clatter and chatter. Strolling though the narrow rows you are met by the rich, vibrant colours of an impressive array of organic fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also available is olive oil, charcuterie, wine, cheese and other such wholesome delights.

The market is an ideal spot for lunch too. Freshly cooked dishes can be bought from the various stalls (Moroccan, French, Italian fare, sushi, cheeses, meats and so on) and consumed at the communal trestle tables at either end of the market. There are also a couple of small restaurants, such as L’estaminet which serves simple, traditional (though very good) fare in a homely, relaxed atmosphere. A plentiful Brunch is available on Sunday for € 20.00 too.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Marché des Enfants Rouges | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Varied)
39 rue de Bretagne | Marais/Bastille
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 14:00 & 16:00 – 20:00, Sun 09:00 – 14:00

Though museums usually aren’t a hidden spot, known only to residents in Paris, as there is hundreds of museums, it seems worth accentuating this one. Besides Jeu de Paumme, Maison Européene de la Photographie is the most important exclusively photo museum where exhibitions change approximately every 2 months. Located over 3 floors there are 3-5 separate exhibitions, mostly contemporary artists. Rarely too crowded it is intimate enough and not too vast.

You can also join the group visit organised by the MEP or participate at the lectures given in the auditorium. The MEP has a library dedicated to photography and it’s unique in the quantity of works about the topic.

Furthermore there are 5 video terminals where you can check one of 700 films, photographs, interviews or portraits of the artists. The works in the MEP are often very high quality art, if sometimes not, they will surely be intriguing, poignant and won’t let you walk untouched.

MEP is an extraordinary place which would be a pity to miss while in Paris, for student’s it is even more approachable, equalling the entrance fee with one coffee.

Situated in a 18th century “hôtel particulier”, the way to the museum via Rue Saint Paul makes it all a very pleasant experience .

Tip: Wednesday after 17:00 entrances is free.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
MEP | Art & culture | Entrance € 6.50
5/7 rue de Fourcy | Marais/Bastille | +33144787500
Wed – Sun 11:00 – 20:00

Mk2 Beaubourg is a moderately big cinema (6 different sized rooms) in the centre of town that offers a big selection of films every day.

MK2 chain was created by Marin Karmitz who tried to make a strong chain of independent films. Not cinematheque, it shows recent film productions. At MK2 you can watch the best independent movies, often those selected at the festivals specialising in that genre. That are not rarely classics to be. Opened to mainly European films, there are world productions as well. Documentaries and animated films are not equally represented, but are also often included in the program.

Films begin at around 11:00. and the tickets are cheaper before 15:00.

The slogan of MK2 as a different idea about the cinema, tells the principle of it’s creator wanting to give non commercial films more public space. Though there are plenty of other MK2 cinemas in Paris (like Cinema on the boat at Quai de Seine and Quai de Loire or visually, maybe, more atractive MK2 Bibliothèque) the Beaubourg has the specific small-cinema charm and by its position at the town centre is ideal place to enjoy and support the different approach to cinema.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
MK2 | Cinemas | Normal price € 8.50
50, rue Rambuteau | Marais/Bastille | +33892698484
11:00 – 01:00 daily

The Marais is generally known for falafel snacks, gay bars and trendy stores, but it also has a great architectural heritage: many aristocrats lived there in the 17th Century, before the Court moved to Versailles. During the French Revolution, aristocrats were beheaded or exiled, their residencies were turned public and now many of these host museums, libraries, or archives, (when not hosting the new Parisian aristocracy…).

One such palace is “Hôtel Carnavalet” (funny name coming from a mispronunciation of the Briton name de Kernevenoy, the first owners of the palace), which now hosts a museum dedicated to the history of Paris.

In this museum, you won’t find big names or famous masterpieces, but many paintings showing how Paris was throughout the different ages of its history, which is very interesting if you have already gone all over modern city’s streets and squares.

The collection is also of great interest for history enthusiasts, and displays the most important events of French history (many of which actually occurred in Paris), notably the Revolutions (from 1789 to the Commune, passing by 1830 and 1848 revolutions).

Like other museums run by the municipality, the visit to the collections is free, though you might be charged for some temporary exhibitions. And even if you’re not a museum addict, the place is worth a visit for its gorgeous courtyard, accessible from inside the museum.

Current exhibition (February 10th – July 4th): Photographs about Parisian prisons from 1851 till now

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Musée Carnavalet | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
23 rue de Sévigné | Marais/Bastille | +33144595858
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

Many Parisians know it despite the fact they haven’t be “lucky enough” to live it and see it: just a hundred years ago, in January and February 1910, Paris (and its suburbs) knew its last big flood in its history. Even if the life conditions were hard for inhabitants (not many dead though), it was also a great show to see one of the most beautiful city on earth with a completely different face, and many photographs and films testify this enthusiasm among people who know how to appreciate such a unique scenery.

This year, different exhibitions remind this event. Notably, the Library of History of Paris is exhibiting pictures, film and other documents (public notices, newspaper articles…) of this specific period, and it’s always a pleasure to imagine how this beautiful city could be under the waters (especially since public works have diminished a lot the probability of seeing such an event happening again soon in Paris). This exhibition will last until the 28th of March 2010.

You can look at some photos here.

Another – free – exhibition (I haven’t seen it yet) takes place at the Pavillon de l’eau and focuses more on technical aspects and political measures to prevent the risks of new floods today in Paris. Details here.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Paris inondé 1910 | Art & culture | Entrance € 4.00
22 rue Malher | Marais/Bastille | +33144592960
Tue – Wed & Fri – Sun 13:00 – 19:00, Thu 13:00 – 21:00

In Paris it’s often a hard decision what to see in a cinema, theatre, or where to go out. There are so many things going on in the same time.

Pariscope can’t help you, but will provide you with the information of time and places of your dilemmas.

Availabale at every newsstand on Wednesdays from 1965, it gives a really exhaustive list of theatre plays, films, festivals, concerts, expositions, all sorted by arrondissements. You can also check what specific promenades and guided mini tours are organised and where to go if with kids.

Near Parisian suburbs are as well included.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pariscope | Art & culture | Pariscope € 0.40
All newsstands | Marais/Bastille
Wednesdays

Between Bastille and the Île Saint-Louis, in the Eastern Marais, the Pavillon de l’Arsenal is a nice modern space run by Paris municipality, dedicated to Paris’s modern and historical urban history.

A very good counterpart of Musée Carnavalet (see the Musée Carnavalet article), which tells the history of Paris through art works, Pavillon de l’Arsenal is more an educational cultural centre, and explains the history of urbanization in a more scientific way.

The ground floor is the most interesting space for the average visitor. It illustrates Paris’s growth from Middle Age until today, with different resources such as texts (French and English), chronological tables, old maps showing the expansion of Paris’s walls, models, screens for pictures and videos, and fairly comfortable pouffes to seat while reading or watching the screens. This section is followed by an overview of significant recent architectural projects in Paris, which also questions contemporary urban issues in Paris and its suburbs.

First and second floors are dedicated to temporary exhibitions. Until the 28 March 2010, a very interesting one, with excellent scenography, takes place about the architectural developments in Paris and its suburbs over the past 60 years!

The red space on the top floor offers free consultation of video resources (mostly documentaries about Paris, only in French though), and next to it, a documentation centre with books, journals, papers etc. is open from Tuesday to Friday (14:00 – 18:00).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pavillon de l’Arsenal | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
21 Boulevard Morland | Marais/Bastille | +33142763397
Tue – Sat 10:30 – 18:30, Sun 11:00 – 19:00

On the carefully-monitored grass sections (smartly uniformed gardiens patrol with whistles), fashionable, precocious and rather surly teenagers lounge about smoking whilst from the shade of the benches around the periphery, distinguished looking older people look on with thinly veiled amusement.

Men in braces and brogues chater with their children and carefree foreign students drift casually between languages. Cultural drama and architectural perfection meet and merge, yet the Place des Vosges maintains its fundamental and unmistakable beauty; its flawlessly proportioned lines only accentuated by the clamour and disparity therein.

Here restraint, wisdom, elegance, and just a touch of vanity play together in confident harmony. A spirit of joviality and mutual appreciation pervades all at the Place des Vosges, where the French come to relax, in public as in style.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Place des Vosges | Relaxing
Place des Vosges | Marais/Bastille
08:00 – 21:30 daily

Chai 33 is a good quality restaurant located in the middle of the very pleasant Bercy Village (check the Bercy Village – article). The interior is modern and spacious with a loft-style feeling due to its split level central area.

Although the food is excellent and the staff very professional, the restaurant is all about wine! In fact the heart of the place is formed by its downstairs wine cellars. Once seated at your table you are invited to get up again and visit the cellar in order to select the wine(s) you wish to accompany your meal.

The wine shop, that is also open for non-restaurant guests, can also be booked for group wine tastings. They have a very large selection of very fine wines, that at first sight appear quite expensive, but reasonable once you realise that they are for consumption in the restaurant.

As the place is popular a reservation is recommended.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Restaurant Chai 33 | Restaurants (French) | Menu (excluding wines!) € 20.00
33 Passage Saint-Emilion | Marais/Bastille | +33153440101
19:00 – 02:00 daily

Paris is famous for its traditional “Brasseries”. And the Parisian brasseries are famous for their sea-food. Although brasseries exist in many types and qualities one of my (and many others) favorites is Bofinger. They have delicious and always fresh seafood, unlimited oisters.

Simply take one of the mixed platters, that come in several quantities and prices (from around € 25.00 to € 50.00 pp). The waiters are as they should be: quick, serious, undisturbed and extremely professional (do not mistake this for unfriendliness). The decor is very traditional with nice art deco details. The whole makes it a complete experience.

(By the way, “brasserie” means brewery. In past times many places brewed and sold there own beer).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Restaurant/brasserie Bofinger | Restaurants (Seafood) | Menu from € 25.00
5-7, rue de la Bastille | Marais/Bastille | +33142728782
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:30 – 01:00, Fri – Sun 12:00 – 01:00

I discovered this place not long ago, and immediately, even from the outside, I knew it would become dear to me.

It has a specific open atmosphere and goodwill vibrations that are all visible. People are relaxed, friendly, the staff totally unpretentious and new guests feel welcome, even it has some intimate, we know-each other’s mood.

Les Marcheurs de Planète-Resto Zinc is officially a wine bar-and offers about 50 sorts of wine. The excellent food is home cooked and freshly prepared. Inclination is to terroir food, in France meaning the food having the special characteristics attributed by specificity of the land of certain geographic region. In this case cheese and sausages and with wine it is very important, depending on the region grapes.

The food is served till midnight and the bar is open till 2am. I won’t say more than if you like hot chocolate, you should try it – and don’t eat anything before.

And that is not all, it has small cute details like chess tables, old piano…books, travel souvenirs, cask, old armchairs. Often they host small exhibitions, in type very similar to Art brut cafe.

Fair trade ideas that are moral bases of this bar and it’s great ambiance make Resto Zinc just the perfect place.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Resto Zinc | Bars | Brunch € 15.50
73, rue de la Roquette | Marais/Bastille | +33143489098
Tue – Sun 17:30 – 02:00 (kitchen 19:30 – 00:00)