Paris Trip Part II: A Walk in the 6th Arrondissement

Everyone's Eating Something from Lauderee

Monday dawned wet and drippy, but not enough to stop our plan: an eating tour of the 6th Arrondissement following tips culled from bloggers from David Lebovitz to Dorie Greenspan. Even the concierge’s soggy attitude when he pointed out the way didn’t bring us down. We set out on foot from Montparnasse with maps and shop names in hand.

Jamon Iberico de Bellota @ da Rosa

First stop: Gerard Mulot, where we split a baguette, scarfed down an apple turnover and a croissant, and squirreled away a macaron for later. Brushing the crumbs from our clothing we set off from our first success in search of Rue de Seine. The neighborhood right around St-Germain was charming, and we strolled through admiring some of the stores, but really only stopping at the food ones. We peered in the window at da Rosa coveting the Jamón Ibérico de Bellota…but couldn’t actually figure out whether (or how) to buy a few grams to decorate the remainder of our baguette. And the fromagerie next door, despite the sign still seemingly in place over the door, was clearly undergoing renovations.

We continued down the street instead to Pierre Marcolini where although we didn’t find any chocolate covered marshmallows (perhaps we should have asked?) we did pick up a beautiful box of chocolates. That was the first chocolate stop of our tour, which also included ducking into Patrick Roger (and she gave us a free piece of chocolate each! I think it was marzipan). I couldn’t help getting a box of pralines a bag of mixed caramels (now that I have had some though I would stick with the natural ones next time) and a bag of chocolate-caramelized-hazelnuts.

Pastry from Pierre Hermé

We walked out way over to Ladurée on rue Bonaparte where we bought a box of macarons (they had so many flavors!) and heard them snap at a lady who tried to take photos. Thank god I had not pulled mine out of my bag… but sad too. So pretty! After that I was so intimidated I didn’t take pictures in any stores at all. And then for contrast we headed over to Pierre Hermé where we also got a box of mixed macarons, with interesting flavors (including one with wasabi – which was much subtler and more enticing than it sounds). In our later taste test — the Pierre Hermé ones slightly deflated either due to a difference in the baking or some trauma they suffered during our walk home, Gus bit into the Pierre Hermé one — “yum!”– but right afterwards he had a Ladurée macaron and instantly said, “Ooh that one is so much better.” I think I prefer the PH ones, to me more delicate and airy with layered, complex flavors. Either way, heavenly, with a crispy outer “skin” and a chewier center… I still have more to eat so the comparison goes on! (I also picked up at PH what looked to be a caramel creme millefieulle several inches tall and may I just say that was heavenly.)

Croque Monsiuer @ Le Mabillon

Lunch was an open-faced croque monsieur at Le Mabillon…a thin layer of ham covered with a layer of cheese roughly the same thickness… and a pile of crunchy pommes frites. The sandwich was good, with balanced flavors, and the bread was solid, not soggy. I like a little more gooey meltiness in hot sandwiches, but over all this held up well. We followed that up with a walk over to the Odeon areawhere we got crepes (butter and sugar for Gus, creme the marron for me) at Yves Camdeborde’s creperie (it’s a good thing Dorie Greenspan mentioned the next-door bistro, Le Comptoir, in her post or we might have missed it)… So fun! Wrapped up to be held in your hand, they were a bit floppy, and maybe a bit chewier than I expected, but delicious and consumed quickly.

On the way back to the hotel, we ducked into Jean-Charles Rochoux for yet more chocolates (?!) and emerged with a small mixed box and a bog of chocolate covered hazelnuts. And this lovely lady not only gave us a small taste (omg rich and luscious and so… mouth-meltingly…) she also tucked a few extra bits (chocolate covered ginger and orange peel) into our box. Who knew chocolate store people could be so nice! Lovely contrast between shopping at Patrick Roger and Rochoux (generous and friendly, if a bit stiff) versus Ladurée (snippy and snotty).