For all our friends out of France !
Next week, we'll attend 2 shows in Paris in Dubaï. Don't hesitate to come and see us!
The Sandwich & Snack show in Paris Porte de Versailles - Stand C22 - 2 and 3 March 2011
The Gulfood – Dubai – Hall Sheik Maktoum Stand M112 – February 27th to March 2nd2011. (on the Eurodelices Booth)
And for those coming to Paris here are a few tips !
Remember last time you came to Paris ? you stayed in a so-so hotel, had a bad croissant, a terrible coffee. Did the bartender even say “hello ?”. After hours walking around in the city, you came back to your hotel and did not know where to grab a decent dinner. Was it the French experience you really expected? Why not do better this time ?
For a good start, taste one of the best croissants and baguettes in town : Go to Arnaud Delmontel 39 rue des Martyrs 75009 Paris (closed on Tuesdays), to Le Grenier à Pain 38, rue des Abbesses (closed on Wednesday) or chez Dominique Saibron 77 avenue du Général Leclerc 75014 Paris (closed on Monday). Chains like Eric Kayser’s are also good providers of tasty croissants. For other addresses, please refer to le Guide des Boulangeries published at Editions de l’If by Michel de Rovira et Augustin Paluel-Marmont aka Michel et Augustin).
If your hotel is in another neighborhood and you want a great address for bread, please send me an e-mail and I’ll find for you a nice bakery close to your place.
After such a great breakfast, you may find taking the Metro (to Porte de Versailles for the show) less of a hassle.
If you manage one afternoon to get away from the tradeshow, you may want to grab a lunch at one of these eateries : Cojean www.cojean.fr/, Jour www.jour.fr (fine salads ready made for you), Bert’s (a French equivalent to Prêt à Manger) www.berts.fr or new chains such as Mezzo di Pasta www.mezzodipasta.fr You may also want to check out Paul or McDonald’s (French McDonald’s are so different from other countries not mentioning their logo in France is green : salad menus, McCafes, automatic tellers for orders, …). You should note that the chain of American sandwiches Subway has recently hit the ground in France and is developing at stunning pace. A French entrepreneur currently develops a premium chain of Japanese food in France and more recently Italy : “Sushi Shop” already more than 100 shops and more to come !
Why not go crazy and taste the best macarons in town ? Ladurée 16 rue Royale 75008 Paris, Laurent Duchene 2 rue Wurtz 75013 Paris or for chocolate addicts, the macarons by Jean-Paul Hévin 231 rue Saint Honoré 75001 Paris. Pierre Hermé and Gérard Mulot are definitely worth a stop as well.
After this long hard day (“and you’ve been working like a dog”) you need to find yourself a great dinner. Chateaubriant 129 Avenue Parmentier 75011 Paris - 01 43 57 45 95, l’Ami Jean (27 rue Malar 75007 Paris - 01 47 05 86 89 are among classics and you will need to make reservations. If you’re more into new things, you’ll want to check out Le Mama Shelter 109 rue de Bagnolet 75020 Paris 01 43 48 48 48, or Le Dauphin, NEW restaurantfrom Inaki of Chateaubriant, 131 avenue Parmentier 75011 Paris 09 52 99 40 75 or Saturne, NEW restaurant– 17 rue Notre Dame des Victoires 75002 Paris)
Other great restaurants at www.lefooding.com
To know everything new already in stores and before you fly back home, you’ll need to visit :
- the classics of French food retailing : La Grande Epicerie – 38 rue de Sèvres 75007 Paris, les Galeries Lafayette/Lafayette Gourmet – 40 boulevard Haussmann 75009 Paris, les Galeries Gourmandes Porte Maillot in the Palais des Congrès, or also Le Drugstore 133 avenue des Champs-Elysées
- the new small urban food retailers : Monop’ (6 bvd Sébastopol 75004 Paris and 40 other addresses), Carrefour city (144 rue Malakoff 75016 Paris and 20 other addresses in Paris), Chez Jean (7 rue de La Fayette 75009 Paris), “A 2 pas” the new proximity retail concept by Auchan in Ménilmontant 75009 Paris which opened on February 9th.
- Picard, elected favorite chain by French people : a high-end frozen food specialist (18 avenue Trudaine 75009 Paris and so many more in Paris www.picard.fr)
- The amazing, charming bakery of Philippe Conticini: la pâtisserie des rêves, where tarts and cakes look (and taste) like nowhere else – 93 rue du Bac 75007 Paris or 111 rue de Longchamp 75016 Paris www.lapatisseriedesreves.com)
- Other food stores such as : Ethnic Angel a new supermarket importing products from over 80 countries in the world which opened in August 2010 – 16 rue du Faubourg Montmartre 75009 Paris, www.ethnic-angel.com, Lavinia one of the largest wine shop in France – 3 boulevard de la Madeleine 75001 Paris, l’Epicerie fine rive gauche, with the famous food connoisseur Pascal – 8 rue du Champ de Mars 75007 Paris, Bo et Bon – 82 rue Legendre 75017 Paris…
More time available ? you can probably do some non-food shopping and bring back a nice present to your family and friends. Buy the latest new gadget, new hype phenomenon at Colette – 213 rue Saint Honoré 75001 Paris. Buy clothes, flowers or home decoration at “Merci” a new shop created by the former Bonpoint owners, such a beautiful store : 111 boulevard Beaumarchais 75003 Paris. www.merci-merci.com
Enjoy your stay!
Michel, Augustin, the tribe.
