Tu veux du thé?

You would like tea?

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and you could

really impress with Nina's tea on this service tray.

Nina's  was founded in 1672 when Pierre Diaz

created "La Distillerie Frères." It was the first company

to distill lavender essential oils in France and became

known for their art of creating fragrances.

Nina's

29, rue Danielle Cassanova

75001, Paris

Buveuses de thé

Tea drinkers

On a brisk afternoon we found we found 

these women enjoying tea in the winter sun.

I wonder if they knit as well?

L'Oisive Thé

Salon de Thé et Tricot

8 bis, rue de la Butte aux Cailles

75013, Paris

le Royal Monceau -un tasse de thé

le Royal Monceau

Beyond 5 stars, this hotel has been granted the official "Palace Distinction" by Atout France, the French Agency for Tourism Development.  Too fine for my budget, a late afternoon tea with friends was a perfect compromise.  

The hotel decor is by Philippe Starck and this tea cup is a collaboration between Starck and famous French porcelain maker Raynaud.  The design is seen on the saucer and reflected onto the surface of the cup.  The figure (lips) disappear when you lift it off the saucer.  Whimsical, elegant, and not cheap.

le Royal Monceau

37, avenue Hoche

75008, Paris

La Petite Rose

La Petite Rose

La Petite Rose is perhaps one of my favorite quiet places for lunch with seating for about 8 people.  With a choice of two salads and a quiche, you will be delighted with the fresh selections.  On previous posts you have seen a sampling of their beautifully crafted pastries (here)  The chef is Miyuki Watanabe, a Japanese woman who was trained in Tokyo, came to Paris to work for Gérard Mulot, and then opened her own shop.  (merci Clotilde Dusoulier)

Oh, and the chocolates are divine!

(Valentine's Day is Friday)

La Petite Rose

11, boulevard de Courcelles

75008, Paris

 

Rue d'Aligre - un café

Rue d'Aligre

Taken on a busy market day (Marché d;Aligre), 

there is scant room for café table and chairs.  

Still, the pastries and a coffee (or thé) can be enjoyed 

as the market vendors shout out the quality of their wares.

One thinks that the price of the coffee and pastry is small 

for this front row theatre seat.

Rue d'Aligre

75012, Paris

Métro Ledru Rollin

Musée Jacquemart André

Musée Jacquemart André

Lunch with friends amid the art, style, and architecture of Paris at

Musée Jacquemart André

Oh, and do not forget 

the Veuve Clicquot

Musée Jacquemart André - Salon de thé

158, boulevard Haussmann
75008, Paris

La Petite Rose - salon de thé

La Petite Rose

This is one of my favorite lunch spots, 

just a short walk from Parc de Monceau.  

Gorgeous salads and delicious quiches

Well, selecting a dessert is a challenge!

La Petite Rose 11, boulevard de Courcelles Métro Villiers 75008 Paris

Le Valentin - salon de thé

Le Valentin - salon de thé

The heat of the teapots was surpassed by the warmth of friendship.  

How wonderful to meet two friends face to face.

Le Valentin

30, Passage Jouffroy

75009, Paris

 

Pain et Chocolat - sous la table

Pain et Chocolat

salon de thé

This authentic salon de thé has captured my taste buds.

The menu is varied and excellent...

The desserts will transport you to heaven in a spoon 

Pain et Chocolat

16, avenue la Motte Picquet

75007, Paris

Métro École Militaire

Pain et Chocolat - la terrasse

Pain et Chocolat

Salon de thé

This is perhaps the best seat on the terrace

(definitely a French girl)

Pain et Chocolat

16, avenue la Motte Picquet

75007, Paris

Métro École Militaire

Pain et Chocolat - Salon de thé

Pain et Chocolat

A sweet Paris friend who has a shop on Rue Cler told me about this delightful place nearby, and I was smitten before even walking inside.  It is very small and an older married couple "do it all" from the baking and cooking to the serving.  They are svelte as dancers and move almost as quickly, taking care of the diners. 

The food is fabulous and the inside is as charming as the outside terrace. 

Oh, please note the lap blankets for the cool morning petit déjeuner.

I will be back there for lunch with Holly very soon.

Pain et Chocolat

16, avenue la Motte Picquet

75007, Paris

Métro Ecole Militaire



La Fourmi Ailée - salon de thé

La Fourmi Ailée

(the winged ant)

This is a quaint little salon de thé almost in the shadow of Notre Dame.  I have never been inside but have photographed the young people from the school next door leaning on the building as they took a smoking break.  The front of this charming salon de thé is pastel tiles which appear to be from Monet's palette.

La Fourmi Ailée
8, rue Fouarre
75005, Paris
Métro Maubert-Mutualité

Macarons pistache

Macaron tower, Ladurée

Just a little pre-weekend temptation...

macarons, Ladurée, pistache?

What's your favorite?

(miam-miam!)

Ladurée

21, rue Bonaparte

75006, Paris

Métro Saint Germain des Prés



Déjeuner pour deux

Comme à la Maison

How about a cozy lunch for two?

Comme à la Maison
9, rue Saint Paul
75004, Paris
Métro St Paul, Métro Pont Marie

Café Jacquemart-André

This stunning tea room is situated in the Musée Jacquemart-André, a private mansion completed in 1875 to house the fine works of art collected by Edouard André and his wife Nélie Jacquemart.  After his death she bequeathed the mansion and its collections to the Institut de France as a museum.

The room seen here was the mansion's dining room.  It was a delightful déjeuner, a royal treat, with Peter (Peter's Paris), Mary G, and her friend Pat from the US.

158, boulevard Haussmann
75008, Paris

A Priori Thé -- Galerie Vivienne

In the center of the passage of Galerie Vivienne is this proper salon de thé

A Priori Thé

You can see one of the menus here in chalk, typical French script, on the easel blackboard 

I love the floor tiles, the ambiance and the fare

You can sit here on the "terrace" in the galerie itself or inside the restaurant.  Both settings are enchanting and you will feel transported back about a hundred years. 

 A Priori Thé
35-37 Galerie Vivienne
75002, Paris

La Ruche à Miel

La Ruche à Miel is a restaurant and salon de thé with a window view of the busy Marché d'Aligre.  It is a regular Sunday morning stop, a quiet moment with un café before stepping back into the cacophony of the marketplace,

vendors shouting out the virtues of their produce, each trying to outdo the next.

I would invite you to stop a moment with me to enjoy the honey-laced pastries but it appears that someone has eaten them both... Perhaps it was Oskar!

I did get a photo first...

La Ruche à Miel
19, Rue d'Aligre
75012, Paris

La Petite Rose

Days of wine and roses? 

Well, actually, it was a bottle of water and a single rose,

but the lighting in the salon de thé was enchanting.

La Petite Rose
11, boulevard de Courcelles
Métro Villiers
75008 Paris

Une tarte de baies

This tart full of berries just makes my mouth water.

Does that mean it is good for you?

(Tant pis... I had something much more sinful, abundant in chocolate)

La Petite Rose
11, boulevard de Courcelles
75008 Paris

Comme à la Maison

This (very) petite salon de thé is found nestled in Village Saint Paul, in the Marais. The menu is limited, but delightful, with fresh crisp salads and rich quiches. First suggested by Richard Nahen of Eye Prefer Paris, it is a regular stop for daughter Holly and me. Marie and I enjoyed a refreshing déjeuner in April but passed on and devoured the most delicious chocolat chaud I have ever had.

I will return in cooler weather for another of those!

Bon weekend!

Comme à la Maison
9, rue Saint Paul


(Don't forget... Le Tour starts on samedi!)

For other weekend reflections go here to James' Weekend Reflections.