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Market Street and Food Shops in Rue Cler in Paris
The rue Cler is one of the most authentic market street in Paris. Situated in the seventh arrondissement, it has the charm of a little village, thanks to its tiny local shops, its original cobblestones and thanks to the fact that most of the street is a pedestrian area.
This street is the place of the good cuisine. It is lined with cafés, boulangeries and a variety of different specialty shops, selling local food products and spilling out into the street. Parisians do their daily shopping there, in those foods shops in rue Cler, to buy the items they need for a day or two, for tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch, but no more.
They indeed often prefer high quality and fresh products sold by knowledgeable owners than cheap and standard food sold in supermarket chains. For this reason, Parisians living in the neighbourhood often prefer “one-street shopping” to supermarkets. If you want to have a walk and buy your food as Parisians do, you can start at the top of the street, next to the Ecole Militaire metro station, on the corner of La Motte Picquet and Rue Cler.
For savoury products
There are many food shops in rue Cler. Parisians buy their items here for two reasons: they buy the ingredients for their coming meals, or they buy products to have a picnic, such as bread, delicatessen and fruits.
Charcuterie Jeusselin
If you want to buy French specialties: Located on the 37 rue Cler, you will find the Charcuterie Jeusselin. This food shop specializes in French products, which are displayed in the glass cases in front of the shop. The main specialty that they sell is the foie gras. There is also a large selection of smoked and cured meats, and of French sausages. But the reason why the shop is increasingly popular among locals is that it sells prepared dishes.
Local tip: this charcuterie has received several awards for their – once again – sausages, that you should really try!
La Sablaise
Photo credit KSR (link)
If you want to buy fresh fish, go to La Sablaise, at 28 rue Cler. It is one of the finest fish markets in all of Paris, and one of the best among the food shops in rue Cler. It proposes an enormous selection of seafood, from sea snails to fresh fish, from crabs to baskets full of shrimp.
Davoli
If you want to buy delicatessen, go to Davoli, which is located at 34 rue Cler. Also called La Maison du Jambon (“the House of Ham”), this shop is of the finest food shops in rue Cler. It was founded in Paris a century ago and has since become a real institution in Paris. It is specialized in Italian delicatessens: it sells salami, sausages, terrines or prosciutto. It also sells homemade Italian specialities such as roasted peppers, pasta, Italian cheeses or desserts. The line in front of the shop shows how appreciated this food is by locals!
Local tip: the portions are larger than they usually are, so subtract a few people, other wise you would have to expect leftovers!
Boucherie Roger Billebault
If you want to buy meat: you can go to the boucherie Roger Billebault, on the 52 rue Cler. This shop is one of the most popular butchers in Paris. It sells high quality products with an excellent selection, but also unusual products, such as boar and grouse. For instance, at Christmas, a gourmet season, they sell boar’s heads. Beyond its excellent selection, the other asset of the shop is that the merchant will give you good advice on how to cook your meat.
La Fromagerie
If you want to buy cheese: La Fromagerie, at 31 rue Cler. It’s the most popular cheese shop of the street. It sells many French cheeses, but also eggs, butter, milk and yogurt. Walking into the store, you can’t settle for buying cheese and going out: you should really taste different cheeses and discuss with the merchant, about your tastes, your plans of meals, your culinary needs… Among the numerous cheeses, two very appreciated specialties are St Marcelin, a very creamy cheese, and the goat cheeses.
Local tip 1: the lines outside on Sunday mornings can stretch down the block so get there early!
Local tip 2: when you buy a soft cheese, be sure to tell the clerk when you are planning to eat it: this evening, tomorrow or at the end of the week. Then, he can choose the right freshness for the moment you plan to eat it.
For sweets
Famille Mary
If you want to buy honey: Famille Mary, at 35 rue Cler. This shop is specialized in selling honey and products made of royal jelly and pollen of flowers. The products are of a great quality and of a great variety: they sell honey jams, but also honey cakes, honey cereals, honey sweets and honey cooking condiment. A really original and authentic shop!
Halles Bosquet
If you want to buy fruits: go to Halles Bosquet, at 50 rue Cler. This green grocery is among the largest of the street. It sells seasonal fruits and vegetables. The good point is that, since there are three or four other greengrocers on rue Cler, it created a competition which leads to very competitive prizes.
Martine Lambert
If you want to buy ice-cream: Martine Lambert, at 39 rue Cler. This shop is one of the most appreciated food shops in rue Cler during the summer: its sells ice cream. The great asset is that the ice cream is homemade, and is made of local high-quality products: for instance, the milk comes from cows in Normandy. Flavours are always changing and all more delicious than the last.
À la Mère de Famille
If you want to buy candies: A la mère de famille, at 47 rue Cler. This shop is quite famous in Paris, since it is the oldest chocolate factory and sweet shop of the capital. It was founded in 1761. It sells good quality candies, such as chocolate and confectionery, but also French specialties, such as candied fruits or calissons. Their specialty is also ice cream; the most original and appreciated flavours are chocolate-mint and a special one, chocolate with orange and vodka.
Other shops
Café du Marché
If you want to sit and have a coffee: Café du Marché at 38 rue Cler. This place is a large brasserie, known for being among the most popular and affordable eating spots in the area. It’s a nice place to sit and have a drink while practicing the Parisian classic game: people-watching. The café has a covered area outside, where you can eat all year long.
Local tip 1: you should get there early, as it is not possible to make a reservation and as the place is always crowded.
Local tip 2: the daily specials (“plat du jour” or the dish of the day) are proposed at reasonable prices and are often of a really good quality. You can find them written on the blackboard on the outside of the brasserie.
Practical information
If you plan to go to the food shops: most of the food shops in rue Cler are open from Tuesday to Saturday from morning to about 8 pm, and on Sunday mornings, and most of them are closed on Mondays.
If you plan to go to the cafés and restaurants, note that cafés and restaurants have more flexible hours. They are open later than shops during the evening and night, and most of them are also open on Mondays and Sundays.
Our guides can give you more information on these through our Paris walking tours. Also, if you want to, you can join our food tour in another great area of Paris, the Montmartre neighborhood! We also offer a vegetarian and gluten-free one! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information about anything! See you soon in Paris!
