Cafes & Restaurants | A French Collection

French Tea Salons – Salon de thé

French tea salons - Étang Neuf - l'atelier de le Étang Neuf - Summer garden with hydrangeas

French Tea Salons - Salon de thé

Visiting a French tea salon or salon de thé, is a wonderful experience and one that I recommend if you enjoy drinking tea, coffee or hot chocolate, and have the opportunity whilst you travel. Tea time in France is known as le Goûter, and is typically an afternoon snack time taken between 4pm and 6pm.

At tea time or le Goûter in France you can typically expect to indulge in pastries rather than savoury food such as finger sandwiches as in a typical British teatime. Pain au chocolat, tarts, cannelés, madeleines or macarons are popular at French tea time.

The more formal tea time, such as in French tea salons or salon de Thé, may be a little more British inspired with cakes, cookies or desserts along with the full service of tea.

While tea is enjoyed, coffee (espresso or French press) and hot chocolate are just as common. The French tend to prefer tisanes and lightly scented teas (such as Jasmine or Earl Grey) rather than the strong, milk-heavy black teas typical in Britain.

Paris Bistro Chairs – The Origin of the Bistro Chair

Le Bistro Chair of Paris

"When you spend as much time in cafés as I do, you begin to notice that the typique bistro chair is like a snowflake. They are alike, yet no two are the same" - Janice MacLeod, A Paris Year

I absolutely love this quote by Janice MacLeod, the author of two of my most favourites books about Paris, A Paris Year and Dear Paris. It perfectly describes the iconic Paris bistro chair that we all love, and that is as much a part of Paris as is the Eiffel Tower, fresh croissants and the Louvre. In this blog post we look at the origins of the Paris bistro chair, why we love them and the unspoken rules around what and what not to do when seating yourself at a Parisian bistro. And I've got a wonderful gallery of photos taken from my wanderings in Paris of the different styles of bistro chairs for you to enjoy. If you love the bistro chairs of Paris and want a framed photographic artwork of these chairs, take a look below at my available framed prints through my printing partner Redbubble.

Odette Pastry Store – The Best Cream Puffs in Paris

The Best Creme Puffs in Paris

Can you imagine a pretty Parisian store filled with display shelves of only creme puffs? Well, Odette, is such a store. Nestled in amongst its surrounding buildings, Odette is at 77 rue Galande, and is well known for selling only creme puffs, or as they are as named in French, choux à la creme.

Odette - A True Parisian Pastry Store

Yes, while there are pastry shops and bakeries everywhere in Paris, almost on every other street corner actually, Odette is different because instead of the array of eclairs, macarons, croissants and baguettes, Odette only bakes and sells creme puffs and because they specialise only in choux à la creme, they excel in both flavour and creative flair.

Visiting Odette and sampling a creme puff was on my 'to visit' list on my first stay in Paris, but because the shop is set so well into the surrounding buildings, I actually walked past and around the shop not seeing it. It wasn't until my following visit to the City of Light that I actually found the store and eventually tasted an Odette creme puff for myself.

Ritz Hotel Paris and A French Afternoon Tea

Ritz Hotel Paris

Imagine feasting on a luxurious and delicious afternoon tea taken in surroundings reminiscent of the Belle Epoque period and in one of the most famous of all Parisian hotels. Sound wonderful? Well, read on about the Ritz Hotel Paris and their special "French-style teatime".

French-teatime is typically a teatime with petite cakes and bite sized morsels enjoyed late in the afternoon and in the company of friends and is associated with a genteel style of living so you can understand why the Ritz offers their own special French-teatime.

Julie Child in Paris – Following in the Footsteps of America’s French Chef

Julia Child in Paris

Want to follow in the footsteps of the famous American French Chef Julia Child? Well, when you spend a lot of time in Paris you will undoubtably visit many of the places that Julia also frequented during her life in Paris.

Julia Child has been described as America's French chef and is famous for her cooking, her books and as host of her acclaimed television show, The French Chef. Let's go find Julia Child's Paris together.

A party without cake is just a meeting. - Julia Child

Nina’s Marie Antoinette Tea Salon, Paris

Nina's Marie Antoinette Tea Salon in Paris

Nina's Marie Antoinette French tea salon has been offering the original tea of Marie Antoinette since 1672 and for anyone who loves their cup of tea, with or without cake or is enthralled with the life of Marie Antoinette will love Nina's Marie Antoinette Salon.

The Salon is located in central Paris at Place Vendrôme, in the 1st arrondissement and it is truely a delicate place with its golden gilt decorations, creme décor and pretty china teapots and cups.

Baguette Vending Machines in France

On your French travels have you ever been really hungry and on reaching the local boulangerie (bakery) found it closed for their lunch break? What the heck is that about? They sell food right – and they are shut at lunch time! Nothing better explains France’s love for the long lunch than this anomaly. Boulangeries close so that bakers and workers can enjoy their own lunch break, and locals plan around these midday closures.

However, there is also an answer to this age-old lunch hunger problem when the boulangerie is closed. It’s got our family and no doubt many others out of hunger – enter the baguette vending machine. True, there are vending machines that dispense fresh baguettes in France.

Annette Charlton

Annette lives with her family between their homes in France and Australia. She’s been featured in International magazines including French Property News, on numerous blogs and travel websites and appeared on ABC National Radio. You can connect on Instagram or Facebook.

www.afrenchcollection.com

Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots – Two Famous Paris Cafés

Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots Café – Two Famous Parisian Cafés

Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots Café are two famous cafés both in the Saint Germain area in the Left Bank of Paris. The cafés are top on the list of many people’s Paris itineraries and we’ll take a closer look at these two iconic Paris cafés and why they are famous.

What are your best travel memories? Does sampling the local produce and eating out dominate your travels? For some it is the food itself and its presentation that is paramount, for others it is the ambience or history surrounding the location that appeals to them.

I love it best when I’m with friends eating good hearty food in a location with historical significance. And that’s why I love both Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots.

Annette Charlton