Sunday morning: milk, eggs, caviar. Nothing out of the ordinary. With my lover still tucked under the sheets, I grab a Voi bike in the 7th and fly off to La Grande Épicerie. Officially, to do the weekly shopping. Unofficially, almost certain I'll run into Laetitia Casta in the seasonal produce aisle.
Head to 38 rue de Sèvres.
Because there is grocery shopping, and then there is shopping at La Grande Épicerie de Paris. Nestled alongside Le Bon Marché, this Parisian institution trace its roots back to the department store’s food counter, where teas, coffees, and chocolates were sold as early as 1915, before a dedicated building opened in 1923 and fresh produce arrived in the 1930s. A century later, some 30,000 items line the shelves.
Naturally, you will find everything you need for Sunday dinner. But above all, you will find everything you never knew you needed until you laid eyes on it: an exquisitely wrapped pat of butter, an olive oil sourced straight from Greece, Italian pasta chosen solely for its packaging, a cheese recommended at the counter, and, tucked somewhere between two aisles, that jar of caviar that was absolutely not on your list.
Since its inception, the Parisian destination has cultivated a taste for far-flung flavors and culinary discoveries; even today, it introduces over 1,000 new arrivals every year. Its cellar alone boasts some 8,500 labels, while fresh produce, French and international delicacies, fine catering, and exceptional treats span the marketplace.
Taste
Sunday groceries · Rive Gauche · Vélo dans Paris · Laetitia Casta sightings · Market baskets · French butter · Caviar for no reason · Beautiful packaging
