NEW YORK TIMES JOURNEYS – PARIS: TASTES OF THE LEFT BANK | Walking Tour

When you arrive at the Deyrolle boutique, you might be disappointed that you’re visiting just a gardening store. But the second floor houses a unique “cabinet des curiosités,” a kind of small private taxidermy museum, filled with stuffed leopards and polar bears, in a quirky atmosphere. Then, practice the Parisian art of “flâner” (wandering about) with a walk to the Berges de Seine, a former urban highway that has become a park along the river, to reach a hidden alley and the former printing house of Jean-Paul Marat, a radical voice of the French Revolution, where leaders of the Revolution met. It also houses a medieval tower, but you are there for Un Dimanche à Paris, a chocolate “concept store” by Pierre Cluizel, whose family has been making chocolate for 70 years. Try the famous hot chocolate, served in Limoges cups, and some pastry. Meet the managers and some of the chefs, and see the exhibition kitchen that makes these delicious treats every day.

Work off some of those calories in a stroll along the Boulevard Saint-Germain, past typical cafes and bars, to the Abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, one of the oldest churches in Paris. Nearby is the Pierre Hermé store. Known as the “Pablo Picasso of macarons,” Hermé was named Best Pastry Chef of the World in 2016. His pastries look almost too good to eat, but you will. Head toward the stunning Luxembourg Gardens, designed for the Medici family in the early 17th century. There you can get a glimpse at the iconic Parisian “Iron Lady”, without which a trip to Paris isn’t complete!

Walk to Cire Trudon, the former royal candlemaker opened since 1643. The store manager will relate the history of this brand, whose candles are still dipped by hand: King Louis XV was a fan. Try to guess the scents in the candles, and admire the delicately made wax candle-sculptures.

Head to the cover market of Saint-Germain, full of fruits, vegetables, cheese and other delicious French products. After passing by the four-generations-old Fromagerie Sanders, we will stop in Maison Balme, specialized in truffles, for a glass of wine with truffle cured meat and cheese. There you can enjoy one of the best French traditions: the aperitif, nicknamed “l’apéro,” a friendly and cheerful moment to spend drinking wine, sharing bread, trying smelly cheese and having a casual chat. Relax with your new tour friends to plan the rest of your day.