601870 Sat Mar 07 11:34:40 -0800 2009 8 49 France 0 4482582 I am passionate about the croissants and other vienoisserie at Pierre Herme but have always been frustrated that I end up going there in the morning but don't have a place to eat the croissants with jam and coffee, without going back to my hotel or rented apartment which isn't always convenient. Does anyone have a solution to this dilemma? (I'm tired of standing in front of St. Sulpice, eating out of the bag and fighting off the pigeons who attack the crumbs I always drop.) Thanks. Sat Mar 07 11:34:40 -0800 2009 272474 parislovernyc 1 4482687 Some cafés and bars will let you bring your own pastries to eat if you drink their coffee. Have you tried the eternally "branché" Café de la Mairie on the place Saint Sulpice? In the mornings, the terrace is normally quite calm. Sat Mar 07 12:30:12 -0800 2009 4482582 163537 vielleanglaise 2 4483859 I agree -- cafe de la mairie. Too cold to eat outside right now, but I like the sunny glassed-in area in the front. Sun Mar 08 00:12:51 -0800 2009 4482687 155404 Cookingthebooks 1 4482793 Well, maybe you need to be more voracious and efficient and not drop any crumbs. Ha Sorry, I am of zero help with your question and was just being a bit cheeky. Also, probably a bit jealous thinking of someone else with a good croissant, right now. Sat Mar 07 13:22:09 -0800 2009 4482582 239561 dietndesire 1 4484238 Thank you for the Cafe de la Mairie suggestion. Should I ask them it if's okay to eat the food I bring, or do I just do it? Sun Mar 08 08:49:12 -0700 2009 4482582 272474 parislovernyc 1 4484481 Many years ago, when I was a student at Paris IV (the Sorbonne), I went with some American and one Portugese students to Versailles. There were several cafés outside the grounds with signs "On peut apporter son repas," if I remember correctly. That means you can bring your picnic lunch with you. We didn't ask about eating our own food. The waiter came by, saw us, and before we could order our drinks, made some comment about the English coming with their food and never ordering anything. I`m not sure if that answers your question, parisloverynyc. Seriously, though, I don`t generally ask about bringing a pastry with me to a café. I often do this after picking up something at the Stübli bakery in the rue Poncelet market street and going for a coffee on the corner at the ave. des Ternes. Stübli has many Austrian or German style desserts not found much elsewhere. It is also next door to the fabulous cheese shop Alléosse. At the same time, I don't make a big show of spreading out the food. Nor would I do this at any café specializing in pastries, like Genin or Ladurée. Sun Mar 08 10:43:05 -0700 2009 4482582 110779 RandyB 2 4484541 Thank you very much for this advice. Sun Mar 08 11:07:17 -0700 2009 4484481 272474 parislovernyc 1 5130294 I just returned from Paris a week ago. I learned before leaving home (from David Liebovitz's "The Sweet Life in Paris) that the waiters at Cafe de la Marie are receptive to those of us who bring Pierre Herme bakery to their tables. We breakfasted there twice. Not only were we well received, the waiter brought us a knife and extra napkins. We ordered a lot of coffee, in return. It was the least we could fo. Sun Oct 25 18:02:03 -0700 2009 4482582 1108470 cfiorello 1 5130760 Around the corner from the rue Bonaparte location is Au Vieux Colombier on rue de Rennes and Place Saint-Sulpice. The staff at Pierre Hermés suggested it as a place to have their pastries with coffee or tea and it was no problem. Sun Oct 25 21:23:46 -0700 2009 4482582 11773 shortstop