Breakfast in Paris??

[johannabanana]

Unless you eat a so-so, overpriced breakfast in your hotel it seems hard to get breakfast on the fly in Paris. We don't require anything elaborate -- just a decent cafe creme and a pastry or tartine is perfect. We are happy to stand at a bar. We'd go to Pierre Herme for his delicious pains au chocolat but alas he doesn't serve coffee and there's nowhere to sit for a moment if it's rainy or cold. We're staying on the rue de l'universite in the 6th. We'd appreciate any tips for a solid first meal of the day!

[PhilD]

I have never found it a problem to get a simple breakfast in Paris, nearly every bar or cafe will be open and they will have croissants and generally do tartines (yes bars are great for breakfast). My strategy is to head out of my hotel/apartment and choose the first one that looks decent/busy. If necessary I may buy a croissant at the local bakery to eat with my coffee but more often than not the case buys them at the same place.

Stand at the bar and soak up the atmosphere as Paris wakes up.

[Oakglen]

Esperance, 36 rue Universite, on the border of the 7th, is a tiny cafe that buys pastries, quiches etc made by several ladies that live nearby; superb stuff, and cheap! It's hard to believe that places like this still survive in this pricey neighborhood.

[beaulieu]

When we stay on the Rue Jacob, I buy newspapers at the kiosk in front of La Flore and go inside Les Deux Magots for a croissant and café crème. They are not extraordinary, but this is the time of day when you can get the feeling of the mythical ambience of Les Deux Magots.

[mangeur]

"We're staying on the rue de l'universite in the 6th."

Are you actually on l'Universite or on Jacob? Sts. Peres is the divider between the 6th and 7th. This might make a difference in your breakfast choices.

Although it wouldn't be my choice, Ladurée on the corner of Jacob and Bonaparte certainly fills your bill.

[johannabanana]

yeah we tried laduree last year for breakfast on on annual january visit to paris - was dreadful - totally overpriced average croissants, tepid weak coffee, and the slowest service imaginable.

[johannabanana]

and good call, we're actually just over the line in the 7th on l'universite. hotel lennox.

[souphie]

Most cafés will let you in with Hermé's (or other's) pastries.

[johannabanana]

thanks for the tip souphie! should we ask for permission or is that not necessary?

[souphie]

Can't hurt.

[kikisakura]

My part-time Parisian full-time French companion always insists on asking and only in places that do not sell what I am attempting to smuggle in. This almost always results in having good pastries with a horrible cup of coffee.

[Nancy S.]

Le Nemrod in the 6th is great for tartines and cafe creme.