Shopping in Rue Lepic in Paris

Shopping in Rue Lepic in Paris

If you want to understand the Parisian lifestyle, you have to go shopping in Rue Lepic in Paris. Rue Lepic is a central street of Montmartre that winds to the top of the hill and to the Sacré Coeur. It’s where all the shops and food stores are located. Here are a few recommendations of my own to help you make the most of your experience shopping in Rue Lepic in Paris.

20, rue Lepic: Fromagerie Lepic

What I like about the Rue Lepic is that you can have a scope of authentic products from all over France. You don’t have large food companies and brands but local stores and shops. This is the case for the Fromagerie Lepic where you can find more than 100 types of cheeses from all over France. Each cheese is made in only one geographical area of France: for instance, if you taste a bit of Roquefort, you have a foretaste of the city of Roquefort in the South of France.

So if you don’t have time to travel to France’s countryside, you can discover it thanks to these local cheeses that bring you on a tasty journey for the time of a mouthful. What’s more, sellers are all very sweet and they will advise you on which cheese you should take for a particular dish or wine. Here’s a little question for you before entering this must-do shop: do you know how many types of cheese we have in France? Little tip: there are as many cheeses as days in a year.

23, rue Lepic: Aux Vrais Produits d’Auvergne

As summer has arrived, I like to go on the Seine riverbanks with some friends, some wine, some charcuterie. It’s actually a national sport in France: it’s just before dinner time, and we call it “apero time”. And Aux Vrais Produits d’Auvergne is THE shop to prepare a perfect “apero”: saucisson, dry ham, tapenades (olive cream) and, of course, cheeses. And all these products, according to the Montmartre terroir tradition, come from a particular region in France: Auvergne (hence the name of the shop). Auvergne is renowned in France for its grand green meadows on which cows pasture, and for its sleeping volcanoes.

So buy an authentic Auvergne product in this shop and you “kill two birds with one stone”. Not only you got your perfect apero but you also discover Auvergne’s atmosphere in this traditional familial and welcoming grocery.

26, rue Lepic: Les Petits Mitrons

French customers often say they do feel at home in this shabby-looking yet cosy, convivial and welcoming pastry-shop. Les Petits Mitrons’ reputation (such a cute and quaint name: a “Mitron” is a young apprentice baker) is about keeping with the paramount place it occupies in the heart of Montmartrois.

When you enter this place, you will discover the childhood of every Montmartrois: when the school ring belled, children used (and still do) storm out of their class to rush to Les Petits Mitrons and buy their daily cookie. Their cookies are delicious, indeed, but they also make homemade pies, tarts and quiches in dozens of different flavour combination. Taste one, it’s like a grandmother’s hug. My personal recommendation: the cookie and the mango tart.

26, rue Lepic: L’Epicerie du Terroir

Packed with old-fashioned, charmingly decorated foodstuffs like fleur-de-sel, tapenades and artisanal spices, L’Epicerie du Terroir is a one-stop shop for foodie souvenirs of France. Terroir food is guaranteed to be authentically French as it’s often produced in a passionate way accordingly to familial traditions.

Pick up a pack of homemade crystallized rose or mint leaves and beers made at the nearby Brasserie de la Goutte d’Or for an authentic local treat. My particular recommendation is the typical Dijon’s mustard. I actually put mustard in almost every dish I eat.

40, rue Lepic: Poissonnerie Pepone

The Poissonnerie Pepone not only brings you onto the coasts of Normandy, Brittany and Southern France with its broad choice of fish and shells but also constitutes a state-of-the-art example of a typical French commerce that holds on to traditions. French are keen on buying their fresh fish on Saturdays or Wednesdays mornings after bringing their kids to school. So why don’t you do as the locals and buy your own salmons, dorades or even blowfish?

The sellers are always very engaging and will authorise you to taste a few cockles or oysters. What I like to do is seafood-watching, Poissonnerie Pepone always has impressive crabs, lobsters or other crustaceans that are still alive!

42, rue Lepic: À la Pomponnette

What would be the Rue Lepic without its famous La Pomponnette restaurant? It has been there since 1909, has welcomed major artists since then such as Poulbot and Gen Paul and has remained as lively as 100 years ago. Indeed, the consecutive owners have held on to the tradition of inviting artists, organising art exhibitions and music concerts.

On top of that, you can appreciate the quaint spirit of Montmartre thanks to the beautiful terrace and convivial atmosphere that daily reigns in La Pomponnette. The gastronomy is typically French, with traditional meals and also creative ones. Enjoy a good lunch for 20€. From Friday to Sunday, service is unlimited and all day long.

You should know that it has been awarded. It got the 2009 Golden Caldron, which is a prize rewarding the best authentic and quaint restaurant.

44, rue Lepic: Galerie W Landau

This hip art space always has plenty of modern, witty exhibitions free to the public. Pop in for a dose of thought-provoking contemporary art and pick up some exhibition-related postcards for a unique memento of your trip to Montmartre.

If you want to discover this unique artsy atmosphere of Montmartre which is the actual birthplace of Impressionism, home for artists like Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh or even Picasso, you are in the right place: you can attend the Montmartre Impressionist tour and get a skip-the-line ticket to the Orsay Museum at the same time.

58, rue Lepic: L’Atelier

Create your own shoes at this unique boutique: L’Atelier. Though the kicks have classic form, your new boots or ballet flats can have any combination of whiz-bang bright colors your imagination can dream of. Plus, you can make your own shoes at a price comparable to the already-designed shoes everyone else has!

83, rue Lepic: Le Moulin de la Galette

Do you want to spend a good moment eating away from the hubbub of the down Montmartre? Do you feel like enjoying a classy moment in the very place where Renoir drew his famous Bal au Moulin the Galette, one of the first impressionist paintings? Do you want to invite your lover in a most romantic setting below an authentic windmill? This is the place for you!

The Moulin de la Galette is a previous cabaret that was frequented by many broke artists who had to go up the hill to benefit from cheaper prices, as they got further away from Paris. Nowadays it is a must-do restaurant in Montmartre, where you can enjoy French haute-gastronomy for a fairly good price: 29€ for a full menu (starter + main dish + desert). I tell you, if you consider food as art, you’re in the right place. Your plate is always served as if it was a stunning piece of art! Enjoy and admire!

Other streets that could interest you if you want to do shopping in Paris: rue Mouffetard and rue Montorgueil.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my article about shopping in rue Lepic in Paris and that I’ll see you soon shopping in rue Lepic! You’ll love the atmosphere and will learn a lot about Parisian lifestyle and customs. À bientôt!