Du Pain et des Idées

Christophe Vasseur opened Du Pain et des Idées in 2002 inside a bakery space that has been running since 1875 and is now listed as a historic monument. The model is purist by intent: a deliberately limited range, organic flour, slow fermentation, everything by hand, no compromise on time. The pain des amis, a long, slate-baked sourdough with a smoky crust, became the shop's calling card; the escargots (rolled pastries with chocolate-pistachio or rose-praline) and the orange-blossom brioche are the rest of the reason locals build their morning around the queue. Closed weekends. Worth the detour.