How to spend a day in Quartier de la Roquette, Paris’s trendiest micro-neighbourhood

With local-magnet bars and restaurants, cute boutique hotels and its own modern opera house, this area near Bastille is the scene du jour to explore, says Nicola Stewart

Paintings brought to life at L’Atelier des Lumières (L'Atelier des Lumières )

Our new microguides series is inspired by the slow travel movement, encouraging travellers to relax their pace and take a deep dive into one particular neighbourhood in a well-loved city. Rather than a whirlwind itinerary which aims to hit up every must-see attraction, these compact, close-up guides encourage you to zone in, take your time and truly explore like a local.

Getting off at the Bastille Metro stop on a Friday or Saturday night, you’re thrust into Quartier de la Roquette’s infamously boisterous nightlife. But while this neighbourhood has long been known as a drinking den for weekend revellers – who bar-hop their way along Rue de la Roquette and onto Rue de Lappe – it has also grown up somewhat in recent years.

You’ll still find rowdy bars pushing happy hour drinks, but this traditionally working-class Parisian quartier has also been building a reputation as a gastronomic hotspot. A new wave of creative restaurants has gradually moved in, followed by a young, “bobo” (bourgeois-bohème) crowd of Parisians, to make themselves at home among no-frills bars and bistros favoured by the longstanding locals.

For gourmet travellers in search of their next great meal, here’s how to spend a weekend eating and drinking your way around one of Paris’ most delicious destinations.

Opéra Bastille (© E. Bauer)

Do

Opéra Bastille

While admittedly not as beautiful as the gilded, 1860s Palais Garnier, Opéra Bastille (est. 1989) still puts on an impressive show, with world-famous operas and ballets performed here every season. If you don’t mind sitting in the cheap seats, tickets start from as little as €15 (£13).

Marché Bastille

One of the quartier’s main boulevards comes alive every Thursday and Sunday, when locals flock to the buzzy Marché Bastille to stock up on seasonal fruit and veg, fresh meat and fish, and hunks of artisan French cheese. If you’re peckish look out for vendors selling pastries, hot crêpes and regional specialities — and remember that it’s not frowned upon here to order oysters and a glass of wine or two before midday.

L’Atelier des Lumières

Although technically next door, in Quartier Saint-Ambroise, L’Atelier des Lumières is just a two-minute walk from la Roquette. The striking art space, which made a cameo in Emily in Paris (look out for it in season one), hosts ever-changing exhibitions featuring large-screen projections of works by the likes of Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Kandinsky for an immersive, 3D art experience.

Eat

Nanan

If you’ve come to Paris to eat your fill of croissants and pains au chocolat – and really, who hasn’t – some of the flakiest and most buttery creations out there can be found at Nanan. Founders Yukiko Sakka and Sophie Sauvage met while working for esteemed Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire before opening their Japanese-French patisserie, which also has an excellent selection of cakes and desserts.

Pâtisserie Emma Duvéré

Pastry chef Emma Duvéré bakes everything onsite at her eponymous Pâtisserie Emma Duvéré, often working with local neighbourhood shops to source seasonal, organic produce. Her homemade quiches and daily plats du jour make the patisserie a tasty pitstop for lunch – and don’t even think about skipping the delicious desserts, particularly one of her chocolate or lemon tarts.

Jones

Make sure to book in advance to snag a table at Jones. Head chef Riccardo Ferrante’s Mediterranean-inspired menu revolves around seasonal produce, and the homemade pasta which he makes in his own lab upstairs – think spaghetti with herb-packed pesto or clams and white asparagus – is complemented by a selection of natural wines.

Sémélé champions organic, biodynamic, and natural wines (Sémélé )

Le Servan

French-Filipino sisters Tanya and Katia have looked to their roots to create the highly personal dishes at Le Servan. The seasonal menu is tweaked every day but expect plates such as scallops with a passionfruit and chilli jelly and veal sweetbreads with XO sauce. It’s also worth knowing that there is a lunchtime plat du jour priced at €22.

Aux Bons Crus

If it’s classic French fare you’re craving, then Aux Bons Crus should hit the spot with dishes such as steak-frites, pot-au-feu, escargots, and mousse au chocolat. All are served in a traditional setting complete with red-and-white-checked tablecloths.

Drink

La Fée Verte

With a fairly extensive menu, La Fée Verte is one of the best places in Paris to order absinthe, served in true traditional style with a theatrical display of water fountain, silver spoon and sugar cube. Absinthe not your thing? Order a glass of wine or a pint and people-watch from the classic Parisian terrace.

Coup d’oeil

Sommelier David Rougier has indulged his passion for natural wines at Coup d’oeil, a stylish but relaxed bar à vin  where Rougier is often on hand to offer his advice, and a taste, if you’re not sure what to order. The small terrace is particularly pleasant on summer nights for lingering over plates of tapas, cheese and charcuterie.

Café Du Coin

Over at Café Du Coin, restaurateur Florent Ciccoli has carefully curated an impressive menu of more than 150 natural wines along with traditional French aperitifs and local artisan beers brewed just outside Paris. Florent also has a knack for tapping some of the city’s best chefs at his various addresses, so if you stop by the bar for a verre du vin you might be tempted to hang around for dinner too – or at least share one or two of the signature pizzettes. If you don’t manage to get a table then sister bistrot Recoin is just a 15-minute walk away and getting some well-deserved buzz.

The Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse boutique (© Pierre Monetta)

Shop

Welcome Bio Bazaar

Eco-friendly concept store Welcome Bio Bazar stocks design-led homeware, organic beauty brands, and cute kids toys all focused around the shop’s sustainable ethos. Foodies should make a beeline for the kitchenware which includes products from classic French brands such as Emile Henry, Opinel, and Le Parfait.

Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse

The smell of cocoa beans tempts you inside Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse, where the multi-Michelin star chef produces chocolate for his celebrated restaurants. Pick up boxes of ganaches and pralinés for home and don’t forget a pot of hazelnut chocolate spread, a French breakfast favourite. Ice-cream shop La Glace Alain Ducasse is just a couple of doors down or hit up nearby Le Café Alain Ducasse for a caffeine fix.

Sémélé

Pick up a bottle or two of French wine from independent cave  (wine shop) Sémélé. Owner Mathieu Lévy champions small domains and organic, biodynamic, and natural wines in his well-stocked cellar, where more than 90 per cent of the bottles come from female producers in an effort to support women in the wine industry. You can also contact him in advance to organise private wine tastings in English.

The restaurant at Maison Breguet hotel (Maison Breguet )

Stay

Maison Breguet

The five-star Maison Breguet oozes style. Light-flooded rooms come dressed in chic neutral shades and accessorised with bespoke wood furniture and layers of rich velvet and textiles. The finishing touch is the gorgeous tiled bathrooms kitted out with huge rain showers and Maison Margiela toiletries. It also packs in some impressive facilities with a restaurant and bar crowned by a huge glass verrerie, a leafy outdoor terrace, and a subterranean spa to boot. Doubles from £250, room only. maisonbreguet.com

Oh La La!

A more affordable option is  Oh La La!, Paris’ first hotel to be hidden behind a cocktail bar. Rooms are pared back but comfy – think white walls jazzed up with pops of vivid colour and sleek space-saving furniture – and come with views over Place de la Bastille. Doubles from £135, room only. ohlalabastille.com

Getting there

Trying to fly less?

Eurostar operates daily trains from London’s St Pancras station to Paris’s Gare du Nord.

Fine with flying?

Airlines including British Airways, easyJet and Vueling operate direct flights from London’s airports to Paris’s Charles de Gaulle and Orly.

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