Paris Wine Bars: Our Favourites
Just about all our French cycling tour customers ask us what are the best Paris wine bars to visit. And a very valid question it is, Paris being the holy grail of any food and wine lover. And being the huge and complex city it is, it’s no surprise that many seek guidance through the dizzying and ever increasing choice of Paris wine bars.
Our personal taste leans towards the smaller, more ‘local’ type wine bars, many being described as a ‘cave de manger’, being half shop and half restaurant. Often small and often hard to secure a table at unless you have planned well ahead. Even so, you can enjoy a wine tasting regardless.
Your choice of Paris wine bar experience will largely be influenced by where you are staying in Paris. Consisting of 20 arrondissements (loosely meaning a municipality), starting at the 1st in the centre and working in a clockwise direction outward. Some of the more iconic Paris wine bars are centrally located, so this is where we will begin the journey:
Paris Wine Bars in 1st & 2nd Arrondissement
Possibly the two most well know and iconic wine bars are located in the 1st and 2nd:
Juveniles (47 Rue de Richelieu) : Run by a Scot and attracting many Australian visitors, this small Paris wine bar is a must visit, with a great selection and a good offering of by the glass.
Willi’s Wine Bar (13 Rue de Petits Champs): Possibly even more famous and well worth the visit. Bustling for good reason, over 200 wines to pick from and great bistro food. a true Paris wine bar experience.
Frenchie Bar au Vins (6 Rue de Nil): Very small, no reservations and opening only at 7pm can make this a challenge to get into, but worth every bit of effort. Known more for the tapas style food, the wine list is equally if not more impressive, and wonderful staff to take you on a true Paris wine & food experience. Just go here!
Paris Wine Bars in 5th & 6th Arrondissements
Cafe de la Nouvelle Mairie (19 Rue des Fosses Saint Jacques). Two great reasons to visit here: It’s right next to the Pantheon (schedule your visit for afternoon and finish here for a wine), and it has an outdoor terrace, heavenly on a lovely Parisian summer day.
La Cremerie (9 Rue des Quatre-Vents): A great example of the wine store and wine bar in the one offering. You can buy to take away or choose and drink right there in the bar. Great food also available.
Paris Wine Bars in 9th, 10th & 11th Arrondissements
Autour d’un Verre (21 Rue de Trevise): A seemingly very simple, friendly food venue but also having a wonderful small wine list with a good choice by the glass.
Vivant (43 Rue de Petites Ecuries): Upmarket, savvy and very French, oh and a very popular Paris wine bar for good reason. Stunning food and a wine list leaning to Burgundy.
Au Passage (1b Passage de Saint-Sebastien): With an Australian chef, superb food at great value and a wine list to match, relaxed lunch venue will reward you.
The above is a tiny selection of Paris wine bar offerings. Many new wine bars and cafes are of course opening every day in Paris, so explore the streets, try your French (!), and taste just a small sample of the huge variety of French wines on offer.
Join a cycling touring France, book before 31st December the preceding year and enjoy a free guided tour of Paris! Call 1300 665 330 for more.