Paris eats: Du Pain et des Idées
It isn’t every day I can savor breakfast from one of the best bakeries in Paris—if not the best. So, one crisp and sunny morning, I trekked across Paris on foot, baby and husband in tow, to worship at baker Christophe Vasseur’s temple of bread and ideas…
the aptly named Du Pain et des Idées.
Everything about this boulangerie whispers tradition, beauty, and art: from the careful display of vintage biscuit tins in the window…
to the opulent tiled ceiling, a feature of the 1889 bakery that fashion sales executive-turned-baker Christophe Vasseur took over in 2002…
… to the vintage wire shelves and gorgeous ceramic dishes that hold the expressions of this ambitious and accomplished baker’s lofty ideals.
The last chocolate and banana croissant of the morning. Of course I took it!
Named Paris’ best boulangerie in 2008 by the prestigious French food magazine Gault & Millau and Pudlo’s Baker of the Year for 2012 by French food critic Gilles Pudlowski, Du Pain et des Idées is a favorite of critics and chefs alike. Alain Ducasse sends for this bread daily for his Plaza Athénée restaurant, despite having his own in-house baker; it was here that Anthony Bourdain both relived fond childhood memories and rediscovered the disappearing traditions of authentic Paris boulangerie in an episode of
And the locals? I saw first-hand the long queues of Parisians filling the bakery: those lucky enough to live nearby, and those who, like me, crossed the city to get their daily fill of this wondrous bread.
Escargots aux pralines
So what makes this bread so magical? Ideas, time, and a fervent love of tradition. Vasseur creates his works of art with sourdough, which requires a longer fermentation and gives a deeper, richer flavor. Cultivated yeast cuts the time needed to bake bread, but here, this is only used occasionally and in “very minimal” quantities; on his website, Vasseur discloses that his baguettes take seven hours to make, about five and a half hours longer than the standard Parisian baguette. Now that’s dedication.
Pastries made with orange blossom water
As much as I wanted to try everything, Marlon and I made a small selection, which the lady behind the counter wrapped individually in tissue-thin paper and packed into a lovely, pale blue and gold paper bag.
We sat at a bench by a nearby canal and unwrapped our gems: escargots chocolat pistache. It was almost too good to eat, and too good to wash down with a swig of piping hot coffee.
Every bite was Paris perfection! I don’t think I’ve ever had bread like this, and I don’t think I ever will again.
Unless, of course, I head back to Paris for more. Hmm… now that’s not a bad idée.
Du Pain et des Idées
34 rue Yves Toudic 75010 Paris
( 33) 01 42 40 44 52
Monday-Friday, 6:45am to 8pm
