Emily In France Exclusive 🇫🇷 3 Perfect Parisian Picnics

Where to source, where to eat, and what not to do

After one of the rainiest winters on record, it’s finally starting to look like spring in Paris, which to most locals means one thing: eating outside.

I've never seen people rush to bask in the sunshine with a nibble or a tipple quite so much since I moved to Paris. And since French culture affords a clear preclusion against walking with food, to dine outdoors means to choose from between two options: a terrace or a picnic.

There are many guides to the best terraces in Paris (and I've got my own personal list of faves, including Martin, which always seems to transform into a block party, even on a Tuesday), but since queuing for food gives me hives, I tend to choose my terrace based on where’s closest to me at any given time. Picnics, on the other hand, require little queuing, save at the local fromager, charcutier, and boulangerie – plus the caviste, if you dare.

Yes, while drinking outdoors was long legal in Paris, recent moves to quash it have arisen. Most Parisian police admittedly say little about sipping a bit of rosé with your picnic, be aware that you may be asked to stop or swap out the booze for a soft.

Paris is home to over 400 parks, which means there are loads of spots to spread out a blanket and sit in the sunshine. My favorite is the sprawling Buttes-Chaumont park in Belleville, which is also home to a lively guinguette, Rosa Bonheur, where you can take shelter if it rains – or when the park closes at nightfall, as is the case for nearly all of the green spaces in Paris.

Luckily, you can easily find a new location once the sun sets – or indeed start at one of a handful of spots where you're welcome to sit all night long. Here are three of my favorites, complete with where to source the very best eats nearby.

1. The Classic: The Champ de Mars

It’s no surprise the Champ de Mars is a popular picnicking spot, given the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Many of my early picnics took place here, and it’s still fairly dominated by young people and roving resellers of cheap rosé and Kronenbourg. It’s all too easy to settle in here for a long day of day-drinking… and a potential trainwreck of a hangover.

But if you source your spoils carefully, you can actually turn this tourist hub into a phenomenal picnic spot. Just steps away from the Champ de Mars sit two great shopping streets – rue Saint-Dominique and, a bit further along, the nearly-pedestrian rue Cler. Both are home to great fruit and veg shops in case you want fruit or crudités to go with your picnic, not to mention spots for wine, cheese, bread, and more.

For bread near the Champ de Mars, I’ve got a few recommendations. PariSeven (20, rue Jean Nicot) is an unassuming little bakery down a quiet side street whose lack of long queue does not belie its quality. This spot has great viennoiseries, but more importantly when it comes to picnics, it makes a dope traditional baguette. You'll also find several quiches on offer if that's more your style.

I'll forgive mini-chain La Parisienne (85, rue saint Dominique) for taking over the spot formerly occupied by my uni go-to, home to the world’s best salmon panini on sesame bread (RIP). La Parisienne rightfully took top prize for Paris’ best baguette in 2016, but it also makes great country loves including one studded with walnuts. My go-to here is the seigle feuilleté, which is basically the ideal marriage between a loaf of rye bread and a croissant. It’s blue cheese’s best friend.

Liberté (145, rue Saint-Dominique) is a long-standing personal fave thanks to its original location just steps from my home in the 10th. Known for its slightly revamped versions of classic pastries, it’s also home to an excellent traditional baguette and a bonkers sourdough made with a combo of wheat and rye flours and a touch of Alpine honey. If you've got some more assertive cheeses with your picnic, I love grabbing a few slices of their fig-honey or apricot-cranberry breads too.

Speaking of which…

For cheese near the Champ de Mars, I've got two go-tos.