Right side of rowdy
Le Cornichon, Auberge de la Roche, best boutique coffee shops, 11th arr for 3M €, Clotilde Chaumet, Racines, Ogata, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Casual chic
The Skinny: What's old is new again, as the saying goes — or in the case of Le Cornichon, cool again. The 11th arrondissement hotspot is technically a restaurant, but feels more like a retro diner or old-school PMU café-bar (the kind selling cigarettes, lottery tickets, and scratchers). Owner and chef Bertrand Chauveau comes from the kitchens of David Toutain and Jean-François Piège, but takes a much less formal approach to dining here.
The Vibe: Packed and lively. Not an all-out party, but everyone’s here for a good time to go with good food. Don’t pick this as a first date spot — come with friends, tuck into dishes together whenever they arrive (go with it, it’s busy). Design-wise, it’s cool, authentic. Claves Architecture jazzed up the interiors while keeping the classic bistro style intact — tiny tiles, basic black tables, and plenty of chrome paired with plush velvet green banquettes. There’s even a ’90s pinball machine.
The Food: Elevated bistro classics, including oeufs mayonnaise (although here with tartare sauce), slices of terrine, and steak frites to share. But there are also less traditional plates on offer: raw scallops with walnut cream, roasted squash with satay sauce and herb vinaigrette, and — one of our table’s favorites — rigatoni with garlic and sage butter. To say the beef fat fries are another highlight doesn’t mean the more elaborate plates are bad, it just means these fries are that good. Desserts are nostalgic and decidedly un-French, like banana splits and other ice cream sundaes — with sprinkles.
The Drink: Check out the wine list, bien sûr, but you’ll spot most locals drinking beer, priced against trend at 6.50 € a pint. Next time, a dirty martini made with cornichon brine.
FOUND Pro: You can reserve for lunch, and if you’re up for a set menu, it’s great value with two courses for 19 € and three for 22 €. That said, dinner is a walk-in only affair, so arrive early for your best chance of grabbing a table.
The Verdict: Fun, delicious, and by night, on the right side of rowdy. –Nicola Leigh Stewart
→ Le Cornichon (14th arr) • 34 Rue Gassendi • Mon-Fri 12h-14h & 19h-22h • Book.
PARIS WORK & PLAY LINKS: Style and celebrities at Haute Couture week in Paris • Moynat opens new boutique on Avenue Montaigne • Galeries Lafayette names Arthur Lemoine as new CEO • Some top summer tanning spots in the city • Seine reopens again to swimmers after closing following rain.
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Coffee shops, boutique
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of the best in Paris and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or email found@foundparis.com.
KB CaféShop (Pigalle), phenomenal local roaster serving up pour-over, Aeropress, espresso drinks on coveted outdoor terrace
Fringe (Marais), effortlessly cool photo gallery meets indie coffee shop
The Beans on Fire (11th arr + Montmartre, above), Parisian roastery with two cafes and communal vibe
Gramme 3 (Marais), cozy coffee shop and cafe w/ top-notch brunch
Ten Belles (6th, 10th & 11th arr), Paris’ original boutique coffee joint that’s part roastery, part bakery, part cafe
Candle Kids Coffee (Belleville), sleek spot w/ coffee and sweet treats
Motors Coffee (Les Halles), unexpected industrial chic coffee shop in the center of town
Comets (11th arr), independent coffee shop that also sells records, intel here
Early Bird (12th arr), artisanal roaster and intimate coffee bar inside Beauvau/Aligre market
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Three properties currently on offer in the 11th arr for just under 3M €.
→ Village Faidherbe (metro Faidherbe - Chaligny ) • 4BR/2BA, 207 m2 • Ask: 2.95M € • triplex apartment with rooftop terrace offering 360-degree views • Annual maintenance/condo fees: 3420 € • Agent: Edmilson da Silva, Engel & Völkers.
→ Pére Lachaise (metro Ménilmontant, above) • 4BR/2BA, 225 m2 • Ask: 2.995M € • second floor apartment in 1903 Haussmannian building, with classic touches • Annual maintenance/condo fees: 12,000 € • Agent: Sotheby’s International.
→ Bastille (metro Bastille) • 4BR/2BA, 315 m2 • Ask: 2.99M € • modern loft in 1900 building with 7m ceilings and skylights • Annual maintenance/condo fees: 5008 € • Agent: Lucile Savattier, Barnes.
WORK • Friday Routine
Loop de loop
CLOTILDE CHAUMET • founder • Clotilde Chaumet
Neighborhood you live in: Le Marais
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I’m currently in Paris, and here I’m out first thing in the morning to walk my golden retriever Tijani to the park. We come back, and I start working on all the tasks I have to do as a business owner at the very beginning stage of my new project.
I work from home, which I love. After dropping all my safe, successful, and well-paid jobs, I decided to finally bet on myself and follow my visions. This new project is an extension of my head, passions, and imagination, as I call it, regrouping yoga teaching and knowledge, sound meditation, arts plastiques, and cuisine. The first drop will be my "at-home" platform which has over 200 classes and sessions of yoga, sound meditation, and creative talks with guests, among others. Later in the day, I practice yoga and do some other kind of workout. To end the day, I love to go out for dinner with Tijani and my boyfriend Gabriel. We usually do Chardonnay, Mary Celeste, Aichi, le Clos d'Astorg, or Crus de Bourgogne.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I have a brand dinner event at the excellent Italian restaurant Racines tonight — maybe the best tiramisu I’ve had in Paris. Tomorrow, I’ll go on a date with Gabriel, and we’re still choosing between Early June (wine bar with a chef in residence, smaller plates to share) or Localino (phenomenal Italian on the Left Bank). The food is nothing crazy, but very tasty, and the staff there are very nice.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I love a walk in my neighborhood, Le Marais, and stopping at all the art galleries. Super precise, but Ogata is also a very beautiful place to go for tea workshops, or simply to look at the genius architecture of this place. I also have to say: I do love the Louvre. Every time I go, it hits me how majestic and beautiful it is.
Any weekend getaways?
My countryside house, 45 minutes away from Paris (@plf_house). It’s the best place to leave Paris for a few days and be in the forest — no noises, in peace. The house has a gym, an infrared sauna, endless great books, and the best beds...and we do rentals. Hit me up!
I love hopping on a two-hour train to London. I like to stay at Nobu, the one close to Marylebone, and walk around that same neighborhood to go to Daunt Books for book shopping, walk through Hyde Park, and have food at Zephyr.
What was your last great vacation?
Rio de Janeiro. Gabriel, my boyfriend, is originally from Brazil and we’ve been going to Rio a lot the past three years. I stay at the Janeiro Hotel, eat local food at Rainha, visit one of Rio's amazing mid-century architect homes, and of course, spend the whole day at Ipanema.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
The incredible Verner Panton chair for Ikea from 1993. I love this chair so much — the design and colors are everything.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Maison Plisson in the 3rd for the top-quality local food products. I love this store and the values and intelligence of its owner so much. I also adore Debeaulieu in the 9th for the most incredible and unique flower bouquets. One of my yoga students (and now friend) is a florist there, and I always hope she'll be the one creating my order.
CULTURE & LEISURE • La Vie Glamour
Peacock Society 2025 • Underworld et al • Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes (Bois de Vincennes) • Fri @ 17h30 - Sat @ 23h59 • 1 day, 44 € per
Sheila E. and the E-Train • Le Trianon (18th arr) • Sat @ 20h • cat 1, 76 € per
Grupo Niche • L’Olympia (9th arr) • Sat @ 20h • cat 2, 79 € per
GETAWAYS • Valdeblore
Family affair
La Roche, 06420 Valdeblore. The slightly cryptic address reflects the essence of L’Auberge de la Roche, a secluded retreat nestled within Mercantour National Park, one of France’s wildest natural reserves. In this small village of 800 souls, Quebec chef Louis-Philippe Riel and his partner (in business and life) Mickaëlle Chabat have transformed this former stone house into a rustic charm sanctuary. They live nearby with their son and their dog, Babylone. Each of the five rooms (two bedrooms and three suites) is a study in understated elegance, featuring vintage furnishings, freestanding bathtubs, and terraces with sweeping views of the valley.
Meals unfold in a communal dining room where the hearth crackles, or on the terrace, where the sunset has a way of slowing conversations. The restaurant serves a single dinner menu (and Sunday lunch) that evolves daily, with ingredients sourced in their own garden or the nearby farms. Expect dishes referencing both the wildness of the Mercantour and the local produce. While pouring a glass of biodynamic wine, Mickaëlle will most likely tell you about the sheep’s milk cheese producer, or the family who grew the vegetables on your plate.
Mornings begin with seasonal breakfasts on the terrace or baskets delivered to your door, filled with freshly baked bread, house-made brioche, eggs, cheese, and local jams. There’s also a small spa, with hot and cold plunges as well as a sauna, offering a welcome respite after a day spent exploring the surrounding trails. –Victoire Loup
→ Auberge de la Roche (Valdeblore) • La Roche • Rooms 490 €/suites 523 €.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Following floods, classic Alps rail routes reopen • Amex plans Centurion Lounge for AMS, opening next year • New luxury sleeper train from Belmond will connect London and Wales • 12 thoughts on 2 weeks traveling in Scotland • Anticipated W Florence opens its doors.
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