Parisian Picnic with Context: A Marais Food Tour

Join Andrés Medrano, a cheese geek, ex-chef, and cork dork – or sommelier, if you prefer – on a gourmet’s tour of the historic Le Marais neighborhood. You’ll visit independently owned shops and purveyors who procure traditional, handmade goods. There’s bread, pastries, cheese, charcuterie, chocolate, wine – everything you need for a Parisian picnic, including a perfect place to enjoy one at the end of our walk: Place des Vosges, the first planned square in Paris and the template for public squares across the continent.

You‘ll learn the secrets of a perfect croissant, hear Andres unpack a few easy ways to tell one cheese from another, and find out how to interpret a French wine label.

On this hour-long tour, you can stop off at:

• Tout Autour du Pain, where you‘ll learn to identify a perfect baguette from its aroma, texture, and even the sound it makes when tapped
• Jacques Genin, a chocolatier specializing in exotic flavored chocolate, pates de fruits, caramels, and ganache
• Marché des Enfants Rouges, a popular shopping spot since the 1600s
• Fromagerie Jouannault, the cheese shop run by a father-daughter team where you‘ll hear about how the different seasons impact cheese
• Caractère de Cochon, the only shop in Paris devoted exclusively to ham
• Maison Verot, where you can purchase charcuterie from a third-generation shop
• Pierre Hermé, where you can pick up a box or two of delectable macarons
• Cave Arthus et Jean, a wine store owned and operated by two childhood friends

By the end of the tour, you‘ll have all the ingredients you need for the perfect picnic, and a deeper appreciation for French gastronomy.

Context Travel connects you with world-class experts for audio guides like this one, as well as in-person tours. Explore more at contexttravel.com.

Please Note: Some of the stores mentioned en route aren‘t open on a Monday or Tuesday. And while there is a stop where you can purchase disposable cups and utensils, you can also bring your own. You may also want to bring a bag to carry your food and wine.