Rue de Lévis: A Market Street in Paris’s 17th Arrondissement

Instead of planning dinner, I would ask the butcher or the fishmonger what was good that day. They’d sell me something fresh and give me instructions on how to cook it. Then I’d ask the wine merchant what wine went with it, buy some seasonal produce from the vegetable seller, and have the cheesemonger round it all out with complimentary cheeses.

Of course, I’d buy a hot baguette, maybe a couple of tartes au citron at the bakery, and pick up some fresh flowers from the florist stall. It was all within walking distance, and I loved pulling my chariot behind me and filling it with delights.

There aren’t any tourist attractions in this neighborhood–it’s just a beautiful, normal French residential neighborhood where folks eat and shop and live. Let me take you on a tour!

Rue de Lévis – a Walking Tour

We’ll start at the corner of rue Legendre and rue de Lévis.

La Mère de la Famille, on the corner of rue Legendre and rue de Lévis, has just about everything you need in the chocolate world. I recommend the dark chocolate-covered orange slices. Sweet and tart. Like me.

If you need clothing, stop at Sud Express (not too expensive), or one of the non-descript budget shops where they set up their shoe selection out in the street.

You’ll pass Librarie Fontaine, where there’s a small section of English books upstairs, and Lévis Fleurs, where they’ll craft you a beautiful arrangement. I suggest, however, that you wait till the other end of the street for my favorite florist-in-a-van, Momo.

La Fromagerie will vacuum-wrap your cheeses for the plane, or if you’re going to stay for a while you can buy some salty butter to spread on your baguettes. Sometimes these days I get misty eyed, remembering those delicate salt crystals.

I also love Conserverie la Belle-Iloise, a tinned fish shop. The phrase “tinned fish” does not conjure ecstasy, I know. I get it. But give this place a try–tuna, salmon, anchovies, you name it, they have all the flavors, for all kinds of uses. When I go to France, I stock up and feast on those yummy tidbits for little lunches, sandwiches, little party treats. Trust me on this.

Feeling spicy? There are a couple of lingerie shops you can visit, just the standard French chain stores, but if you’ve got small to medium boobies, they’ll have something captivating for you. Or your twelve-year old daughter. Sorry, well-endowed girls…keep moving. (Never fear, that’s another blog post.)

Cafe Lévis is a great place to sit on the terrace, people-watching. You can also buy lottery tickets. Take a load off and observe the neighborhood while nursing a café crème. Often, there is an older lady there holding court with her lap dog. People stop and talk to them, exchanging juicy gossip and flirting with the waiters. Fun for everyone.

As you leave your table, please pause for a moment to acknowledge my pharmacy across the street. This humble establishment cured every disease and healed every booboo I got in France. Santé!

Momo’s florist van is parked just ahead. He doesn’t make fancy arrangements, he just sells bunches of flowers. He used to throw in a rose with my tulips, to make my day.

Admire the meringues in the window of La Meringaie. Those little fruit slices are a wonder.

There’s a kids store, Le Petit Souk, and an everything-shop, Altermundi, with French gifts and knickknacks.

There are two Monoprix stores on rue de Lévis, right across from each other. If you still need gifts, this is the place.The food Monoprix is on the left, where you can get sweet and savory treats to take home–French jams, herbes de Provence, my favorite Michelle et Augustin crackers, chestnut spread, wine, sausages. At the dry-goods Monoprix across the street, buy housewares, stationery, French pharmacy beauty products. I always buy napkins, so cute and chic with French designs.

At the end of the street, la pièce de résistance, is my favorite Paris restaurant, Le Dôme.

I took out of town guests there for cozy and delicious dinners. I celebrated birthdays there. I had coffee in the mornings and apéros in the afternoon. The staff is gracious and welcoming, experienced enough to be past the first bloom of youth but not old enough to be jaded. I had tea with my friend Barbara there on a beautiful cold March morning in 2020, then watched Le Dôme fall silent and grow dusty during the Covid confinement. When France reopened and I started dating post-divorce, I often met prospective suitors there because it was a safe place, a place I felt comfortable and could more easily suss out the silver fox du jour’s situation.

If I were there on this fine spring day with you, we would order a glass of rosé and watch Parisians stroll by, commenting on their chic outerwear and wondering when the rain was going to start.

“The rain is very important,” Audrey Hepburn said in Sabrina, “because that’s when Paris smells the sweetest.”

Next time you’re in Paris, visit rue de Lévis. It’s the real Paris.