June: Eat for the weather you want or the weather you have?
Paris in June is... rainy and grey. So, I've swapped seasonal salads for heartier burgers and fish and chips, and as there's no glasses of chilled rosé on sunny terraces, here's what's on this month.
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Eat for the weather you have, is what I’ve decided. I started the season with fresh tomato salads and all the asparagus I could get. But I’ve stalled at strawberries, melon and cherries… There’s such little sunshine in Paris and constant drizzle right now, that my body’s slowly U-turned of its own accord back to burgers at my favourite joint near Montmartre and fish and chips from Paris’ brilliant British brasserie, which you can read about below. If that’s not a silver lining, I don’t know what is! While we wait for summer to roll on, I’ve also thrown in some arty happenings and other indoor things I want to get around to doing while staying dry. Let’s hang in there! Roxy x
5 things on my radar this June
There might be lots happening this month, like the Tennis Open and outdoor music festivals, but the wet weather’s putting a different spin on the city this spring.
Travel back in time at Messy Nessy’s cabinet of curiosities. I’m a huge fan of Vanessa Grall, the bright mind behind Messy Nessy Chic (MNC), which started out as a blog where she shared her tales exploring the underreported secrets of Paris. MNC ended up being one of the most-read websites about Paris and beyond. Vanessa’s since released offbeat guides about Paris, New York and London, and is now opening a brick and mortar store inside the Left-Bank atelier of a retired artist. She’ll be dealing in nostalgia - so, handpicked furniture, books, antiques and fun bric à brac I know I won’t be able to resist.
Soak in all the art you want tonight, 1st June, at Nuit Blanche, which up to two years ago, used to be in October. The weather may not be up to scratch but June’s bound to be off to a good start when you see what’s on offer. So get planning with this handy map of what’s happening across Paris.
Try two of the most talked-about restaurant openings in Paris right now. Continuing on my crusade of cold-weather food, OOBATZ (Italian slang for ‘crazy’ or ‘joy’ apparently) is pizza master extraordinaire Dan Pearson’s new digs in Paris 11, where he’s whipping up sourdough pizza magic I can’t wait try (again - after his Rigamarole takeover last year). In Paris 20, chef Antoine Villard and sommelière Morgane Souris’ are serving things like delicate just-cooked sardine I really want to wrap by tastebuds around at their Dandelion bistro.
See performers like Algerian band Gnawa Diffusion and do a spot of flea market digging at the solidarity charity and movement Emmaüs’ afternoon festival on Saturday 8th June at Le Point Fort in Aubervilliers (from 2pm).
Get moving at the 42-hour Marateuf dance marathon, which celebrates a free, conscious and inclusive partying mindset, at venues like the Tradendo, Cité Fertile, Point Ephémère, Rosa Bonheur and Bellevilloise.
What else is happening in Paris in June?
If you want more things to do, check out the calendar below, which I’m constantly updating with new finds…
On the menu
While I’ve always got my eye on new restaurants, I also like to try out places that have been around for a while and are still doing a stellar job. Here are a few I tried and loved lately.
Posh Brit fix at L’Entente, Le British Brasserie. I’ve been meaning to get here ever since it opened all of seven years ago. When the owner, Oliver Woodhead came to greet me with my guest, (Florence who has her column here below each month), and heard I was English, he couldn’t quite believe I’d waited this long to try out his ‘British brasserie’ - and neither could I. Especially after digging into a feast of scotch eggs with one of the best piccalilli sauces I’ve tasted, comforting Welsh rarebit, crunchy fish and chips (the former beer battered and the later cooked thrice), and tender beef Wellington, finished off with wicked double-baked chocolate cake and sweet sticky toffee pudding. It’s what I’d been missing out on for almost a decade. And there’s more. They also do a hearty Sunday roast, and there’s even a full English breakfast at brunch on Saturday and Sunday until 4pm. It’s a one-stop-shop for everything you could possibly want in a restaurant - and pretty much everything except the Lea & Perrins sauce and Coleman’s mustard is homemade with French produce.
The flavour’s in the name at Saigon Vietnam. Except somehow I still managed to walk in and ask for Pad Thai… So, that’s Thai noodles. The young man taking my order was polite enough to ignore the cultural mishap and served me noodles - Vietnamese noodles. And these were some of the best I’ve had in the city, scattered with crunchy vegetables and fresh coriander, not too oily, prawns that actually tasted of something and soft noodles that didn’t lie in my belly like a block of hardened rice afterwards. Two chefs scuttle about the canteen’s tiny open kitchen, rustling up mouth-watering Phôs and fresh spring rolls from scratch, which can take a while but are worth the wait.
Sexy Septime. Even after more than a decade, it’s still got it. Probably one of the most talked-about joints in town, I’m ashamed to say this month was my first time trying it. In my defence, Septime’s probably the hardest place to get a table at, and while I love food and exploring new places, I’m just not that committed a diner to wait, finger hovering over the ‘book table’ button as soon as reservations open. Anyway, hats off to chef Grébaut, who at 26, was one of the youngest Michelin star chefs in the country. The pared-back place with timber tables, sultry candle lighting and artfully exposed plaster walls make it look like something out of a Danish dining dream, and the seasonal produce is all 100% French and sourced from small eco-conscious farmers. While every dish was delicate and carefully put-together, at 130€ a head (without wine), I’m still wondering whether I should have opted for the less pricy lunch. I am looking forward to seeing what Grébaut’s done with d’Une Ile farm restaurant in the Perche though.
Joy in the simple things at Le Ruisseau. Burger things, to be exact. A beef burger with Tomme cheese, American mustard, pickled onions and gherkins, ketchup and iceberg lettuce. It’s what my friend, fellow expat Brit and all-round partner in crime, Stephanie, has each time. With thick chips (or fries as our American friends call them) and a pint of IPA. We’d just celebrated a happy event with champagne on a bench looking out at her favourite view of the Sacré Coeur, and sacked off a healthy brunch of homemade granola for Le Ruisseau’s juicy burgers and friendly service. Like our friendship, it’s been going strong for as long as I can remember, and no matter how many times I’ve come here (usually with Steph), it’s like the first every time because the burgers are so good. I always go for cheddar but the Tomme adds a punch and might just be my new favourite.
Going all-veg at Maslow. When my friend Adama, a vegetarian chef with vegan tendencies, suggested we eat here, I forgot to check whether it was a no-meat joint. I arrived at the restaurant early and plonked myself on the terrace that looks out onto the Seine River. It was packed mostly with stylish 20-somethings - who, I soon found out, were all die-hard vegetarians. The menu, created by co-founder and chef Mehdi Favri, is all about well-priced vegetarian picky bits where the fresh courgette and bukni massala raïta mopped up with warm wholewheat bread, buckwheat nachos with morbier cheese and lentils, and Portobello mushroom katsu with Shibuya sauce, were the highlights. Perfect for post-work drinks and nibbles.
Go with the Flo: Countryside stays close to Paris
After delving into the Japanese sushi wave, Flo’s tested out some dreamy country stays just outside the city. Check out some of her top recs while we wait for vacay season to kick in.
Even if right now the weather’s left us wondering whether the sun will ever come out again and local spirits are at an all-time low, it's high time to start thinking about booking a little getaway. June is the season for weddings, outdoor birthday parties, end-of-year exam celebrations - and any other excuse to get together and party.
Forget cramming into a Parisian flat, or meeting up at an overpriced bar that closes too early and doesn’t have parking - instead, I recommend a solution that's gaining popularity and rightly so: a trip to the countryside close to the city. You get longer with your loved ones, sleeping arrangements aren’t like a game of Tetris and if you know where to go, prices are quite reasonable! I’ve tried out three spots that I highly recommend, so here’s the lowdown.
The Oasis House: private country houses less than two hours from Paris, designed by hotel professionals used to high standards. Meticulous decor, state-of-the-art sound systems, sports facilities, yoga and/or cookery classes if you feel like it, walks in the forest... All in all, tailor-made chic for a memorable stay.
La Minotte: a charming gîte, a truly enchanting interlude for a peaceful get-together, in the charming village of Montfort l'Amaury, a stone's throw from the Château de Groussay (temporarily closed). Impeccable service but more intimate than a hotel and more relaxing than being at home.
Demeures De Campagne: the ideal place to stay with friends or family and enjoy a whole host of activities at very affordable prices. Our favourites include the Parc du Coudray (35 mins south of Paris), with its splendid Deep Nature spa and sports facilities (tennis, Nordic walking, tree climbing, etc). Or the Domaine de Maffliers (5à mins drive from Paris), with its AbriChic, bistronomic restaurant and horse riding in the forest.
So, you’ve found where to stay. Now comes the hard part: finding a date that suits everyone!
Thank you again for being here! There will be no Breakfast Scrolls in June, but see you again on 1st July for the next What’s Up, Paris? newsletter 🥐