"Le Brunch" in Paris

Coucou readers, and happy Saturday! 

I'm here! I missed my Wednesday and Friday posts this week as I have been doing a lot of planning: some early wedding planning, back to school planning, and I even have some plans in the works to follow my dreams of further pursuing my passion for the French language. 

Does it sound like a lot? It's a lot. I've been getting through with the help of a simple mantra I learned earlier this week: "Things always work out for me." I know, it sounds a little overconfident, but the intention behind this mantra is to remind yourself that things will be accomplished and come together even if it's not in the way you originally envisioned. During overwhelming times this is really important for me to remember. 

And a little brunch break to breathe and recharge wouldn't hurt either...

Inspired by a delicious brunch with my friends Thursday morning at Half and Half here in St. Louis, I thought maybe it was time to bring "le brunch" in Paris to you! As Tory Hoen explains in her 2010 article on the Hip Paris Blog, "le brunch" has become part of Parisian culture just in the past several years. When Tony and I were in Paris, we took our brunch pretty seriously. One of my favorite meals, I had listed more brunch spots in my bullet journal guide to Paris than I did spots for any other meal. 

The first spot we tried: Claus Paris. This brunch spot made its way to the top of my list after it appeared on the Every Day Parisian Paris Guide, as well as the Lost in Cheeseland Paris Guide. Being two of my most sought after resources for everything Paris, I knew we couldn't go wrong. We didn't. :) Claus opens at 8:00am on weekdays, and so we decided to make our way over around that time. I'm really happy we did, because we were immediately asked if we had a reservation. I got nervous not knowing this would be needed, but being there as early as we were (and on a weekday) it worked out fine. We were actually seated right away in the cozy upstairs area complete with an open window to Paris and throw pillows for a little extra coziness. 

My order: Le Français
*Boisson chaude - I chose café crème.
*Jus de fruit frais - I chose fresh squeezed orange juice.
*Assortiment de 3 mini viennoiseries 
*Yogourt bio fait maison

(A delicious brunch at Claus)

Second spot: the classic Angelina salon de thé, bien sûr!  Once frequented by the likes of Coco Chanel and famous for its decadent chocolat chaud, I knew this was one spot I couldn't miss. Traditional and elegant, there was definitely a contrast from Claus' modern vibes. I was in heaven taking in my ornate surroundings as I sipped the richest cup of chocolat chaud I have ever had. My order was delivered on a small tiered serving stand for one. I felt pampered and I loved every moment. 

My order: Petit-déjeuner Parisien

*Chocolat chaud

*Jus d'orange

*Mini-viennoiseries: croissant, pain au chocolat, pain aux raisins

*Du pain avec beurre, confiture maison, miel 

(At Angelina - one of my favorite photos of me in Paris)

Finalement: Coquelicot in Montmartre. This was another spot recommended on the Every Day Parisian Paris Guide and a wonderful way to begin our morning exploration of the beautiful Montmartre district. 

My order:

*A bowl of chocolate chaud (You read that correctly and it was as amazing as it sounds.)

*A slice of brioche

*Half baguette

*Butter, jam, honey

*Fresh squeezed orange juice 

(Exploring Montmartre - Sacré-Coeur)

Are you noticing any patterns? A hot drink with an assortment of breads and spreads along with a refreshing fresh squeezed juice... I delighted in this combination time and time again because for me it was a dream. This is my favorite breakfast combination and it appears it is a favorite of the French aussi, so when in Paris...

Do you have any favorite brunch spots in Paris? I would love to hear your recommendations in the comments. Have a lovely August weekend. Maybe you will even make it to a favorite brunch spot near you. :)

Warm wishes from me to you,