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France is famous worldwide for its fine food, superb wines and culinary traditions. Proud of their rich and varied culinary traditions, each region of France offers up distinctive and mouth-watering specialties. In Paris, the neighborhood of Les Halles was formerly known as the “the stomach of Paris”, as it was home to the massive wholesale food market that daily provisioned the city.  Nowadays this district is still a must-see for our gourmet visitors, since it features a wide variety of gastronomic specialties and restaurants as well as kitchen supply stores. 

We’ll explore the local boutiques, starting with classic pastries in a boulangerie, followed by a visit to the city’s oldest patisserie, founded in 1730 by the Queen’s baker. His shop is still famous today, recently winning the Best Chocolate Éclair. You’ll also try samples of artisanal cheeses in a traditional fromagerie, and delicious cured meats from a charcuterie. You’ll admire many specialist food shops - butchers, fishmongers, and vegetable markets, as well as an ancient oyster shop that was originally supplied by horses speeding from the coast, as we amble down this lively street. If you are a cook, you may be drawn to the professional quality supplies in the kitchen boutiques; one is the oldest in Paris.

Parisians enjoy shopping for food on a daily basis, so that their meals are fresh and match the weather and their mood. We'll join them, picking out your favorite foods along the way and ending the tour in an award winning wine bar, where we will pair our discoveries with a flight of top class wines served by an expert sommelier for an authentic and delicious French lunch.