Sunday mornings in Paris are sleepy. Combine that with ‘I am not a morning person’ and I wasn’t certain what this experience would be like. But, I have to admit, going out to seek a baguette to couple with my morning coffee was an agreeable, pleasant, somewhat solitary (meaning quiet, calm, almost serene), yes, peaceful experience. I am not talking about 6AM as, best I know, nothing would have been open at that time…more like 8AM and then some. Shops and markets were making their way to their opening times of 9AM or later. See, the rotisserie chickens were well on their way their ‘for sale’ time.

The fruit and vegetable open market was getting tagged and ready.

So many berry varieties ‘ripe’ for the pickings. 

Cosi, the neighborhood sandwich and salad shop, was ‘at ready’ with its menu listing their choices.

Opened thirty years ago, this year (!!) and still going strong, Drew, the owner from New Zealand, has been a success with other foodie businesses ever since and located on the same, rue de Seine. Their bread is made in the wood-fire oven, as you can see in the back of this photo. Just a block or so away from my doorstep…

La Palette and others are open, but with minimal or no business at this hour. 

Paul, a boulangerie chain store, has some business, at their tables indoors. 

But again, not much happening, eh? 

I couldn’t help myself. I wandered onto Place de Furstemberg to see the windows of the florist next to Flamant. They would stay closed all day. Definitely worth getting up in the morning before the action, wouldn’t you say? Oh, so romantic…

And, that meant walking by Olivier, my favorite olive oil shop. Look at the two bikes parked outside the shop. They had locks on them. I don’t know if they were from the night before or employees starting their day? Bikes are definitely a mode of transportation for the last few years now in Paris. 

Since my neighborhood favorite ‘go to’ boulangerie, Eric Kayser (10, rue de l’ Ancienne Comedie), is not open on Sundays, I decided to give Carton (6, rue de Buci) a try. And, I wasn’t the only one! By the way, Eric Kayser has about 20 or more locations in Paris, yet I don’t think of them as a ‘chain’. I guess it is all about the artisanal vs. industrial approach to baking. 

I grabbed one of those baguettes lined up against the back wall  and a pain chocolat! But no eclair, no croissant, no brioche, no Napoleon….etc, etc, etc…

The tip on that baguette is important…cherished by all as the first bite from the fresh baguette. Recently, I saw a guy running through Paris, baguette in hand! And, yes, he had already broken off the tip of the baguette and eaten it! Hope you are enjoying your Sunday–and Cheers to those fathers out there on Father’s Day!