Wine and Paris
What is it about France that makes me feel like it’s Okay to drink an full bottle of wine at lunchtime in your hotel in Paris? I guess it’s the reality that there are so various places that make it unproblematic-almost not possible not-to do just that.
My hands-down favorite spot in Paris for a boozy Sunday lunch is Le Verre Volé, the quintessential Parisian wine bar and living proof that simplicity is the top secret to pleasure-and pleasantness. There’s nothing better than a leisurely lunch of shared petite plates and an interesting bottle of wine, followed by a drunken amble all along the Canal St. Martin (I have yet to fall in!), most probable followed by a snooze. Afternoons like this make me question, “Does life get any better than this?” and I every time turn up to the same conclusion: nope.
So reserve your appartment in Paris right now!
Le Verre Volé is no top secret, but its sheltered spot (only off the channel in the 10th) ensures that it’s far away enough from the sightseer footprints to prevent being overrun. In addition, the chalkboard menu is in French-though the servers are pleasant and happy to interpret for English-speaking clients. The Verre Volé is part of a recent culinary trend in Paris: the wine shop – restaurant hybrid. The walls of the tiny area (it seats only around 18 people at a moment) are adorned with varied bottles from the far-flung corners of France. You can buy one to take to your place, or you can buy one to go with lunch or dinner (in which case, you pay a 7€ corkage fee). You can also get wines by the wineglass.
The wines are gently selected from France’s main regions and from little producers in villages you’ve perhaps never heard of. The diversity and originality that has gone into the selection is refreshing, but even more refreshing are the prices. Bottles begin at around 6€ and raise from there. Servers are pleased to guide you towards great worth. A friend and I once splurged on a 25€ bottle of St. Joseph and spent the rest of the day in a state of syrah-induced rapture.
And at the end of the day, Le Verre Volé is terminally fashionable without being over-hip. It’s casual and friendly, but while you’re here, you identify you’re in the right spot at the correct moment. This is one spot that manages to strike a ideal balance between creative food, brilliant wines, hip but pleasant ambiance, and more-than-reasonable prices. I can’t wait to go back… is it noon yet?
