La Grande Epicerie de Paris

[Wolfville]

What are the foodie votes on Le Grande compared to the big box Hediard and Fauchon? With just a few days I want to hit the best not the touristy so all comments are welcomed.

Cheers.

[Louisa Chu]

Hi Wolfville, welcome to eGullet.

La Grande Epicerie

Fauchon

Hediard

In that order - with the Epicerie far and away the best - they also carry F & H products. I'm not that impressed with the goods from the latter two - sometimes I suspect they just slap their labels on generic. Plus with Epicerie, you're at the epicenter of some serious fooding - depending on the day there's the market on Raspail; go a little further down, take a left on rue du Cherche Midi and there's Poilane, don't miss the little basket of free punitions; next door is their Cuisine du Bar where you can get a salad, tartine, glass of wine or water, and coffee for about 12 euros; a little further still there's Aoki, Franco-Japanese patisserie, known for their matcha green tea millefeuille - I especially like the black sesame macarons; or head the other way from LGE on rue de Sevres for Peltier, very nice salon de the.

[Bux]

Is la Grande Epicerie the one on the ground floor of Bon Marché? I've always thought highly of it, although I've had little reason to shop there. I seem to recall someone telling me how much he thought it was overrated--or did I read that here. I sometimes wonder if most of what I think I know about food has come from eGullet. Anyway, without ever having a kitchen in Paris, we've had no use for, what is essentially, a supermarket with the exception of a few snacks and souvenirs, but when we've used it for that, my head is always turned as I walk the aisles.

We've stayed in the area a few times and I rather like it. I didn't realize Cuisine du Bar was owned by Poilane. I've often recommeded it to friends and others as a great place for a quick light snack lunch. For someone like myself, whose idea of Paris is stuck in time, it's a most un-French-like place, but very good for being a very French version of an un-French-like place. Then again Pain Poilane is very un-French bread to my generation and a vast improvement on what we thought was great bread.

There's also a decent wine bar on Cherche-Midi across Rasphail. Le Nemrod serves a good selection of beaujolais en carafe. The food is so-so, but the sausage with aligot potatoes is worth having. Not the best, but it's a local place and we've met friends who live in the neighborhood there.

I think the fresh things Fauchon makes themselves are generally good. They used to have great pastries when Hermé was there. I suppose they are still good, but the bar's been raised a few times in Paris in recent years. My guess is that you want to hit Pierre Hermé's shop on rue Bonaparte if pastry excites you, but there are so many others as Lou has begun to name.

[VivreManger]

Agree 100% with Loufood.

Over the past 20 to 30 years I have been shopping in the Bon Marche food market -- I remember when it was dominated by fresh fruits & vegetables, now still excellent, but consigned to the rear. One day I comparisoned shopped a number of products there and at Hediard. What I bought was better and cheaper at La Grande Epicerie.

As for Fauchon, it reminds me of Madame Toussaud's. I am always afraid the food will taste like wax.

[lalala]

One thing that sets grand epicerie over the others is that you can pick up other things, shampoo, cotton balls, yoghurt as well as fraises des bois.

Great selection of Weiss chocs too.

There is a Hediard on rue de bac if you need their specific sandwiches...

I think it used to be a Foucher store.

lalala

[winemike]

Absolutely agree with loufood.

La Grande Epicerie also has some great wines at not (too) stupid prices.

Last time I've been at Hediard (on Place de la Madeleine), they did not have half of what I was looking for. My Mrs bought 2 "tuiles au chocolat" (not sure how you translate this) and they tasted like cheap chocolate. Very very disappointed (at 1 eur each, you do not expect that) !!

[John Talbott]

What are the foodie votes on Le Grande compared to the big box Hediard and Fauchon?  With just a few days I want to hit the best not the touristy so all comments are welcomed.

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Well, they're different, but since all 3 are on my subway line, it's not a matter of convenience where I go. I've stopped going to Fauchon except to buy something with a Fauchon label to impress Americans in the US. I go to Hédiard for hard to find things, like little veggies. La Grande Epicerie is comprehensive with everything from standard confitures and veggies to high end meats and fine fish. As for touristy, bouf, their presence "est partout."