Christmas Chalets at Bon Marché

 

A few years ago I painted a Christmas Letter featuring LE BON MARCHÉ. 

This year’s theme at Bon Marché is Christmas marché chalets. 

A Rococo Christmas letter

For the rest of December you can BUY A SINGLE CHRISTMAS LETTER (Rococo style with your name hand-written on it), the NOV Advent letter or 'Have fun in Paris Noël map. Random Paris goodies will be included in the envelope of course. Bear dragged me over to the very rococo patisserie, MEERT on 3 rue de Jacques Callot 75006 just off rue Mazarine.

Some bears can not get enough Paris pastry. Some bears should be sleeping instead of drooling.

Well let's face it. Just about everyone is leché-vitrine (drooling) at Meert. And Saturdays their special pastries arrive fresh from Lille.

Put one foot inside magical MEERT and its like a time machine. Candies of yore beckon. And jams, biscuits and teas.

Lovely chocolate bears with marshmallow inside.

The packaging is so whimsical you find yourself buying boxes just for their beauty.

Well some people do...

Such eye candy with edible candy inside.

Big enticing jars of jam/confiture call out your name.

And don't forget their famous gaufres. De Gaulle's favorite cookie (delivered to him fresh every Friday). I wanted the yellow box even if I am a bit tired of the color yellow. No way José. You can only get lemon/citron waffle cookies in summer time if you please. Meert has rules and sticks to them assiduously. Perfection does not come wothout a few bumps in the road.

Bear insisted on a Selfie in Meert. Such a teenager...

Bear has been invited to the Nut Cracker suite the day before Christmas. He is thrilled to bits.

With our mutual obsession drawing loops and arabesques, the December letter had to be Rococo. Though first we tried three or four other themes. Adding in the fun tree ornaments from ASTIER DE VILATTE helped. Their boiled egg in a cup is on the letter art if not on my table...see top left.

Well thanks for reading Parisbreakfast. You can get the single December Parisbreakfast letter, map or watercolors in my Etsy shop.

WITH LOVE FROM PARIS! XXX BEAR 🐻❤️

Meert Lille

How is your weather?

Paris has been relentlessly grey, gloomy and overcast this week. I know one mustn't grumble. We don't have snow or extremely low temperatures but the greyness can chip away at you.

I'm taking you to Lille with me two Weeks ago and my visit to Meert with Solli.

Satin ribbons anyone? Yes please. Meert is nothing if you don't immediately think of satin ribbon after thinking waffles(gaufre) of course.

Meert in Lille is quite possibly the prettiest confection shop in Europe if not the world.

The interior dates back to 1761 and perhaps before.

You're walking into a time machine.

Don't forget to look up at the balconies.

Eye candy everywhere.

Mad about the antique touches.

Their most famous patron Lilloise, General de Gaulle keeps guard in the window. He received his weekly dozen gaufres(filled waffles) at the Palais Elysees. I believe I forgot to show them . I ate the 2 citron confit I bought yesterday at the Paris Meert at 6, rue Jacques Callot 75006.

Everyone leches le vitrines at Meert.

The pastries eagerly await on Saturday mornings.

If you're in Paris, pastries are shipped up on Saturday mornings so do run over!

Solli and I arrived early and decided to take afternoon tea.

A good idea since it gets very crowded later on with long lines.

Solli ordered a marron glace waffle. Still recovering from my Brussels excursion where I ODed on chocolate I abstained.

Their cookies are so special and the flavors change from week to week.

Yesterday at the Paris Meert I discovered their adorable feve (favors) - tiny golden chefs clutching the famous gaufres.
Remember (like in Paddington) dogs at Meert, must be carried.
I hope you're duely cheered up no matter the weather where ever you are PBers!

Meert Paris

First of all, THANK YOU darling PBers for all the lovely messages and warm welcome to my new home in Paris! I'm looking forward to sharing many new adventures on the island with you.
 

Frederic, the manager of the new Meert shop (since 1761) in the 6th (3, rue Jacques Callot off rue Mazarine) somehow found Parisbreakfast and decided I must come visit on Friday. It's a mere 15 minute walk away.
 

This shop is bigger than the Marais store and absolutely dreamy.
 

Come inside.
 

All 19th century fixtures are modeled after the famous first Meert shop in the Northern town of  Lille. I have to go there.
 

Remember we were talking about candy as medicine? In the Middle Ages Medieval knights brought back all manner of spices and herbs from the East. Many went straight into the coffers of pharmacists of the day, to be made into elixirs and pills(dragees). Frequently they were stored in these big glass jars still used in most French candy stores.
 

Or ceramic jars like these. Pharmacists were truly the first candy makers of their day. Just consider. They had ginger, cinnamon, vanilla (brought back by Cortez from Mexico), licorice, almonds, citrus, lavender, anise, sugar and finally chocolate just to name a few ingredients to work (play) with. These were luxury items savored only by the rich. Luckily things have changed.
 

Here's some favorite medicine, guimauve/marshmallows, I fell instantly in love with at Meert.
 

Their framboise guimauve is some of the best I've tasted in France. Now I get it! Goodbye Campfire marshmallows. I'v moved on.
 

Meert is of famous for their Flemish waffle cookies filled with a cream made of butter, brown cassonade sugar and Madagascar vanilla. Seasonally, the flavors can change to marron/chestnut and rum or pistachio and Morello cherries etc.

President de Gaulle was a huge fan of these waffles/gaufres. He grew up in Lille but remained attached. De Gaulle's driver was sent from the Elysees Palace to fetch a dozen cookies weekly. He did the 'waffle run' I guess.
 

This shop is so darn pretty. Even if sugar never passes your lips you have to visit. And they do have lovely gift items like cards and books.
 

Gorgeous chocolates too.
 

And caramels.
 

Marron glace.
 

Only on Saturdays does Meert receive a delivery from Lille of special pastries from their tea salon like le Cramique (6,50 a brioche plain, sweet or with raisins) and perfect with Meert's devine jams.

I couldn't resist getting le moelleux a l'orange and le moelleux aux fruits rouges (2.80 each). Anything red fruits I'm a sucker for.Yes, I came back Saturday morning.
 

An homage to Meert's owners is set up in the shop.
 

Look at adorable feves/favors that hide inside Meert's galette du roi (Lindsey has a picture here). More instant love. They're taken straight from an old 19th century ad on the cover of their new beautiful double bookset. Yum. Don't miss Meert Saint-Germain next visit please. More pictures to drool over here.