Given all the paintbrush pots, the stacks of canvases and the colourful ink stains splashed across the walls, it’s immediately quite obvious that Versailles’s L’Esprit d’Atelier enjoys a second life as some sort of artist’s workshop. Opened by local artist and chef Virginie Bommelaer in January 2016, this relaxed café/atelier/exhibition space – a little sister to the already well-established branch on the Rue du Vieux Versailles – in fact regularly hosts painting workshops for aspiring artists and kids (in French), plus occasional book readings and wine tastings.
If art lessons aren’t quite your thing, though, the open-plan interior also makes for a decent spot for a drink or snack during the day, from cups of Kusmi tea (€3) and foamy café crèmes (€3) to fresh fruit juices (things like strawberry or orange and carrot, €4) and home made cakes, like a rich chocolate fondant or a liberally iced lemon loaf (€3.50-€4). Guests can sit inside, where the smiley staff doodle creatively behind the bar and an upbeat acoustic soundtrack plays, or alternatively enjoy the sun on the dinky terrace out front.
Come back on Sunday for the lavish brunch menu, which features everything from Isygny fromage blanc with muesli to plates of Corsican cheese and charcuterie (prices are Paris standard, at €23 for adults and €17 for kids).
