With its crisp crust and chewy crumb shot through with irregular holes, Delmontel's Renaissance bread is one of the finest in Paris. He puts the same skill into his...

To look at the fluffy, golden croissants at Du Pain et des Idées as they emerge steaming from the oven, you would never guess that French baking is in crisis - but it is. 'They...

The award-winning Marie Quatrehomme runs this fromagerie. Justly famous for her comté fruité, beaufort and st-marcellin, she also sells specialities such as goat's cheese with...

Hédiard's charming shop dates back to 1880, when they were the first to introduce exotic foods to Paris, specialising in rare teas and coffees, spices, jams and candied...

Spanish hams here have the Bellota-Bellota label, meaning that the pigs have been allowed to feast on acorns. Manager Philippe Poulachon compares his cured hams (€98 a kilo) to...

Hévin specialises in the beguiling combination of chocolate with potent cheese fillings, which loyal customers serve with wine as an aperitif.

Lavinia is a thoroughly contemporary emporium that stocks a broad selection of French alongside many non-French wines; its glassed-in cave has everything from a 1945...

Run by two brothers (one gay, one straight) whose surname just happens to be Legay, this Marais boulangerie and pâtisserie is very popular. The pastries are delightful, and the...

One of the biggest markets in Paris. A favourite of political campaigners, it's also a great source of local cheeses, farmers' chicken and excellent fish.

This pretty, compact market is set on a leafy square. It has a high proportion of producers and is much less touristy than nearby rue Mouffetard.

Pastry superstar Hermé attracts connoisseurs from St-Germain and afar with his seasonal collections.

Apollonia Poilâne runs the family shop, where locals queue for fresh country miches, flaky-crusted apple tarts and buttery shortbread biscuits.

In the magnificently appointed Printemps you'll find everything you didn't even know you wanted and English-speaking assistants to help you find it. But fashion is where it...

Look out for the strawberry-and-lychee flavoured bonheur and the chocolate-and-thyme récif.