La Grande Épicerie de Paris is one of my favorite places in all of Paris. It is a gorgeous, must-visit address when visiting Paris. I have been visiting it for years. As the founder of En Route to Rêverie I have helped hundreds of people plan a trip to Paris via Rêverie in Paris and I always recommend they pay a visit to La Grande Épicerie.
If you are planning to go to this iconic Left Bank grocery store, this post will help you navigate the tens of thousands of items they offer and allow you to enjoy picking up a few of my personal favorites.
What to Buy at La Grande Epicerie in Paris
A must visit address for fine foods lovers in the French capital spanning 2,900 square meters of floorspace, La Grande Épicerie de Paris offers some 30,000 items. Many of these items are made exclusively for La Grande Épicerie and are made on site.
Owned by LVMH like its sister store Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, La Grande Épicerie was opened on Rue de Sèvres back in 1923. This gourmet food emporium is ultra refined (and therefore rather pricey, too).
Every day, pastry chefs, cooks, bakers and apprentices work at La Grande Épicerie under the guidance of Jean-Jacques Massé. He is the holder of the title Meilleur Ouvrier de France which translates to Best Craftsman of France. When you shop at La Grande Épicerie you know you are getting quality products.
Whether you are here to grocery shop to fill your home’s shelves or you are popping in as a tourist and just looking to pick up some food-related souvenirs, this post will help you make the most of the store.
Right when you enter the store there is usually a fun concept on display. It is often related to seasonality and I love seeing what their team has curated. Sometimes new products are featured or special collaboration products. It is always worth perusing!
Butter
When I discovered that La Grande Épicerie helps you bring butter back to the States I couldn’t have been more delighted. Now, of course it still isn’t that easy to do as I wouldn’t recommend doing so unless you have a fridge to store it in up until you depart and I wouldn’t recommend doing it in the summer when your luggage may end up sitting on the tarmac or in a very hot airplane.
You will need to first purchase your butter and pay for the shrink wrapping fee of 2 euros. Then you take you paid for butter back to the Fromagerie and ask that that they shrink wrap the product. You’ll need to show your receipt as proof of payment.
I personally love the Belvaire Demi-Sel butter but the Beurre Bordier butters are such fun to explore, too. The butter section at La Grande Épicerie is HUGE and it brings me such joy.
Salt
I love the selection of La Grande Épicerie spices and salts they offer. Their private label has a variety of great salts to choose from at good prices. I particularly love the Sel Gris they sell.
Mustard
The mustard aisle at La Grande Épicerie brings me such joy. There are just so many to choose from! I love shopping for Maille mustard in France because the product is better than what is offered in the States and it costs less in France.
Milk
I love the dairy products in France so if I am staying for a longer time in Paris I will often pick up a small carton of whole milk to enjoy in my coffee.
Cheese
If you’re a fan of French cheeses as I am the Fromagerie at La Grande Épicerie is a delight to explore. They have so many types of cheeses and you can shrink wrap certain ones to bring home if you’re able! Otherwise this area of the store is wonderful to shop at if you’re having an apero at your hotel or planning to picnic while in Paris.
Yogurt
I live for the yaourt nature whenever I am in France so I often will pick up a couple to enjoy during longer stays in Paris. The yogurt section at La Grande Épicerie is enormous and don’t miss checking out fromage blanc, too while you’re shopping in this section!
Chocolate
France has no shortage of amazing chocolates and the selection at La Grande Épicerie offers loads of types that make for great gifts to bring home. I personally always stock up on the milk chocolate covered hazelnuts seen above. They are my addiction! I can eat a whole bag in a sitting so I often bring home as many bags as I have room for.
Charcuterie
If you see the mini sausages covered in parmesan don’t hesitate picking up the bag of them! They are divine. Just know you can’t bring meats back into the U.S. so you’ll need to consume what you buy while still in France.
Foie Gras
If you’re a fan of Foie Gras and live in a state you are allowed to bring it back, this is a nice luxury to purchase in France as it costs significantly less than in other places.
Chips
The chip flavors in France are such fun compared to what we have in the U.S. so I love exploring this area. Once I discovered the Brets chips, though there was no turning back for me and now I always pick up a bag of them. The flavor Fromage du Jura – cheese flavored chips, yes please!
Produce
I don’t personally purchase from the produce section but I always love to walk through because everything is merchandised so beautifully. Also sometimes the price tags are also good for a laugh! This fine produce does not come at inexpensive prices.
Pastries
La Grande Épicerie offers an entire Patisserie section that’s great to pick up an afternoon sweet treat. Particularly if you want to bring a little dessert back to your hotel, shop for guests coming over to your home or just have a little pastry with an afternoon picnic nearby.
Wine
The lower level of La Grande Épicerie is a haven for all sorts of alcohol. The champagne section itself is a marvel! You’ll find all sorts of liquor, wine and sparkling wines in this section that people sometimes miss.
If you want to taste some wines on site, you can also pay a visit to the somewhat recently opened Le Balthazar wine bar while you decide what to purchase from the wine cellar.
Bread
La Grande Épicerie has a boulangerie on site where they are offering a variety of breads and baked goods like croissants. I’ve not tried much from this section but the Nutella filled beignets always do tempt me.
In this section they are sometimes handing out samples, too so always worth going by!
Merch
La Grande Épicerie makes some really adorable branded merchandise like spoons and pot holders but the little market totes and canvas totes are my personal favorites that I own.
Gift Baskets
The team at La Grande Épicerie curates select gift baskets with a variety of the stores bestsellers so if you want to really impress someone you can pick one up.
Advent Calendars
Visit La Grande Épicerie during the holidays and you must be sure to pick up one of their beautiful advent calendars.
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La Grande Épicerie is truly a treasure trove and such fun to explore. If you end up going and have something you loved that you bought, do let me know below!
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We took our sons to Paris in 2012 when they graduated from high school and college. We stayed in an apartment AROUND THE CORNER FROM LA GRANDE EPICERIE!!! Talk about a marvelous neighborhood grocery store! We enjoyed many picnics that week. This is a marvelous post; you really captured the spirit of this place!
How amazing! I would get in lots of trouble in the store if I lived nearby no doubt 🙂
I so enjoyed the exquisite department store and especially the grocery store. Could have spent hours and hours there – my husband was very patient! I remember the chouquettes being really excellent. I really need to make some at home because they are so easy and I have the pearl sugar already. I almost bought a market bag, darn, it is cute. I will have to get one on a return trip. Love the items you recommended. I’m saving this post, thank you.
Must try the Choquettes! Thank you for sharing your experience.
I’ve been bringing Bordier butter back for many years, but never bothered to get it cryo-vac’d. I usually do my “grocery shopping” the day before I leave. I bring Ziploc bags from home and put the butter in them. A couple years ago, I bought a clear plastic sack that was a portable wine chiller. Just fill it up with ice and cold water and it’s like an ice bucket. That remains an excellent find!
Hi Megan,
Our Paris Perfect apartment was right across the street from Le Grand Epicure…. What a bonus!!! Each day we would return from our outings and make a luxurious pit stop to get the next days breakfast (yes the yogurt selection!!!) croissants, afternoon charcuterie (The cheese!!!) and champagne…
My favorite tote bag is my one from there… it was definitely a happy daily Parisian indulgence during our trip last Spring that we planned with you.