Rue Cler: Perfect Paris Shopping Street

Americans love one-stop shopping—a large grocery emporium where one can stock up on all of the foodstuffs needed for several days, from fruits and vegetables to fish and meat to milk, eggs and cheese. And while supermarkets are becoming more popular in Paris, the City of Light’s residents tend to prefer “one-street shopping”—essentially visiting a street or small section of their neighborhood where they can find a variety of different food shops, including boulangerie for bread, a patisserie for desserts, a fromagerie for eggs and cheese, a boucherie for meat and so on.

And these trips usually are only for items needed for a day or two, as refrigerator space (and indeed space within the entire kitchen) of most Parisian apartments is tiny and because Parisians prefer to use fresh ingredients with a much more limited shelf life than mass-produced, preservative-laden groceries.

One of my favorite shopping streets in Paris is Rue Cler in the 7th Arrondissement.

This three-block long, pedestrian-only street not far from the Ecole Militaire on the Right Bank (positioned between Rue de Grenelle and Avenue La Motte-Piquet) is named after mid-19th century French brigadier general Jean Joseph Gustave Cler. But the shopping avenue was made famous by travel writer and TV host Rick Steves, who touts the street in his books, on all of his travel shows and through his on-site European tours. And as such, it draws many American visitors eagerly following Steve’s advice.

Americans love one-stop shopping—a large grocery emporium where one can stock up on all of the foodstuffs needed for several days, from fruits and vegetables to fish and meat to milk, eggs and cheese. And while supermarkets are becoming more popular in Paris, the City of Light’s residents tend to prefer “one-street shopping”—essentially visiting a street or small section of their neighborhood where they can find a variety of different food shops, including boulangerie for bread, a patisserie for desserts, a fromagerie for eggs and cheese, a boucherie for meat and so on.

And these trips usually are only for items needed for a day or two, as refrigerator space (and indeed space within the entire kitchen) of most Parisian apartments is tiny and because Parisians prefer to use fresh ingredients with a much more limited shelf life than mass-produced, preservative-laden groceries.

One of my favorite shopping streets in Paris is Rue Cler in the 7th Arrondissement.

This three-block long, pedestrian-only street not far from the Ecole Militaire on the Right Bank (positioned between Rue de Grenelle and Avenue La Motte-Piquet) is named after mid-19th century French brigadier general Jean Joseph Gustave Cler. But the shopping avenue was made famous by travel writer and TV host Rick Steves, who touts the street in his books, on all of his travel shows and through his on-site European tours. And as such, it draws many American visitors eagerly following Steve’s advice.

And the list of shops doesn’t end there. You’ll also find boulangeries for top-notch breads, patisseries for decadent desserts, wine sellers, an ice cream maker, a honey shop, a chocolate boutique, shops specializing in Asian and Italian foods, cafes, bistros, florists, pharmacies, a household goods store and even two small supermarkets (FranPrix and Leader).

There’s almost everything well-heeled Parisians need for their day-to-day lives. And there are plenty of treats and eats for travelers from around the world.

Most Rue Cler shops are open Tuesday-Saturday from morning to about 8 p.m. (restaurants are open later, some food sellers close a bit earlier) and Sunday mornings. Most of the food sellers are closed on Mondays, but most of the cafes and a handful of the shops are open. (Metro: Line 8 Ecole Militaire)