Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards
Paris, France; 7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris, France
Bouillon Chartier makes the history of dining out in Paris unusually accessible. The Grands Boulevards restaurant opened in 1896, and its large room still supplies much of the attraction: mirrors, chandeliers, woodwork and copper details create a setting designed for the collective pleasure of a busy service. The little drawers once used for regular customers’ napkins preserve a particularly tangible connection with that past. The food follows the bouillon tradition of familiar French dishes offered at modest prices. This is an address for a straightforward meal and an animated room, with the experience shaped as much by the flow of diners and staff as by any single plate. Its place in the city’s official tourism listings reflects that wider significance. The branch at seven rue du Faubourg Montmartre is the original address selected here, rather than another restaurant in the group. Its décor received heritage protection in 1989, according to the restaurant’s history. Chartier completes the Paris ten because a credible guide should leave room for affordability and shared urban experience. Few settings make the social history of the Paris restaurant so immediately apparent to a first-time visitor.