PARIS // To Eat: Crêpes!

I 100% didn't intend this, but as I was writing I realized that these were my first and last crêpes in Paris! 

It's no secret that crêpes are one of the things most associated with France. I couldn't tell you how frequently Parisians eat them, but I can attest to the fact that there are crêpe stands all. over. the. city. And I took full advantage of this. A ham and cheese crêpe served as my dinner when I didn't want to cook, a Nutella crêpe would be mine when I was looking for a dessert, and sometimes I would grab a butter and sugar crêpe when I was feeling peckish.

Crêpes tend to be fairly affordable. As a general rule, if you're paying more than €2.50 for a straight up Nutella crêpe, you're paying more than you should and will be able to find somewhere cheaper. You might not care. I was poor, so I cared.

Moving on. Here is my roundup of the best crêpes in Paris.

Nicest Crêpe Maker... Chocolat Rouge (50 rue Rambuteau 75004)

This is one of the first places I went in Paris. It's around the corner from my school in the Marais. This place wins for nicest crêpe maker because the man got to know us. He waved one morning as I walked by, calling out "Bonjour!" and then never really stopped every morning after that. He was willing to chat either in French or English. After a while he even started to give us discounts. They also sell paninis, drinks, etc, as many crêpe places in Paris do. Plus they have heaters on when it's chilly! It's across the street from the Centre Pompidou.

Cheapest Crêpes... Crêperie Genia (15 Rue de la Harpe 75005)

This place doesn't necessarily have the greatest crêpes I've ever tasted, but if you're on a budget, you can't beat their deal. You get a savory crêpe and a dessert crêpe plus a drink for only €5. It's around the corner from St. Michel metro stop. They prefer that everyone in your group is ordering something there if you're going to take advantage of their decently sized (for Paris!) seating area upstairs.

Coolest Location...Oh! Regalade de la Tour Eiffel. (75007, facing the Eiffel Tower between the tower and the Seine)

This is the only place I was able to find a strawberry and Nutella crêpe, though I'm sure there are others. Because it's facing the tower, it's expensive for a student budget (€7.50 for the crêpe I had), but it's worth it for the experience to eat crêpes in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

Great Crêpes after a Night Out... Unknown name (4 rue de l'Ancienne Comedie)

I'm not sure of the name of this place, but I street viewed it on Google Maps (click for link) and it's the place where the man is sticking out his arms. I went here for dinner on my 21st birthday just because I could. It's nothing particularly special, but I mention it because it's in the Odeon area, where there are a lot of bars, so this might be useful to know! There is a seating area upstairs too.

Overall Best Crêpe.... Creparis, located near the Eiffel Tower in the 7th arrondissement. I desperately wished I had lived closer to here because I would have gone all the time! Unfortunately I checked their Facebook page and it looks like they've closed. Which is really sad. If you're going to Paris, research to see if they've reopened, because they were truly delicious.

This is only a handful of the crêpe stands I sampled while I lived in Paris. I'm sure there are other wonderful ones, but these are the ones that stand out in my memory. Wherever you get your crêpe fix, I hope you cherish each and every bite.