Paris Wine Bars : Caves Legrand

The horse-shoe shaped bar Yesterday we went to an old wine institution in Paris : Caves Legrand , located 1 rue de la Banque 75002 Paris, with an access too ( and a more pleasant one ) from the Galerie Vivienne . This "Galerie" is a covered passageway with shops and glass ceiling built in 1823 by the architect Francois Jean Delannoy with luxuries of this era, indoor decoration, lighting, floor mosaics, upscale shops , etc... There remains a few such galleries in Paris near the Opera district and these sort of early shopping arcades for the bourgeois of the time retained their charm and beauty. This is definitely one of the hidden gems of Paris that few tourists are aware of.View on the Galerie Vivienne entrance
The Galerie Vivienne access near Caves Legrand is at 4 rue des Petits Champs. The wine shop which was operated by several generations of Legrands is not owned any more by the Legrand family. It was bought in 2000 by Gerard Sibourd-Baudry and Christian de Chateauvieux who renovated the place while keeping its quality wines orientation. One of their best-inspired initiative was to add a wine bar section in the middle of the shop in 2001.View from the bar Entering from the Galerie Vivienne entrance, you walk into the wine bar, which is set in the middle of a large room stacked with bottles on the wall-shelves all around. The new owners added this 3-sided horseshoe counter in a way that it looks as if it had been there for decades. Stroll in the different parts of the shop (a few steps on the left lead to the rue de la Banque side of the shop, where other wines and the specialy foods are stocked) before sitting at the bar. There could be a bottle of wine there that you might want to drink at the bar (in spite of the cork fee).
At the bar, the sommelier can prepare fine and light foods to eat with the wine, also served at the counter or at one of the few tables nearby. There's a warmful and refined atmosphere at the same time, with the brass and the wood of the floor, the floor-to-ceiling shelves and ladders.
The wine shop itself has a wide range of wines and good champagnes. Also in another room, specialty foods like foie gras and candy are displayed, actually the shop at its origin was selling spices, tea and sweets, and the wines were added somewhere in the early 20th century. Speaking of the wine list at the bar, it changes regularly and the owners follow a different theme every month to highlight this or that wine region. And you can order any bottle chosen on the shelves with a 15 Euro cork fee added on the bottle.
Benedicte chose a Corsica white : Clos d'Alzeto 2003 . Vermentino . I chose a red from Argentina : Santa Ercilia 2001 . Malbec. produced at Alto Vale de Uco , Mendoza , Argentina . Old wine estate founded in 1937. nice nose. Warmful and spicy. A pleasure.
While not the cheapest wine bar for its glass prices, it is a good place to enjoy and discover wines, and at the same time impregnate yourself with the interior architecture of the Galerie Vivienne. By the way, on the other side of the Galerie, facing the wine shop, there is another Legrand store selling all kind of wine accessories and litterature.
Caves Legrand also organizes regularly wine education courses and theme tasting events (see website for the program).Caves Legrand1 rue de la Banque4 rue des Petits Champs (Galerie Vivienne)75002 ParisPhone 01 42 60 07 12Metro : Bourse (line 3)Open mon-sat 10-11am to 7-7:30pmcaves-legrand.com

Comments

[Paris Rendez-vous]

Interesting post...I'll love following this blog. Pierre and I always drop into Caves Legrand whenever we are in Paris. In 2012 and 2013 I expect to be sampling their wine frequently!!!