Are there many restaurants, grocery stores, pastry shops on the island? We are thinking of renting an apartment there and like to get fresh pastries for breakfast in apartment. When we were on the island last September, it seemed very quiet and most places were closed. Is that the norm for Mondays?

Thanks

there are small boulangeries and mom and pop shops and yes they could be closed on Monday mornings - well not boulangeries as they sell an essential - in many walks around the Ile I have seen some shops but just across the Seine are many many more with supermarkets, charcuteries, etc - just to the north is one of the main shopping drags in the area.

You should have no problem getting fresh pastries from the patisserie-boulangeries on the island IME.

The Ile Saint Louis is lovely, has many small restaurants and shops. We like Au Lys d'Argent for lunch and there is a good cheese shop. I don't know a specific bakery but I'm sure someone will have recommendations.

I think I would be happy staying on the the Ile Saint Louis. Please share the apartment if you decide to book it.

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Everything tourists need is on the island, which is tiny in any case. Parisians turned this place over to visitors 50 years ago.

As kerouac says, the Ile St-Louis is tourist central, so you can find just about anything any time of day. And if by chance you can't find a pastry close to your apartment, you're just a bridge away from the rest of Paris. Plus, if Monday closings proved to be an issue, which they likely won't be, you could buy pastries Sunday for consumption Monday morning.

In our apt. stays we have found 3 bakeries, a great fresh produce shop where they squeeze the oranges in front of you and put it in a bottle, 2 grocery shops (the 1 on Rue St. Louis en Ile is closed on Tue.) The grocery around the corner seems to be open all the time, even late at night.

At the bakery, ask for baguette traditional. We like the baguettes at the place sort of across the street from the grocery on Rue St. Louis en Ile. Around the corner, our favorite pastries are at the place next to the orange juice shop. The other bakery is further down the main street. If 1 bakery is closed, the others are open.

As far as restaurants on the Ile, even after 4 stays we haven't been to all of them. Our favorites are L'Orangerie, L'Ilot Vache, Sorza, Le Fleur en Ile. The only one we really did not like was Mon Veil Ami and that has been a favorite with many others.

Cross the Pont de Sully to the Left Bank and there's a Picard frozen food store just to your right. Not your Swanson TV dinner stuff! ;^)

As others have said, no shortage of food and drink on the island and no chance of bumping into Monsieur Kerouac either! LOL

What arrondisment might we bump into Monsieur Kerourac?

Ha ha, nobody will bump into me! I live in an unfashionable part of the 18th arrondissement, where unlike Ile Saint Louis, I have a choice of 10 boulangeries within a radius of 300 meters rather than being "thrilled" to find one boulangerie downstairs or just one place to buy tomatoes or ham.

So, kerouac, when are you opening a B&B or renting out your apt? We love your take on Paris and the info is invaluable---do you ever show up at a GTG? Or would you like to swap houses for a 3 bdr ranch in Oconomowoc, WI amid many lakes? You would have to like cats though, Max & Chloe would expect lost of pets. 10 boulangeries? Take me away!!!

Ile Saint Louis - overpriced and over hyped IMO - would much much rather stay in a vibrant ordinary neighborhood, even one as sultry as Kerouac's to get the real flavor of a Parisian neighborhood - heck even Rue Cler!

I love cats, and some day I need to see New Glarus, WI, founded by one of my Swiss ancestors.

I have never been lured to a GTG, but a few extremely rare posters can attest to having actually met me.

Aren't there a lot of cats in Pere Lachaise?? There was a book written about them. Tried a few times to buy it at Shakespere Book Store but they never had it.

I have never felt Ile St. Louis as touristy and that is why we continue to return year after year to an apartment. Chocolate and vanilla - there is something for everyone.

Pastry shop on Ile St Louis - our favorite is next to Le Fin Gormet. It is to the right of it and have never known the name and cannot read it from the google map photo either. The *best* quiche and also sliced baguettes toasted with tomato, ham and cheese. Sounds so simple but oh so good!

It is fabulous- you may never leave the island!!

Oh, sometimes I wish that those Ile Saint Louis tourists would never leave the island. ;-)