Staying a block North from the Louvre. Looking for a place to stock up on snacks and picnic items. Does La Samaritaine have a food hall? And/or: are there neighborhood grocery stores/market areas w/in easy walking distance of the Louvre? The area is very central, but also appears kind of business oriented (instead of residential), but that may be an erroneous conclusion on my part. Thanks for your help.

Yes, you can buy food at Samaritaine. Also, there is a little grocery store on Ave. Berger just off of Rue du Louvre. It is a somewhat commercial area, but there are lots of little places to shop. Have a wonderful trip!

I stayed near the Louvre and La Samaritaine and you are correct, there were very few shops and cafes nearby. It was not the kind of "neighborhood" feel I usually look for in a city. This trip I'm staying in the 6th instead.

Valeria: thanks for the info. <BR>Danna: Your point is well taken and I hope others will chime in (good or bad about our chosen location). However, after staying on the Rue Cler our last 2 trips, we thought something more centralized would be better. I think this location will give us good walking (or short Metro) access to the North (Gare du Nord), East (Marais) and South (Iles, Seine and Latin). Enjoyed the rue Cler, but we had to take a relatively long Metro ride whenever we wanted to get to anything central.

I like a central location and stay at a hotel a block or two east of the Louvre and one street south of Rue Rivoli. I like being able to make a last minute decision and walk a few minutes to Notre Dame and see it at night. Or watch the sun set along the Seine.<BR><BR>Just a north of the Rue Rivoli and south of Les Halles is an area that has a cybercafe, a post office, some little shops for groceries, sandwiches and restaurants. I think it's along the Rue St Honore/Rue Les Halles street.<BR><BR>And, of course, around Les Halles are all kinds of restaurants and tourist gift shops.

Just over the bridge and a few blocks north, you can go to rue de Buci and buy every kind of food you would want.We used to bring home a small snack in the afternoon,when going back to the hotel and needing something to tide us over until late Paris dining,after 8:00pm..also, good for picnics..

Has anyone eaten at the cafe on the 10th floor of La Samaritaine? IF so, what is you recommendation. Thanks

I was just at the Samaritaine last Saturday (GORGEOUS day after two days of heavy rain!!). Had only coffee and pastries at the cafe. The view from the 11th floor is well worth the stop. Also, buying perfumes on the first floor was sooo much fun!! the cafes on the street are OK; the river is right across the street, so you get to see a lot of activity with passersby and vendors.

-<BR>sooner-Kid:<BR>Are you asking about the outdoor cafe? I don't know what other cafes are in the store, if there are any others. I went up to top of La Smaritaine to get a bird's eye view of the city, as per recommendation in Rick Steves guidebook. Unless they've changed menu (was in Paris Apr-99), it was a simple selection of food items, sandwiches, pastries. Went thru a line and then plopped yourself down at a table. Food was nothing special. Seating is all outside. Great view.

There is a super market on the rue d. Buci very close to rue Dauphine. I believe it is part of a chain store that located in Paris. It is open even on Sunday. I have friends in Paris who tell me that is very unusual for the supermarkets to be open on Sundays. <BR>Also, give yourself a treat and go to the gourmet store that is part of Bon Marche. It is wonderful.

There is a Monoprix on 23 ave de l'Opera which is near the Palais Royal metro stop, and a grocery store at 121 rue Saint Honore (about 1 block NE of the Louvre-Rivoli metro stop). Monoprix is a great place for everything you need, if you aren't familiar with it (like Walmart, Target, etc.). A lot of them have grocery sections, some quite good, but I don't know about that one. It's open 9 am to 11 pm.<BR><BR>I've eaten at the Samaritaine on the open top viewing floor; it's similar to vending machine or fast food, nothing very good. I would not eat there unless no other choice. There is a nicer retaurant in the store, but I haven't eaten there.