An Indoor Picnic in Paris

A Picnic in Paris

Inclement weather doesn't dampen a picnic in Paris. The feast just moves indoors.

By Sonoko Sakai | Friday, 03 December 2010 | 09:37

Paris-picnic-inside-table-spread-sakai The word picnic, which is derived from the French pique-nique, is believed to be of Gallic origin, and is mentioned in the 1692 edition of "Gilles Ménage, Origines de la Langue Francaise." Interestingly enough, that pique-nique is defined as a group of people who bring their own wine when dining in a restaurant. Today, a picnic is characterized as a meal eaten outdoors, where everyone contributes something to make the gathering easy and pleasant.

The French are particularly fond of picnics, and fall is an especially lovely time to eat outdoors and take in the fresh crispy air. In and around Paris, however, the morning skies don't always promise sunshine by lunchtime. So what do the French do when they invite people for a picnic and the weather turns? They move inside.

History and hunting grounds in Fontainebleu

On a recent trip to Paris, I was invited to my friends Rudy and Brien Chelminski's house in Fontainebleau, on the city's outskirts, famous for the historic Chateau de Fontainbleu. The chateau was home to a litany of French monarchs, including Napoleon Bonaparte, and its surrounding countryside was a hunting ground as well as a source of inspiration for such French painters as Corot, Millet, Rousseau and Daumier. The Chelminskis' house is situated adjacent to this land, much of which is forest.

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The Chelminskis' garden

"Let's do a picnic in the garden,” said Rudy, meaning his own garden and not the chateau's. “I am also inviting some neighbors.” He didn't forget to add, “if the weather holds.” Rudy is an American who has lived in France for more than 30. He has written numerous books about the French culinary world, including the critically acclaimed "The Perfectionist, Life and Death in Haute Cuisine" and "I'll Drink to That: Beaujolais and the French Peasant Who Made It the World's Most Popular Wine."

I have a routine when I visit Rudy and Brien. I take an 11 a.m. train from Gare de Lyon, arrive at Fontainbleau-Avon before noon, and Rudy picks me up. I cannot think of any place else in the world where you can be in a the middle of a spectacular city like Paris and then in the quiet and peace of a lush forest in less than an hour. We go on brisk walks along the well-marked trails. You can see how an artist could be inspired by the distinctive terrains, the ancient woodland and gigantic rocks. There are also many stables. After visiting Brien's horse, Nikita, who comes when Brien whistles, we go back to the house to have a picnic.

Paris picnic sources

It is easy to put together a picnic basket in Paris. I usually stay near the Canal St. Martin, where I can do most of the shopping. For wine, try Le Verre Vole (67 Rue de Lancry), a tiny restaurant (dinner reservations are impossible) where you can find interesting Vin de Pays at a reasonable price, and the proprietors are very helpful when it comes to pairing wine with the food you're serving. For crusty breads and puff pastry, there is the artisanal bakery Du Pain et Des Idees (34 Rue Yves Toudic) where you might find a beautiful apple tart still warm from the oven. The shop also offers bite-size pear tarts, which are ideal for a picnic. For fruit, cheeses and salamis, go to the open market in Bastille, one of the largest farmers markets in Paris. Since the market is near the subway station, you can also go to the chocolatier Hugo & Victor in St. Germain de Pres on Rue de Raspail. The chocolate treats look as if they are jewels, almost too precious to eat. More gourmet food can be found at La Grande Epicerie De Paris on Rue de Sevres.

Another option is to shop in Fontainbleau. The farmers market at the Place de la Republique, in the center of town, carries beautiful produce, breads and honey. The market is open Sunday, Tuesday and Friday from 8 a.m. until lunchtime; most merchants hang around until 1 p.m. The best fromagerie in Fontainbleu is La Ferme des Sablons on Rue des Sablons, and the best patisserie is Cassel, at the corner of Rue Grande and Rue de la Cloche, where they have creamy cakes and fruit tarts. For bread, there are eight bakeries (not bad for a population of 15,000), all of them making fresh loaves daily.

On my last visit to Fontainebleau, it was raining but that didn't phase us -- not even Kasha, the Chelminski's dog. We swiftly moved the picnic indoors, armed with plenty of wine and gourmet food along with Rudy's roast veal and steamed kasha, and Brien's leafy green salad. It was like having a pique-nique described in the 17th century dictionary and proved that, indeed, a French picnic can work under any circumstances.

Sonoko Sakai is a Japanese freelance writer and film producer who divides her time between Tokyo and Santa Monica. She has contributed stories and recipes to the Los Angeles Times, the former Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Saveur and Bungei Shunju (Japan). She is passionate about making soba by hand and, with master chef Akila Inouye of the Tsukiji Soba Academy, has created MazuMizu to teach Japanese home-cooking in Japan and abroad.

Top photo: The marble picnic table is laid. Credit: Sonoko Sakai
Slide show: Sonoko Sakai