At La Belle Hortense, we're making a change from food and wine pairings by replacing dishes with books! After all, isn't reading the food of the soul? Behind this beautiful bluish façade lies a surprising place, at the crossroads between literary bar, wine cellar, bookshop and art gallery. Since 1997, from 5.30pm to 2am, books of all kinds mingle with bottles of wine. You can choose to sit at the bar and sip your Burgundy or Saint-Émilion, or retreat to the cozier, more intimate back room.
This astonishing mix recalls a bygone era, when great writers mingled with other artists and locals, drink in hand, in the local bar. At La Belle Hortense, you're surrounded by art and words, thanks to the currentphoto exhibition hanging on the walls and the literary classics, which you can pick up at random while enjoying your drink. The place had to have books, since its name comes from a novel by Jacques Roubaud, set in the rue Vieille du Temple, where the bookshop is located!
Brigitte, who has worked in this old-fashioned setting in the heart of the Marais for decades, will help you find your evening wine, or your bottle to take away. There's no question of drinking just anything: here, the wines are organic, from the French terroir and all available by the glass! The bistro dishes, too, are fresh and carefully prepared in the kitchen of Le Petit Fer à Cheval, just across the street! We opted for a simple board of charcuterie paysanne, direct from the producer, to accompany a Côtes du Rhône and a Chablis, but there's plenty on the menu to choose from!
As for the books, you can consume them without moderation!
Dates and Opening Time
Starts December 18, 2024
Location
La Belle Hortense
31, Rue Vieille du Temple
75004 Paris 4
