Where to Eat Raclette and Fondue in Paris: My Favourite Addresses
Updated: 4 days ago
You smell it before you see it, at the corner of a narrow street in the Marais: warm cheese, a breath of white wine, something nutty and almost smoky. Inside, steam rises from a pot set over a small flame, a basket of bread waits on the table, and someone is turning a long fork with enormous concentration. Fondue season in Paris has begun.
The best places to eat raclette and fondue in Paris are Pain Vin Fromages in the Marais, Le Chalet Savoyard near Bastille, Monbleu with its three cheese shop-restaurants, and Les Fondus de la Raclette in Montparnasse, the 9th and the 11th. Book ahead from November to February, when all of Paris craves melted cheese at the same time.
Raclette or fondue? A short story of melted cheese
Raclette is the older gesture. The name comes from racler, to scrape: in the Valais and in Savoie, half a wheel of cheese was set by the fire and the melted surface scraped over boiled potatoes. Today it arrives either on a table grill with little pans or, the old-fashioned way, as half a wheel under an electric heater, scraped onto your plate with charcuterie, cornichons and pickled onions.
Fondue is a pot of cheese melted slowly with white wine and a touch of kirsch, into which you dip bread on a long fork. Switzerland and Savoie still argue over who invented it, and one of the earliest written recipes appears in a Zurich cookbook from 1699. In France, fondue savoyarde blends Beaufort, Comté and Emmental de Savoie, all cheeses protected by their appellations at the INAO. If you are curious about the rest of the cold-weather table, here are the classic French winter foods.
The best places for raclette and fondue in Paris
Pain Vin Fromages, the Marais
A small, warm cheese restaurant on a quiet street a few steps from the Centre Pompidou, exactly what its name promises. The fondues range from the classic white-wine version to a more daring one spiked with Thai curry, the tartiflette is one of the best in the city, and the cheese boards are organised by region, a lovely way to taste your way across France. 3 rue Geoffroy l'Angevin, 4th.
Le Chalet Savoyard, Bastille
This is the address for raclette the old way: half a wheel melted at the table and scraped generously over charcuterie and boiled potatoes. Look also for the Berthoud, a specialty of the Chablais in Haute-Savoie, made with Abondance cheese and a splash of Madeira and served in an individual dish. Ideal for a group on a cold Saturday night. 58 rue de Charonne, 11th.
Monbleu, Grands Boulevards, Haut-Marais and Père-Lachaise
Monbleu is the work of cheesemonger and restaurateur Damien Richardot: part fromagerie, part restaurant, with Alpine and Jura cheeses and raclette menus made for sharing at big convivial tables. The Roquette address, called Père Lacheese, near the Père-Lachaise cemetery, is a retro cheese bar where you can book an all-you-can-eat raclette for the whole table. Monbleu also sells raclette kits to take away, perfect if you are staying in an apartment. 37 rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, 9th; 12 rue Dupetit-Thouars, 3rd; 151 bis rue de la Roquette, 11th. monbleu.fr
Les Fondus de la Raclette, Montparnasse and beyond
Wood everywhere, mountain décor, the feeling of a ski chalet without the ski: Les Fondus de la Raclette is fun, generous and easy with children. Fondues, raclettes and tartiflettes are all on the menu, and with three addresses there is always one not far from your hotel. 209 boulevard Raspail, 14th; 107 avenue Parmentier, 11th; 22 rue Laffitte, 9th.
How to eat raclette and fondue like a Savoyard
A fondue is a long, slow meal, so take your time. Stir in a figure of eight as you dip, so the cheese never sets, and hold on tight to your bread: tradition says whoever loses theirs in the pot pays a forfeit, a round of drinks or a song, depending on the company. Save room for the end, when a golden crust forms at the bottom of the pot. The Savoyards call it la religieuse, and it is the best bite of the night.
To drink, stay in the mountains: a white from Savoie such as Apremont, Chignin-Bergeron or Roussette de Savoie, or a Jura white with its nutty edge. The Savoyards will also tell you never to drink cold water with melted cheese; science is unconvinced, but it is a very good excuse for another glass. For more ideas, here are the cheese and wine pairings that actually make sense.
Practical tips for a cheese night in Paris
Book ahead, especially on weekends between November and February, and check opening hours before you go, as they change with the season. Portions are generous, so share. Vegetarians are welcome: most places offer raclette with seasonal vegetables. And if you want to understand what makes a great mountain cheese, read why artisan and industrial cheese taste so different.
Taste melted cheese where it was born
These addresses are perfect for a cold night in Paris. But nothing compares to tasting Comté in a Jura cellar or Reblochon on the farm where it is made, with the mountains outside the window. If that sounds like your kind of winter, write to me and I will design the journey with you.
