A local’s guide to visiting the Belle Epoque Bouillon Racine near Saint Michel, one of the most beautiful restaurants in Paris with Art Nouveau decor!
It was while wandering past the Gibert second-hand bookstores on Boulevard Saint-Michel that I recently found myself face to face with Bouillon Racine.
If you are a fan of beautiful historical places, and especially if you have been following what I write here, you already know that I love the Art Nouveau spots of Paris with an infinite passion.
With Bouillon Racine, which I am presenting to you today, we are looking at one of the most beautiful witnesses of the Belle Epoque in Paris.
Bouillon Racine, Paris: An Art Nouveau Masterpiece
You can find Bouillon Racine just a stone’s throw from the Sorbonne.
It is certainly one of the most beautiful restaurants in Paris, right along with Brasserie Vagenende, Brasserie Mollard, and Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse.
It is located on Rue Racine, and you can easily access Bouillon Racine via the Odeon or Cluny-La Sorbonne stations, or even Luxembourg via the RER B.
Bouillon Racine Paris: The Food and Menu
Once again, as I have already told you in my previous reviews of beautiful historical restaurants and cafes in Paris, I go there mainly for the architecture and the decor.
If time and budget allow, I will head back as soon as possible to taste one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
I have heard that the roasted sea bass is excellent there, as is its traditional French onion soup au gratin.
You find yourself in a historical restaurant that is quieter than other bouillons and brasseries in Paris, set within an absolutely fantastic Art Nouveau decor.
This is why Bouillon Racine is a sought-after spot for a romantic date.
Bouillon Racine Paris: Foundation, History, and Architecture
Bouillon Racine was founded in 1906 by the Chartier brothers, who were also behind the Bouillon Chartier Montparnasse I mentioned recently, as well as the magnificent Brasserie Vagenende in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
For the time, this bouillon benefited from a colossal budget in order to attract the intellectual and bourgeois clientele of the Left Bank.
As soon as I stepped inside Bouillon Racine, I was left stunned and amazed by so much beauty, from the carved woodwork and painted glass to the stained glass, wrought iron, and mirrors that play with the light.
I originally simply went in to ask to admire the fabulous decor of the restaurant, and after the team agreed, I was able to take this myriad of photographs of such a fine example of Parisian Art Nouveau.
The main characteristic of the restaurant, or at least one of them, is its sea-green color, almost pistachio, which pairs marvelously with the floral decor and the gilding.
After serving as a canteen for the staff of the University of Paris, it was completely restored in 1995 by the Compagnons du Devoir.
This masterwork restored its original brilliance and earned it a classification as a Historical Monument.
Bouillon Racine Paris Photo Gallery
Bouillon Racine, Paris: An Art Nouveau Masterpiece
Once you have finished, perhaps, filling up on a good traditional French lunch, you will find many other beautiful places to admire in the surrounding area.
You will notably find Boulinier, an iconic and historical second-hand bookstore in Paris, as well as the Jardin du Luxembourg and its magnificent Medici Fountain nearby.
If you love floral spots, I also recommend Maison Sauvage in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and the Cour du Commerce Saint-André in the same neighborhood.
And for lovers of ruins and parks, I also suggest the ruins of the Couvent des Cordelières, as well as the former Abbey of Port-Royal in the 14th arrondissement!
Bouillon Racine Paris
Address: 3 Rue Racine, 75006 Paris
Website: Bouillon Racine