There’s this cafe in Le Marais I’ve always loved, ever since I was studying at the Make Up For Ever Academy to become a makeup artist: Les Marronniers, on Rue des Archives.
A few weeks ago, I went back to Troyes, my hometown in France, and stayed for a couple of days in Paris to visit friends.
That, to me, proved the perfect occasion to pop by Les Marronniers once more and finally write a complete review of their breakfast.
Indeed, if you’re looking for places to have a cheap breakfast in Paris, this Marais coffee shop slash restaurant is still one of the top spots to eat on a budget.
Les Marronniers Paris Review, The Full Parisian Breakfast Experience
One of the best shopping centers in Paris, BHW Le Marais, is located just a couple of minutes away on foot, as is Chatelet.
Further down the Rue de Rivoli, located at the end of Rue des Archives where you can find Les Marronniers cafe, you also have one of the coolest makeup stores in Paris, Saga Cosmetics, as well as Kiko Milano and the incredible Normal shop.
The area is beautiful, whether you pop by the Jewish part of Le Marais, the gay area or the posh Rue de Rivoli.
Le Marais is one of the oldest and prettiest neighborhoods in Paris, filled with shops and places to eat – a must-visit when in Paris!
Cheap Breakfast in Paris: Les Marronniers Le Marais Review – Location & Atmosphere
Les Marronniers is located right in the heart of the gay area in Paris, meaning that all around, you’ll find colorful pedestrian crossings, art galleries and stunning independent fashion shops.
One of the cafes right before Les Marronniers (when you come from Rue de Rivoli) also has a little colorful umbrella street vibe, and the whole area is quite instagrammable.
Read: The Most Magical Gardens in Paris
I have to admit that while my experience at Les Marronniers has always been top-notch when I was living in Paris, I felt the service was something of a letdown this time around.
There were few people having breakfast at the cafe when I arrived, and felt quite aggressed when the waiter told me that I ‘had to wake up’ when I had not chosen what I wanted yet.
Being a French woman now living abroad, I am well aware of French people’s reputation in other parts of the world, and well, it seems that at Les Marronniers, you couldn’t wish for a more authentic Parisian experience.
Read: The Best Cafes to Work in Paris
This said, I still very much enjoyed the very French decor as much as I had in the past, when I was still living in Paris.
The whole street feels very Parisian, with designer shops all around, and even this cute concept store located right next to Les Marronniers.
Read: The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Paris
Cheap Breakfast in Paris: Les Marronniers Le Marais Review – Menu & Prices
I’ve only ever visited Les Marronniers in Le Marais for breakfast, and never tried their lunch, dinner and after-dinner bites.
If you’re ever after 24 hour places in Paris to drink coffee or have a very late dinner (or very early breakfast), we’re not too far with Les Marronniers.
Indeed, the spot is open from 7 am to 2 am every single day – a very reliable spot if you want to catch up with your friends or journal for a few minutes.
Despite the fact that it was raining when I had my breakfast at Les Marronniers, and even if I chose to sit on the terrace, I felt very cozy since they have several seating spaces available:
- A terrace
- A covered part of the terrace
- And seating inside, in a dimly-lit, very romantic setting
Read: The Most Instagrammable Places in Paris
Breakfast at Les Marronniers proves to be one of the cheapest places to eat in Paris from the morning, with their cheapest breakfast option costing only 3.50 euros.
I usually either the second option, P’ti Dej de Champion (6 euros, used to be 5.90 euros only a few years ago, one of the only places in Paris that hasn’t exponentially increased their prices):
- Coffee, tea or hot chocolate
- A Viennoiserie and a French bread tartine with butter and jam
- A fresh fruit juice: orange, lemon…
When I know I’m really hungry, I order the P’ti Brunch (9 euros only!) which offers all of the above and scrambled eggs with bacon and a small toast.
Read: The Best Lipsticks to Buy in Paris
Cheap Breakfast in Paris: Les Marronniers Le Marais Review – What I Ordered
Something I love about Paris and France in general is that you never have hidden costs when you go out to eat.
If you’re traveling on a budget, it’s oh-so-important to take both cover and service charge into account when in countries like the UK or Italy.
For this visit, I ordered the P’ti Brunch (9 euros), which effectively cost me 9 euros.
Read: The Most Beautiful Bookstores in Paris
I unfortunately have to start by saying that as a person born and raised in France, I know exactly what to expect when having a croissant in Paris.
There are countless amazing bakeries in Paris where croissants are beyond buttery, flakey and chewy – everything they should be, really.
And what they shouldn’t be is a day or two days old, which was the case when I had mine at Les Marronniers, and which had never happened to me in this coffee shop before.
I visited on a Tuesday around 9.30 am, and while lots of places are closed on Sundays and Mondays in France, I couldn’t understand why the croissant, and the bread too, mind you, felt old.
Read: Harrods Knightsbridge, London’s Prettiest Department Store
I have always loved the scrambled eggs recipe at Les Marronniers, and again, the edges felt old under my teeth – or rather, like they’d been warmed up after having been prepared earlier.
The taste was however good, velvety scrambled eggs, really – but the burnt toast served with it?
Read: The Best Shops on Oxford Street
Cheap Breakfast in Paris: Les Marronniers Le Marais Review – Final Thoughts
Les Marronniers is still one of my favorite places to eat breakfast in Paris because of the area.
The one item I really actually enjoyed was the freshly-squeezed orange juice, always wonderful at Les Marronniers.
I had two waiters, one of which was rude from the get-go, while the other one was gorgeously kind.
If you’re looking for the Parisian food experience, this could be a place you enjoy.
Having visited on a Tuesday morning, when everything served should be fresh, I’m not entirely sure I would visit again, unfortunately.
Read: Where to Go Shopping in Rome
Les Marronniers Paris Review, The Full Parisian Breakfast Experience
Le Marais offers some of the prettiest streets in Paris, cobbled and beautiful, and since Les Marronniers is located a stone’s throw away, it could be a spot to visit for cheap brunch, breakfast or just a coffee.
Around, you have some incredible, fancy French makeup brands available at Sephora on Rue de Rivoli, as well as lots of cute concept stores.
Walk for a bit, and you have Le Louvre, one of the most beautiful museums in Paris, as well as the Champs-Elysees further up.
Lots of things to do on rue de Rivoli and around, so Les Marronniers could still be a good spot to visit when you don’t want to overthink it!