Bonjour! We all know that Paris is world-famous for its rich history, romantic vibe and food culture. And while France very much remains a meat-loving country, its capital has recently emerged as a veritable center for veganism! In the past few years we've noticed a huge transformation in its approach and attitude towards veganism. and today the city has everything you need for your next vegan vacation. Here's why:
Vegan Restaurants A-Plenty!
source: VG Patisserie
Until a few years ago (and still today in many people's minds) Paris had a poor reputation for not being vegan-friendly at all. This started to change around 2017, when several vegan restaurants and cafes started to pop up, and today we're also noticing non-vegan restaurants starting to offer more and more options.
There are just too many places to mention, and we highly recommend you check out the Happy Cow Paris listings for up-to-date information. Here are some of our absolute can't-miss favorites:
One of our top pick vegan restaurants in Paris is Le Potager de Charlotte, who now have 2 locations in the 9th and 17th arrondissement. Their menu is highly creative, offering a new epicurean and gourmet approach to vegan food, and served with a a generous and warm-hearted service. Our favorite dishes are the famous dessert Chocolate Baked Pear, the Cacao Cream with an avocado twist and the awesome Chickpea & Rice Pancake.
For rustic countryside French food, you can't beat Le Potager Du Marais. Originally vegetarian, they became 100% vegan once they found a suitable plant-based cheese (Vegusto piquant) for their famous onion soup. This dish alone is worth a visit, but do save some space for their Crème brûlée!
For those with a sweet tooth, a trip to Cloud Cakes is a must, especially for breakfast. Their cake and pastry display alone will ensure you plan your entire Paris trip around stopping here for snacks. A few doors down, Wholywood has great bowls and the Beyond Burgers.
The French are world-famous for their pastries, so do not miss a visit to VG Patisserie. Do not miss their croissants and perfectly flaky pains au chocolats. Everything here looks and tastes the same as their non-vegan counterpart, so make sure you're not starving when stopping by, less you leave with their entire stock!
Vegan Product Stores
source: Mon Epicerie Paris
Vegan Paris isn't just famous for food, but also shopping! Whether for food or clothing or cosmetics, there are now more and more vegan stores ensuring you can shop without constantly checking ingredients and materials! Below are a few places to check out. For a more complete list, we've written up an article that includes all of France. Just click on the Paris section.
For stocking up on groceries, you can't beat Un Monde Vegan and Mon Epicerie Vegan, two 100% vegan grocery stores with a huge selection of plant-based products. You'll find everything from vegan meats and cheese to chocolates and toileteries. Naturalia is health store chain that stocks a fair selection of vegan products, and they've now opened 4 vegan-only (Naturalia Vegan) around Paris.
Craving cheese? Jay & Joy is the very first vegan dairy store in France. Here you can find their products such as vegetal creams, cheeses, and yogurts, and ask for a tasting!
Now that you're full, it's time to shop! Aujourd’hui Demain is the first entirely vegan concept store in Paris – “a concept store to do all of your vegan, eco-friendly and socially responsible shopping in one place”. It has everything you need for your vegan shopping, ranging from the eco-friendly makeup bar to clothes and accessories section, as well as a grocery department. There's a small café inside as well should you get hungry trying to decide what to buy.
Manifeste011 is Paris’s first entirely vegan fashion shop. Its mission is to protect the environment and to create a better and fairer world. Manifeste011 pays attention to detail, starting with small things like the packaging and decoration, to fabrics and design.
For super trendy handbags, Arsayo is the place to go. Reducing the negative impact on the environment and not using animals skins is the main value that drives their business. They've innovated with new materials, including cork from Portugal that is less harmful to the planet. Recently, they discovered how to make apple leather! How cool is that!
Vegan Communities
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to meet local vegans in Paris! And as an international city, most people will be able to speak English, or perhaps even some expats from an English-speaking country.
You can join the Paris Vegan Meetup Group, which hosts events quite regularly. Facebook has a few groups, including the Paris Vegan Group that's a great place to ask any questions you may have, like a recommendation for a restaurant, or details on any upcoming events.
Paris has a few vegan festivals ( this one, and the Smmmile) and markets throughout the year, and even a Vegan Christmas market. As the organization of these festivals tend to change hands, and with new events all the time, do ask around on the Facebook group mentioned above for more recent updates. With a bit of planning and luck, it's possible an event coincides with your visit!
Let's Discuss!
Now, we'd love to hear from you! Do you have any questions? Ideas? Do you agree? Do you have a favorite Paris restaurant or shop? Let us know and we might include in a future article update!
Let's have a discussion in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you!