A traditional culinary institution par excellence, broths are more in vogue than ever. The promise? Enjoy typical French dishes in a setting and with service reminiscent of the Paris of yesteryear. All without breaking the bank.
From Paris to Montpellier by way of Marseille, bouillons continue to flourish to the delight of epicureans. You go in for a good old-fashioned meal and come out with a bill that defies all competition. Couples, families and groups of friends sit down to eat egg mayonnaise, boeuf bourguignon and crème brûlée in carefully decorated rooms.
A history spanning centuries
We have to go back to the 19th century to witness the birth of bouillons. In 1860, a butcher called Pierre-Louis Duval decided to open a restaurant so that workers in the old Halles market, the belly of Paris, could eat a hot meal quickly and at a low price, less than two francs. This workers’ canteen stood out for its meat dish, made from the smallest cuts to reduce the price, and its aromatic broth. This beef hochepot, a speciality from the north of France, quickly won over the locals.
The founder’s son, Jules Alexandre Duval, developed these breweries considerably. The concept is considered by some to be the first restaurant chain in Paris and the rest of France.
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Faced with the success of these restaurants, serious competitors entered the market. Notable among them was Bouillon Chartier, whose first restaurant was opened in 1896 by brothers Frédéric and Camille Chartier. Boulant, Racine and Julien also contributed to the boom. A few decades later, there were 250 bouillons in the capital.
Although bouillons gradually disappeared over the years, they have made a comeback in recent years, not only in Paris but also in Grenoble, Deauville, Lille, Dijon, Bayonne, Lyon, Flers, Le Touquet and Orléans. The menus have certainly been expanded, but the spirit remains unchanged.
Bouillons: codified, heritage-based restaurants
Although bouillons try to assert a certain singularity, some codes remain unchanged. Traditionally, most of these restaurants are set in large spaces with high ceilings. Ornaments, stained glass windows, wood panelling, mirrors, mosaics… These places are imbued with an Art Deco and Belle Epoque spirit, a testament to their history.
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The tables are close together to ensure maximum profitability, giving the broths a characteristic hubbub that is an integral part of the atmosphere. To prolong the experience, the waiters wear black and white suits protected by aprons. At Chartier’s, the order and note are traditionally written directly on the paper tablecloth.
The cuisine we love
A strong heritage and atypical architecture would not have been enough to keep the heritage of the bouillons alive: the cuisine has to be up to the task. The menus, at around twenty euros, could be those of grandmothers’ Sunday lunches. Traditional French cuisine, homemade, friendly and without fuss, is the watchword of these bistros.
Starters include chicken broth with vermicelli, eggs with mayonnaise, snails with parsley, rillette and leeks with vinaigrette. This is followed by mashed sausage, veal blanquette, beef bourguignon, black pudding, duck breast with orange sauce and andouillette with mustard sauce. After the cheese, it’s time for dessert. Apple crumble, rice pudding, rum baba, chou chantilly, vanilla cream… all pastry favourites that evoke childhood memories. The wine list is just as attractive, with bottles at attractive prices.
And you need to be there early or be patient to enjoy these broths. Queues are not uncommon in these restaurants, but they don’t seem to discourage the clientele, who have come to experience a piece of popular French gastronomic history.
Last but not least, just because bouillon is based on pre-established codes doesn’t mean it can’t be revisited. Last autumn saw the opening of the capital’s first festive bouillon: Le Grand Banquet. In addition to its generous dishes and homemade sauce, which cohabit with a Franchois-style menu, the place offers to extend the nostalgic experience to the dancefloor. Three evenings in a row, from Thursday to Saturday, the venue hosts a dj set featuring classics from the French variété scene, reviving an atmosphere that smacks of the authentic folk culture of village fêtes.
Read also : Five exceptional caviars for the festive season
Featured photo : © Unsplash
