Tour Review: Canal Saint-Martin Food Tour by Localers

If you follow my travels, you know that food makes up a large part of where I go and what I do. So when I was invited on a food tour of the Canal Saint-Martin by the lovely people over at Localers, I happily agreed. Not only is this neighbourhood a favourite of mine, but I realize that I don’t actually know it as well as I think I do.

The Canal Saint-Martin

If you haven’t heard of Localers, then forget everything you know about organized group tours. Specializing in day tours all over Paris, their tagline, “Explore France Like a Local,” resonated with me because that’s exactly what Coveted Places is about! Their tour guides are local experts that live and breathe Paris and their small group size won’t label you as a tourist – groups are capped at ten people in order to keep it intimate, making it easier to interact with your guide. All the places they go to are local businesses that range from food, to fashion, to history and literature. Keep reading to find out my impressions of this food tour.

Before you go

• The tour lasts three hours.
• There is a maximum of seven participants on this particular tour.
• Be sure to wear a comfortable pair of shoes as there’s plenty of walking.
• Pack a water bottle for in between food tastings.
• You’ll get lots of food to sample, so be prepared to eat well – it is a food tour after all!

Canal Saint-Martin Food Tour

Marché Saint-Martin

Located in the 10ème arrondissement on the right bank of Paris, the Canal Saint-Martin ties the Canal de l’Ourcq and the Seine together. As our lovely guide Marie explains, there is a great diversity in inhabitants here, from families to young professionals of all nationalities and ages. She goes on to explain the bobo (bourgeois bohemian, aka the Parisian hipster) gentrification in recent years, which has made this the newest hotspot in Paris, right after the Marais. Despite its recent hype, the Canal Saint-Martin remains a neck of the woods that tourists don’t particularly add to their bucket lists, making it all the more interesting to visit. On our particular tour, we’re lucky since the canal has just been filled with fresh water as it was recently cleaned out (I suggest you Google all the interesting things that were found at the bottom of the canal!).

Marché Saint-Martin

We begin our foodie adventure at the Marché Saint-Martin, which dates back to 1859. I previously didn’t even know that this covered market existed and Marie confirms that it’s one of the lesser known marchés in Paris. It is small at first glance but its facade makes a grand impression thanks to its Baltard-style architecture. Full of mouth-watering, local produce, we keep it regional by sampling strawberries and cherry tomatoes from Île-de-France. Both taste like candy. Speaking of local, that’s exactly who you’ll rub shoulders with while shopping here – Parisians who actually live in the neighbourhood.

La Crèmerie

Next, we hit La Crèmerie fine épicerie to discover their array of French cheeses (including a black Brie, which apparently has a texture similar to parmesan), charcuteries, and local produce. We’re given a platter of charcuterie to try and are told to sample it in the order of mildest to strongest. Here’s what we got: Rosette (dry sausage), chorizo, saucisson à l’ail (garlic), andouille (made from pigs’ intestines), and boudin noir (blood sausage). The last two definitely have a surprising kick to them (the andouille, as you can imagine, receives mixed reviews) while the garlic saucisson is surprisingly mild. The rosette remains my favourite out of the five.

Liberté par Benoît Castel

Liberté par Benoît Castel is our next stop for sweets and a history lesson on French bread. One of the newer boulangeries of Paris, its bright and modern design is contrasted with the old tradition of bread and pastry making displayed behind their glass counter. We sample madeleines and financiers, which we learn are named after bars of gold due to their shape. Both of these are small French sweets, similar to sponge cake. Time for our lesson on French baguette versus la tradition. Marie splits the tradition in two and presses down on it near each of our ears so we can hear the perfect crackling sound it should make before it fluffs back to its original form. “I will ruin your life,” she jokes, and she makes us try the tradition (which differs from the baguette) because each of us on the tour will never be able to find one back home!

La Vache Dans Les Vignes

Onto the banks of the canal, the heart of the Canal Saint-Martin district. If you’re a fan of Amélie, you’ll recognize this area as it’s the spot where she skips stones into the water! As mentioned earlier, the canal recently underwent a large cleaning this year, as it does every 10 years or so. Ordered by Napoleon I, legend has it that the French wine tax was used to build the canal in 1802. Today, you can go on a boat tour to get a closer view of its ports and bridges. If you’re a street art buff, there’s plenty for you to discover here on the many small streets that line the canal, including Paris’ Space Invader.

La Vache Dans Les Vignes

Like any good food and wine tour, we end our visit at La Vache Dans Les Vignes to sample several wine and cheese pairings. We sit at a lovely table overlooking the canal. What’s great about this place is that it doubles as a wine bar and shop. Buy a bottle to go or sit down and enjoy an array of cheese and charcuterie platters along with your wine. The first pairing we sample is a goat cheese – served on a chestnut leaf made to regulate the level of the cheese’s humidity – paired with dry white wine from the Bourgogne (Burgundy) region. The contrast of the moist cheese against the dry, terroir wine is perfect. We’re told that the reason we keep the same glass for the following tasting is because the glass is primed to receive the next wine. Okay, I’ll take it! Second is a Côtes du Rhône white wine and a Camembert cheese. Both the cheese and wine are lighter this time and become my favourite so far. The third and final pairing is a strong, full-bodied red alongside a Manchego cheese that has been washed in olive oil. It’s definitely the strongest, making it the perfect pairing to end on.

Note: I was a guest of  Localers’ “Canal Saint-Martin Food Tour.” As always, all opinions are my own.