Markets and Buses - Le Grand Epicerie

There are many mini-marts all through the neighborhoods of Paris. They are all pretty small but have most things you would need for daily existence. They are usually on one or two floors and the aisles are crammed into relatively small spaces. There is one market that is worth visiting to buy that hard to find food or condiment or just to check it out.This is Le Grand Epicerie.
It is a huge super market that is part of Le Bon Marche department stores. The main one is near the Sevres-Babylone metro stop.


Things are not arranged in aisles but in displays according to type of food and/or country of origin. There are whole sections for cheese, poultry, beef (whole sides hanging behind a window), bread, desserts, etc.
It really is very decoratively and creatively organized. Here is an old Citroen delivery truck used to display fruit and vegetables. Very creative. The store has multiple floors so one needs to take an escalator or an elevator to go from one floor to another. There are also many little cafes specializing in such delicacies as sushi or  fancy desserts.

Close up of the cornucopia of fruit on display.

The quickest way to get to Le Grand Epicerie , or most places, is via Metro. You put up with the stuffiness of the underground to avoid the street traffic. But we decided to take a bus. Taking a bus in Paris is like getting a mini tour of the eclectic neighborhoods and historic monuments. When we lived in Paris in the early 70's, my favorite bus from the end of our street was number 24. It went along the left bank passing Place St Michel, passed the Musee D'Orsay (not yet a museum in '74 but an abandoned train station, Gare D'Orsay), crossing over the Seine, around  La Place de la Concorde and ending at the Place Madeleine. Worth the metro ticket just for the tour, The bus we took from the Marais went along the Right Bank, crossed over Pont Neuf (Pont Neuf means New Bridge and it is the Oldest in Paris now), passed the oldest restaurant in Paris, Le Procope, where Ben Franklin used to dine and ending at Le Bon Marche. I was gawking out the window the whole time, On the way back, Judy grabbed a seat and crashed.