La Belle Ronde
The 14th arrondissement has few tourist attractions aside from the Tour Montparnasse and the catacombs (and these are decidedly second tier), but this neighborhood offers an appealing taste of everyday upper middle class Parisian life. One of the best places to appreciate the 14th is the rue Daguerre, a pedestrian market street lined with fruit stands, boulangeries, butchers and specialty food stores. There are several interesting restaurants tucked in among the shops; one of my favorites is La Belle Ronde creperie.
Traditionally and still today, trains coming from Brittany arrive in Paris at the Gare Montparnasse. This is the anecdotal explanation for the abundance of traditional Breton creperies in the 14th arrondissement. It's easy to find adequate crepes in the 14th, but it's more difficult to find a pleasant atmosphere in which to enjoy them. For this, you need to go to the courtyard of La Belle Ronde. The internal courtyard is protected from the noise and foot traffic of rue Daguerre and simply decorated with strings of lights and decorative plantings. The menu features savory and sweet crepes as well as a few well-prepared salads.
La Belle Ronde is open every day with service from noon to 11pm, but it is worthwhile to arrive well before the courtyard closes at around 10:30, otherwise you will be stuck in the dining room in the back. With its white walls and oddly shaped pink and orange chairs you will feel like Alice in Wonderland, shrunk down and stuck in Barbie's dream house.
La Belle Ronde
19, Rue Daguerre
75014 Paris, France
+33 1 43 20 20 79