Boulangerie Milligramme — Specialty Store in Clignancourt, Paris

Boulangerie Milligramme is an independent bakery on Rue Simart in Clignancourt, and the first thing you notice walking in is the case: everything arranged so you want to stop, warm light, a few seats, a clean and orderly shop. It sits in a neighbourhood with plenty of plainer bakeries, and it has clearly chosen the fancier route.

The flan is what to buy first, creamy and intensely vanilla, and the vanilla cream puffs are worth the trip across the city on their own. The Pain du Père, a Japanese-style sliced bread, has a soft, lightly sweet crumb that turns better still toasted with honey. Beyond that, the wholemeal and Nordic loaves give you a reason to come back, the Berliner is the odd one to try, and the focaccia is made with fresh ingredients. The vegetarian sandwiches, tomato with mozzarella, pesto and arugula, or the grilled cheese, make a solid lunch.

Service moves quickly even when the counter is busy, and the staff switch to English without fuss. The shop is small and tidy, with a few seats if you want to eat your pastry on the spot.

This is not a cheap bakery. A cream-filled choux pastry is €3, a sandwich of five slices of sandwich bread comes to almost €3, and a sausage pastry is €5.50; a vegetarian sandwich and a brioche together run €7.50. Prices have climbed since the shop opened.

Go for the flan, the cream puffs and the unusual loaves. It suits anyone building a pastry crawl through Clignancourt, and anyone who wants a sit-down coffee and a slice of something sweet rather than a full shop.