Boulangerie Poilâne — Specialty Store in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris
Boulangerie Poilâne on Rue du Cherche-Midi is where the apple tart earns the detour, its fruit tart rather than sweet. The round sourdough miche, baked in a wood-fired oven, is the other reason to come.
Why this shop
The apple tart is the thing to buy first at Boulangerie Poilâne on Rue du Cherche-Midi: a thin, crisp pastry with fruit that tastes tart rather than sugary. Behind it sits the signature round sourdough miche, dark-crusted and chewy, which keeps for days in its paper and foil wrap. Most of what you buy falls between €1 and €10.
Verified November 2026 · 2 independent sources
The original shop on Rue du Cherche-Midi
This is the original family bakery in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, three generations deep, and the small room still looks like a bakery from another decade: beautiful large rustic loaves, a case of pastries, the smell of butter at the door.
Start with the apple tart, whose crisp pastry and tart fruit are the reason to make the trip. The miche is the signature loaf, dark-crusted with a chewy, slightly sour crumb, and it holds for days in its paper and foil wrap. The croissant is the old-school kind, and the fruit-and-nut brioche is a loaf you will remember. Butter cookies in corn, buckwheat and oat versions travel well as gifts.
It is a small shop, and it sells out quickly. There is no seating and no coffee: everything is takeout. The bread is baked in a wood-fired oven, and the flan has a firm texture for anyone who wants something less buttery than the pastries.
Prices are modest for what you get: a slice of flan runs about €3.20 and a large loaf around €7.15, though the biscuits are expensive for their size at over €5 each. Bring cash or card for a small purchase and expect to spend within the €1 to €10 band on most items.
The apple tart and the miche are the things to buy.
What to look for
Apple tart
A thin tart with crisp pastry and fruit that reads tart rather than sweet; the first thing to buy.
Poilâne sourdough miche
The round signature loaf, dark-crusted and chewy with a slight sourness, wrapped in paper and foil to keep for days.
Butter cookies
Shortbread in corn, buckwheat and oat versions, bought as gifts, though at over €5 each they are pricey.
The pick list
What to bring home
Apple tart
The apple tart is the one regulars come back for: crisp pastry and fruit that leans tart rather than sweet.
Poilâne sourdough loaf
The round miche is the shop's signature loaf, dark-crusted with a chewy, slightly sour crumb, and it keeps for days in its paper and foil wrap.
Croissant
An old-school croissant of the classic kind.
Butter cookies
The shortbread biscuits come in corn, buckwheat and oat versions and are bought as gifts; at over €5 a biscuit, they are a considered purchase.
Apple turnover
A simple, traditional turnover, and exceptionally well made for it.
Who is this for
This suits a traveler who wants to taste the original Poilâne loaf in the shop where the family started, and who will happily carry a wrapped miche and an apple tart back to a hotel room. It also suits anyone hunting edible souvenirs: the butter cookies come in corn, buckwheat and oat versions.
If you want to sit down or build a full picnic rather than carry a wrapped loaf, La Grande Épicerie de Paris on Rue de Sèvres covers gourmet foods far beyond bread.
The verdict
The apple tart and the miche are worth the trip, but the shop is small and sells out quickly, so come early.
Keep exploring nearby
Carrefour City · Saint-Germain-des-Prés
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Au Pain Retrouvé
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La Maison Chevallier
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Hédonie
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Researched across 2 public sources and confidence-checked November 2026, against our methodology, reviewed by the AisleTrotter editorial team. Spot an error? Tell us — corrections feed straight back into our verification system.
Disclaimer: All curated content and the Trotter Standard verdicts reflect AisleTrotter’s own editorial research and methodology. No paid or editorial influence.