Fromagerie Beillevaire Paris Saint-Martin — Specialty Store in La Chapelle, Paris

Fromagerie Beillevaire Paris Saint-Martin is a branch of the Beillevaire cheese house, set on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin in La Chapelle, with Marx Dormoy station serving the neighbourhood. What you notice first is the counter itself, and the fact that the person behind it will start asking what you like before cutting anything.

Cheese is what you buy here. The case carries a range you can work through by taste, and the guidance comes with explanations about the different cheeses rather than a straight point-and-wrap. A large Tomme is one to ask about if you want something to take to a table of guests, and farm eggs sit alongside the cheese for a smaller purchase.

There is a lunch menu too, which gives the shop a second life at midday rather than only as a place to buy a wedge and leave. Cutting is part of the service: cheeses are portioned to order at the counter, so you can ask for a size that matches what you actually need.

Spend is modest if you keep to a few items, roughly €5 to €20, and the cheese and eggs are what that money buys. Nothing here is priced like a supermarket, so decide what you want before you point. Sunday hours are short, morning only, and Monday the shop stays closed.

Prices sit above what you would pay elsewhere. It suits anyone building a cheese board or buying a gift for someone who cooks.