Fromagerie chez Alexandre — Specialty Store in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris
Fromagerie chez Alexandre on Rue Saint-Placide is the kind of cheese shop where the counter talk is as much a draw as the cheese, and where the rice pudding made by Madame is the thing regulars come back for.
What this shop is
Fromagerie chez Alexandre on Rue Saint-Placide in Saint-Germain-des-Prés is open 9:30 am to 7:30 pm Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday. You come for the cheese counter and the advice that goes with it, and leave with a Saint Vergeron or a vacuum-packed wedge of Parmesan for the trip home. Expect to spend €5–20 on a few items.
Verified November 2026 · 2 independent sources
A cheese counter with a personality behind it
Fromagerie chez Alexandre is an independent specialty shop on Rue Saint-Placide, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and the first thing you notice is that the cheese is laid out to be browsed rather than rushed past. Soft and creamy sits alongside aged and firm, arranged so you can take your time without feeling you are holding up a queue.
Ask for the Saint Vergeron, a named cheese worth seeking out at the counter. The Parmesan is the other thing to buy here: it is vacuum-packed on request, which is what makes stocking up on a Paris trip practical rather than a packing problem. Madame's rice pudding is the quiet signature, a creamy set pudding with a balanced flavour that does not sit heavy.
What you are really paying for is the conversation. The people behind the counter give thoughtful advice on choosing cheese, and the welcome is warm enough that the shop functions as a neighbourhood fixture as much as a place to buy a wedge. That warmth is the reason to come rather than the stock alone.
Prices run high, and the range on the shelves is narrower than the display might suggest. Budget €5–20 for a few items, and treat the late 7:30 pm close on weekdays and Saturday as your window if the day has run long. Sunday is out.
This is a shop for buying a small, well-chosen amount and asking questions while you do it, not for filling a basket.
What to look for
Saint Vergeron
A named cheese at the counter that is worth asking for by name.
Parmesan, vacuum-packed
Buy it here and have it packed flat for the journey home, which is why it is the thing to stock up on.
Madame's rice pudding
A creamy set pudding, balanced rather than heavy, made in-house and easy to overlook next to the cheese.
The pick list
What to bring home
Saint Vergeron
a named cheese rated excellent and worth asking for at the counter.
Parmesan
a regular visitor stocks up on Parmesan here, vacuum-packed for the trip home.
Vacuum-packed cheeses
cheeses are packed to travel, which makes stocking up easy for visitors to Paris.
Rice pudding
Madame's rice pudding is singled out as exceptional by a regular customer.
Who is this for
This suits a curious browser who wants to ask questions at a counter and leave with one or two well-chosen pieces rather than a full basket. It also works for a souvenir hunter flying home, since the Parmesan can be vacuum-packed flat for the trip.
If what you actually need is produce for cooking rather than cheese for a board, Les Saisonniers - Saint Placide on the same street sells farm-fresh seasonal vegetables in a daily rotation.
The verdict
The range is narrower than the display implies and the prices are high, so it is a shop for a small, carefully chosen purchase with good advice attached rather than a full cheese haul.
Keep exploring nearby
La Grande Épicerie de Paris
Supermarket
Les Saisonniers - Saint Placide
Specialty Store
Marché Raspail
Supermarket
Bakery Thévenin Saint Placide
Specialty Store · €1–10
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.