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I recently returned from Paris where my Mom and I had to work through some complicated family business, but after the meetings with attorneys were finished and we had a chance to relax our downtime was spent exploring one of the world’s most alluring cities. One afternoon while wandering around the quietly busy neighborhood near our hotel in Place du Pantheon we happened upon cafe Gaudeamus, a charming simple restaurant tucked into an unassuming side street (dark green facade in photo). Gaudeamus provided an escape from the rather stressful visit and allowed my Mom and I to connect over French cuisine at it’s best; fresh, simple, and tasty. The piece of Paris where this cafe is found provides an ideal Parisian atmosphere – local voices escaping from the apartments above, softened as they bounce off white stone walls, the air very cool and free of excessive and constant noises heard around the rest of Paris like the passing of cars, the low whirring of machines, and the frenetic bustling of bodies. When you find that sidewalk cafe off the beaten path in Paris it’s like you’ve found a loophole in the city system and you’re privy to that intangible combination of peaceful but not boring.
Gaudeamus cafe doesn’t have a website, but I encourage you to save it to your favorites on yogoguide.com/Gaudeamus Cafe. If you’re looking for that real rustic French restaurant Gaudeamus will not only suffice, it will enchant you. My preferred dishes were the simple and straightforward ones like grilled chicken with a crisp green salad, but the richer dishes like their Doma (minced spiced lamb wrapped in cooked cabbage) were excellent too. The wine list is short but well-selected and the chosen Sauvignon paired so nicely with their cheese plate.
