Join Me on a French Walking Tour of Melbourne this Bastille Day Weekend.
By Laura Rancie.
In French there’s a word, an expression really, called ‘flâner’ - it means to wander aimlessly and especially slowly. In our fast-paced, digital lives doesn’t that idea sound a little bit magical?
As a Frenchie myself, whose parents immigrated to Australia when I was just 5 years old, I have called Melbourne home for most of my life. Come with me as we stroll together through some of its French heritage and food.
Melbourne’s network of character-filled laneways are home to street art, arcades, independent galleries, up-and-coming designers, cafés and most importantly what in my opinion is the best croissant outside of France hidden away in Royal Arcade, Agathé Pâtisserie.
It is here we start our walking tour as we tick off historic architecture and laneways with a viennoisserie in hand (basically, a breakfast pastry made from tons of butter to achieve its flaky layers).
Above: Agathé Pâtisserie Green Pandan and Raspberry flavoured croissant dough.
Yes, I do hear you Lune Croissanterie fans nudging me about how that New York Times food critic described Lune’s classic beurre croissant as a ‘holy balance of buttery heft and feathery flake’.
Yes, they are. But, BONJOUR!! Did he even try Agathé Pâtisserie’s croissant or Pain au Chocolat? They are my absolute favourite in Melbourne and if you don’t agree with me, I’d like to know why.
Above: Agathé Pâtisserie Green Pandan and Raspberry flavoured croissant fresh out of the oven.
As we continue to ‘flâne’ down more laneways, croissant in hand, we head for our morning coffee (do you prefer a café au lait or a café noir?) at Duke’s Coffee Roasters in Flinders Lane for an organic blend. Well-armed, we can now venture to peruse some culture.
In Paris today there are 37 bridges spanning La Seine with Le Pont Neuf being the oldest when Henri IV ordered it built in 1578. While the Princes Bridge connecting Flinders street Station heading towards the National Gallery of Victoria is only 177 years old, having its first stone laid in 1846, we are still just as impressed as we stroll over it towards the NGV.
We are in luck as our July visit coincides with the European Winter Masterpieces, which this year includes French painter Pierre Bonnard; in past years, it has included the likes of Picasso, Dalí, Monet, Van Gogh and even Napoleon Bonaparte.
Above: Pierre Bonard: Designed by India Mahdavi showing at NGV until Oct 8, 2023.
By now it’s early afternoon and you’ll be getting hungry for lunch, so let’s walk back into the CBD’s Flinders lane to Roule Galette for crêpes. Where crêpes may be associated with sweet fillings like Nutella, galettes hail from the Brittany region of France made from gluten-free buckwheat flour specifically for savoury fillings and are especially amazing with ham and Emmental cheese (jambon, fromage).
The crêperie’s French music, its French decoration, its French newspapers and its French-speaking waiters leave us full and happy. Très content but also longing for a bit of shopping. You're going to love this next bit - the Bastille Day Melbourne French Festival is on in full swing, happening at the Queen Victoria Markets. This years lineup includes a Frenchie market, roaming performers, live music and even a French panel discussion on the road to the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games happening in Paris next year. The afternoon is a total success!
So let’s recap - by now we’ve explored croissants, coffee, architecture, laneways, art, crêpes and even bridges. There are really only two more things on our list of the ultimate French walking tour – macarons and a great bistro!
I accidently stumbled across La Belle Miette many years ago when I was on the search for Melbourne’s best macarons during a surge in the pretty pastel-coloured delicacy. Founder Maylynn was once quoted as saying she loved the ridiculousness of making 10-hour treats that are devoured in seconds.
As we mosey towards the tree lined boulevard location aptly named the ‘Paris End’ of Collins Street by locals, you’ll notice French boutiques such as Longchamp and Louis Vuitton. That’s where we find La Belle Miette – a pastel coloured boutique dedicated to just one thing: macarons.
We’re saving our appetite for dinner, so here we’ll just get a takeaway box. Even the box is gorgeous, embossed in gold leaf and hand-illustrated by a local Melbourne artist. (Ooh la la).
Which just leaves one thing to do as we wrap up our walking tour: jump on an iconic Melbourne tram.
We’re on the lookout for #96 and headed towards Bistro Sousou.
Once bistros were considered lower class restaurants where French workers could gather to have a cheap meal and drink. These days bistros are classy, respected and fabulous - you’ll still see the zinc bar and a handwritten blackboard menu and that’s what I love about Sousou.
Here we are spoiled for choice with a charcuterie board featuring truffle and duck saucisson, although my eye catches on the baked Camembert option but it is the steak frites with Sousou butter sauce that I end up settling on.
As we reflect on this French walking tour of Melbourne, it becomes evident that the city's connection to French culture extends beyond its laneways and culinary offerings. It is a testament to the vibrant multiculturalism that thrives within Melbourne making it a truly cosmopolitan destination. Bonne Nuit à tous.
