If you're in Paris and you need a shot of GOOD tequila, this is the ONLY place to find repasado or…read moreanejo tequila. The selection is limited but it's on the better side of tequila think Don Julio and Casa Nobles. They also have the staple, all versions of Patron. You're welcome.

This craft beer store is a welcome find just outside of Paris (an easy 5 min walk from La Défense)…read more It stocks Belgian and French beers, with around 300 varieties. Belgian beer making up the vast majority (and rightly so). It also proposes variety packs of beers, based on a theme. My favourite is the 'world champions' which is a selection of the winners of the World Beer Awards. Great customer service (including English) and clear labelling system throughout the store which indicates beer type, strength, flavour etc. It has a refund policy for glass bottles and plastic crates, to encourage recycling. Basically you get a small refund when you return your empties, and the bottles and crates get reused (starting at €0.10 for a small bottle). This also saves you a little - think of all those other glass bottles that you are paying for, but not getting any money back when you put them in the recycle bin.

Well it has happened. Somehow I missed it for the first year of existence but the 92 now has a real…read morecraft beer institution in Courbevoie. This bottle shop turned casual tasting bar is a welcome sign to beer fans in the surrounding towns of the western Parisian suburbs. People outside Paris like good beer!!?! They have a terrific selection of the beers from the region's best brewers. They also have just about all the traditional Belgian beers you could want - with some Germans thrown in there for sport - and all this at a great price thanks to the fact that they recover the bottles to get back the deposit. They also have a selection of chips and cold cuts/cheese to enjoy with any bottles you decide to taste "sur place". They even have a couple solid beers (one local and one Belgian last time I went) on tap for 4 euros the half pint. There are tables inside and outside and chilled brews waiting to be tasted. The owner is great, quite friendly, and delivers quick and professional service. He clearly knows his product. Go get your beer geek on and bring a bag for the six pack you will undoubted take home. I'm going back soon to restock my fridge. I'll taste before I buy of course (and take the bus home). :D

If you're travelling to Versailles, France and you are looking to buy a bottle(s) of wine or…read morechampagne, you should consider Aux Caves du Chateau. If you speak poor, or very little french, then you should really stop by this place and speak with Jean Paul, the owner(?) of this little wine shop. We were looking for champagne and wine to keep in our room for our stay in Versailles, and came across Aux Caves du Chateau. When I first saw this shop, I was secretly wondering if these wines were out of my budget, and I was also nervous about the fact that I would not be able to express (in french) what I was looking for in a wine. Fortunately, Jean Paul was there to help guide the way (in english)! He was kind enough to listen to offer a few wine selections based on what we were looking for, and tell us a little bit about each bottle - what region in France it came from, what the flavor profiles were, all while keeping our budget in mind. We were able to sample a couple wines, and before I knew it, I was buying two bottles of wine and a bottle of champagne. Three days latter, and I must say that the selections he recommended were spot on, and quite tasty. I highly recommend you check out this spot, as there is a wine price point for almost any budget. A'la prochaines Aux Caves du Chateau!

guided us to very enjoyable and affordable champagne.read more