Papapa, the cafe-restaurant with Anglo-Norman influences at the Victor Hugo House.

Menu items named after the author’s iconic characters and influences drawn from terroirs close to Victor Hugo’s heart: that’s the through line at Papapa, the intimate cafe-restaurant tucked inside the Maison de Victor Hugo, on the Place des Vosges, in the Marais.

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À la carte: salads, indulgent toasts, savory snacks, and above all a wide array of desserts and pastries to showcase the establishment’s tea-room menu. So, to start, we can only recommend the Kraken—a toasted brioche tartine topped with crab and greens—opt for the very fresh Derochette salad with its herring (extra charge), or, for the more indulgent, turn to the breaded Camembert from Petit Gervais.

On the sweet side, the menu shines with specialties from the Cotentin and Normandy: notably Teurgole, a traditional Norman rice pudding cooked in a large clay pot (and served with salted caramel and whipped cream for the indulgent), douillons, pears wrapped in puff pastry and baked, seasonal fruit tarts, mirlitons (like financiers) with raspberry or chocolate, and a very moist carrot cake... In short, great options for both kids and adults, for lunch as well as a snack.

The idea behind Papapa is to extend the experience of visiting and discovering Victor Hugo’s world right inside his own house, explains Salomé Gonzalez (who works at the cafe-restaurant). So we’re signing up for a one-way journey to the Normandy coast, heading for Granville, Jersey, and Guernsey (the Channel Islands). A fully homemade menu, featuring French products (or English, from Jersey and Guernsey). There are vegetarian and gluten-free options on offer, both sweet and savory.

Papa, that’s the nickname Victor Hugo’s grandchildren gave the writer: and indeed, the portrait you get is that of a devoted grandfather. He’s said to be fond of his grandchildren, Jeanne and Georges, whom he took guardianship of after his son Charles-Hugo died (the third child in the family).

Expect to pay €12–€24 for a main course, €2–€8 for a dessert, €2.80–€5.50 for a hot drink, and €2–€6 for a soft. Ciders, mocktails and cocktails are also on the menu, with a glass of wine, cider or a cocktail/mocktail priced between €7.50 and €12. A delicious spot for a snack or lunch, before or after (or even without) visiting the Maison de Victor Hugo.

If the menu is small and well-curated, the service is quick, but the prices are still those of a museum-café-restaurant. That said, the quality and freshness are right on point since everything is homemade or made to order (no pre-made salads, for example). A stop worth trying if you’re in the area around the Place des Vosges!

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