Artisan bakery • Paris 13th
A real French bakery near Gare d'Austerlitz and the BNF
Bread kneaded and baked on the premises every morning, from 6am. Here is where we are, what to order, and how a French bakery actually works.
Where we are, and how long it takes
Chez Flo is at 4 Boulevard Vincent Auriol, 75013 Paris, in the 13th arrondissement, on the left bank of the Seine. The nearest metro is Quai de la Gare, on line 6, and its exit is on our boulevard.
Walking times below are measured from our door. They are the real ones, not the flattering ones.
| Quai de la Gare metro (line 6) The exit opens onto Boulevard Vincent Auriol. | under 2 minutes |
| Station F The startup campus, straight down the boulevard. | about 5 minutes |
| BNF François Mitterrand National library, line 14 and RER C. | about 7 minutes |
| Gare d'Austerlitz Along Boulevard de l’Hôpital. | about 10 minutes |
| Chevaleret metro (line 6) Same line, one stop further from the river. | about 6 minutes |
What to order, and what it costs
Prices per item, in euros. Nothing here is frozen, reheated or bought in.
Viennoiseries, from 6am
Our croissant is made with AOP Charentes-Poitou butter and won 5th prize at the 2026 Greater Paris Best Croissant competition, judged blind.
Pastries
There is also a lunch deal from €10.30 with a savoury dish, a drink and a dessert. See the full menu and prices.
How a French bakery actually works
The word boulangerie is protected by law
This surprises most visitors. Under article L. 122-17 of the French consumer code, a shop may only call itself a boulangerie if it kneads, ferments, shapes and bakes its bread on the premises, from raw materials it chooses, and never freezes the dough or the bread at any stage. Misusing the word carries up to two years in prison and a €37,500 fine. So the sign above the door is a real signal, not decoration.
Baguette or tradition
Two different products. The plain baguette may contain authorised additives. The baguette de tradition française, defined by a 1993 decree, contains only wheat flour, water, salt and yeast or sourdough, with no additives and no freezing. Ask for une tradition and you will taste the difference.
Opening days are not what you expect
Every bakery picks its own closing day, and it is often a weekend day rather than a Monday. Do not assume the one you liked yesterday is open today. We are open Monday to Friday, 6am to 8pm, and closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Bread is baked in batches, not once
The first batch comes out when we open, and we bake through the morning. Arriving at 6am gets you the widest choice of viennoiseries. Arriving at 6pm gets you bread that came out of the oven a couple of hours earlier, which is still the point.
Five sentences that cover the whole visit
Say bonjour first. In France it is the difference between a transaction and a welcome.
Bonjour !
Hello. Say it when you walk in. It is not optional.
Une baguette de tradition, s’il vous plaît.
One tradition baguette, please.
Deux croissants, s’il vous plaît.
Two croissants, please.
Sur place ou à emporter ?
Eating in or taking away? You will be asked this.
C’est tout, merci.
That is all, thank you.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a bakery near Gare d'Austerlitz?
Chez Flo is at 4 Boulevard Vincent Auriol, 75013 Paris, about a 10-minute walk from Gare d'Austerlitz, or two stops on metro line 6 from Quai de la Gare. Everything is baked on site, from 6am.
What is the difference between a baguette and a tradition?
The plain baguette may contain authorised additives. The baguette de tradition française is defined by a 1993 decree: wheat flour, water, salt, yeast and/or sourdough, no additives, and no freezing at any point. It costs a little more and tastes of more.
Are French bakeries open on Sundays?
Many are, but not all, and opening days vary from one bakery to the next. Chez Flo is open Monday to Friday, 6am to 8pm, and closed on Saturday and Sunday.
What does "boulangerie" legally mean in France?
Under article L. 122-17 of the French consumer code, a shop may only call itself a boulangerie if it kneads, ferments, shapes and bakes its bread on the premises, and never freezes the dough or the bread. A place that only reheats frozen dough is not allowed to use the word.
How much does a croissant cost in Paris?
Roughly €1.10 to €1.40 for an all-butter croissant from an artisan bakery. At Chez Flo it is €1.40, made with AOP Charentes-Poitou butter, and it won 5th prize at the 2026 Greater Paris Best Croissant competition.