THE CONCEPT
Founded in 2023 by Christine Ye, L’Inaperçu a bookstore-restaurant that combines art, photography, and bistronomy. Located in the Marais, near the Centre Pompidou, this venue reflects the unique vision of its founder: Christine Ye, a former fashion industry professional in Paris for nearly twenty years.
This welcoming space is at once a bookstore specializing in contemporary photography, a bistronomic restaurant, and a tea room. With the support of a team of passionate individuals, Christine Ye has created a space where culture and conviviality come together, featuring Mediterranean cuisine that highlights fresh, seasonal ingredients.
The books are carefully selected by photography experts and include photobooks and artists’ books related to specific themes, such as those by Martin Parr and Clément Chéroux, director of the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. Inside the bookstore, a newsstand has been transformed into a space dedicated to photobooks, and secondhand book dealers’ boxes serve as display cases for these books.
A PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKSTORE
Viewing the photobook as a work of art in its own right and seeking to showcase photography in all its forms, L’Inaperçu a selection of exceptional, rare, or out-of-print books. The books in the store are selected by photography experts, who choose photobooks or artist’s books related to a specific theme (for example, British photographer Martin Parr or Clément Chéroux, Director of the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson). Inside the bookstore, the traditional newsstand has been transformed to house a selection of photobooks, while the famous secondhand bookstalls have become display cases and stands for photography books. The bookstore’s atmosphere extends into the restaurant with decor inspired by amateur photography, incorporating vintage finds such as old posters, advertisements, a vintage sign, and even a darkroom...
Guest list: Jérôme Prochiantz, Martin Parr, Erik Kessels, Christine Barthe, Clément Chéroux, Aline Pujo, Jonas Cuénin, Valérie Belin and Patrick Remy.
A CAFÉ-RESTAURANT
SEASONAL CUISINE
L’Inaperçu to discover books on contemporary photography while savoring refined and creative cuisine. With roots in Italy and Argentina, consulting chef Javier Oliva offers bistronomic cuisine with Mediterranean flavors. For lunch and dinner, L’Inaperçu dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Each dish, prepared with care, is as creative as it is delicious: homemade ravioli, confit octopus, guinea fowl ballotine, Charolais beef pithiviers , banana mousse, chocolate ganache…
A TEA ROOM
Under the guidance of Arnaud Bachelin, a renowned tea connoisseur and founder of the Paris-based tea house Thé-ritoires, L’INAPERÇU a selection of sixteen natural teas sourced directly from their producers throughout the day. Sourced from various regions of China (Yunnan, Anhui, Guangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang), India, and Japan, these teas—with their wide range of aromas—are brewed by a team trained in the tea ceremony by Arnaud Bachelin.
A WINE BAR
In support of local producers and environmentally friendly farming practices, L’Inaperçu its guests a selection of natural wines curated in collaboration with the talented sommelier Jérémy Lipszyc. For those looking for a light bite, the restaurant also offers appetizer platters to enjoy to your heart’s content.
For craft beer enthusiasts, the menu also features craft beers straight from the BAPBAP microbrewery, located in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. In the same vein, L’Inaperçu cocktails L’Inaperçu created by Le Syndicat, a Parisian bar known for using only French spirits.
