Paris but make it non-touristy 🇫🇷

Located in the 14th arrondissement, Hexagone Cafe is off the Paris tourist track. Its regulars are neighbors passing by throughout their day; the occasional tourist who walks in, has walked a long way.

Chung-Leng Tran, who has lived in Paris since childhood, established Hexagone there after being introduced to craft coffee at Frog Fights, an collaborative event formative in the early days of Paris’s coffee revolution. Chung-Leng’s guide to Paris covers the breadth of the city, but its focus lies on the quiet parks and out-of-the-way storefronts of the narrower streets.

*Paris. Photos by Chung-Leng Tran unless otherwise noted.*

Filter: What do you like to do for fun around Paris?

Going to photobooks stores (I like flipping through photo books rather than just looking at photos on a smartphone screen). There is a new and unique place dedicated to photography: Quai de la Photo. It's a boat on the Seine that houses an exhibition space, a café-restaurant, and a photobooks store (La Comète).

Eating (alone, with my family, or with friends), cycling across Paris, and going to coffee shops to see colleagues (both for enjoying a good coffee and for catching up and discussing various topics related to the life of a coffee shop owner).

When I'm not at a coffee shop, I like to go to Tomo with my wife and my kids. It's a Japanese pastry shop that offers delicious dorayakis and daifuku mochis. It's ideal for having a snack with my children.

Having lunch at a restaurant with the children is not always easy, but there is one place they really like, Chez Tonton. It's a family-run establishment that offers Manchurian cuisine. We are warmly welcomed, the children feel very comfortable there, and the food is excellent.

When I don't make ramen myself, I like to go to Sanjo for their gyoza and tantanmen (soupless ramen).

When I don't make pizza myself, I go to Guillaume Grasso's place. It's not far from Hexagone. Guillaume Grasso is a true artisan; he makes all the pizzas. Unlike other large pizzerias where the quality fluctuates, there are no surprises at Guillaume Grasso's place (consistency is key). The pizzas are good, he uses quality ingredients, and the prices are reasonable.

Filter: If a good friend came to visit, where would you be sure to take them?

*Chung-Leng Tran, founder of Hexagone Cafe. Photo by Brian Phrakousonh*

I would take him on a coffee tour, of course! When I stroll through a neighborhood, I like to take breaks (coffee or pastry). For example, if I were to go to Montmartre, a neighborhood I love and lived near for a few years, I would go to Clove for coffee after or before a walk in Montmartre. Then, I would take him to Monsieur Caramel, a miniature workshop/tea room run by Yohan Kim, a talented pastry chef who offers excellent pastries (I always get them from him for my children's birthdays).

If my friend has children, we would go to the Musée des Arts Forains. For kids, it's a beautiful place where they can admire wonderful carousels and attractions with very nice vintage pieces to see. And next to the museum, there is the Parc de Bercy where the children can have some fun.

Filter: What do you like to do to escape the city?

The Vallée-aux-Loups in Châtenay-Malabry is a 15-minute bus ride from my place, and it's a large park that houses an arboretum with many centennial trees.

Filter: What touristy things in Paris are worth the hype?

Don't believe the hype.

Joking aside, I would say the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay—two must-visit museums in Paris, especially if you are coming for the first time.

Filter: Where are your favorite quiet corners there?

Near Hexagone, there is a small street called Rue des Thermopyles, a cobblestone street without cars, adorned with numerous potted plants along the walls. It's a calm and relaxing street.

Above the Montparnasse train station, there is the Jardin Atlantique, whose existence is not apparent from the street and the station, providing a green oasis for a break.

And finally, just a stone's throw from Hexagone, there is Place de Séoul with distinctive architecture featuring glass façades, creating an arena-like atmosphere.

My favorite park in Paris is Parc de la Villette. It's a unique space compared to the more traditional parks in Paris. La Villette is intersected by the Canal de l'Ourcq. It has no gates and is not fenced, unlike other parks (you can cross it in the middle of the night, for example). It's a popular, non-affluent park, less touristy than some other Parisian parks. The programming is diverse, including concerts, sports activities, games, shows, and festivals (such as outdoor cinema in the summer).

Filter: What's another coffee shop around there that you really admire, and why?

Télescope, for several reasons: it's one of the first specialty coffee shops in Paris, and it has had multiple incarnations in its 11 years of existence. Nicolas Clerc, who runs the place, has stayed at the forefront and has followed the developments in specialty coffee. He doesn't make coffee the same way as 10 years ago, unlike some others. Humbly, he strives to do better, questions himself, and seeks a better understanding of this complex product that is coffee. Since 2012, he has been the one running the place, the one behind the counter serving coffees.

Télescope remains one of the best coffee shops in Paris, one of the cutest. Nicolas has become a very good friend, and I always have great pleasure in visiting his establishment.

Filter: What makes Paris feel most like home to you?

It's very simple: I grew up and lived in Paris and its surroundings. I haven't lived anywhere else. I have this city within me.

Filter: How did you end up in the Paris coffee scene?

I arrived in Paris at the age of 2 with my family from Cambodia. I grew up in the 19th arrondissement, in a lively and colorful neighborhood. I completed my entire schooling here. I started appreciating coffee late, and I discovered the small world of specialty coffee by attending Frog Fights (monthly gatherings in Paris where baristas and coffee enthusiasts would meet). After that, I wanted to become a barista and work in the coffee industry.

Filter: Can you share about your role at Hexagone?

I manage the coffee shop, handle professional customer relations, and most of the time, I'm involved in selecting the coffees.

Several things are gratifying: Many regulars come and now appreciate specialty coffee without me having to convert them. I let them discover it on their own. Seeing regulars who didn't know each other initially but, through frequent morning encounters at Hexagone, have become friends and take the time to chat over a cup of coffee. Seeing former employees come back, watching them grow, and continue on their journey.

Filter: If you could move to any place in the world just for the coffee scene, where would you move, and what shop would be the biggest reason?

Tokyo would be the city I would like to go to for coffee, but not only for that. Tokyo is an amazing city. There is a great diversity of coffee shops, but it's not necessarily a single one that would make me want to go there. It's the overall experience and richness.

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