Picnic in Parc Monceau

I can't help you with a specific place, but there are little grocery stores all over Paris. Any block with stores on it will probably have one with food for a picnic. If you want specialists, look for a boulangerie for bread, a fromagerie for cheese, a traitteur for prepared takeout (often Asian) or a "pizza" for, well, you get the idea..... ;)

The last time I was at Parc Monceau I noticed they were not aggressively enforcing their no people on the grass rules, but you should be aware that in most Paris parks you cannot walk, sit or picnic on the grass. It is quite possible if you plunked down with food, you would be rousted. I have seen this occur in Square Batignolles and in Parc Luxembourg which has a tiny strip of grass for sitters which is often amusingly butt to butt with sitters during summer.

But all the parks, including Parc Monceau, have chairs and/or benches where you can enjoy a picnic.

I didn't notice any stores nearby for picnic stuff... I'd buy stuff before you get there and take it with you. Or you could do Google Street View and look.

Parc Monceau has an onsite vendor with sandwiches, etc.

I don't know which side of the park you'll be, but there is a major supermarket in the basement of the Monoprix on the Champs Elysee.

Yes you can sit on a park bench and eat a sandwich if you can find a free bench and most parks are full of benches. But at Monceau that is mostly by the graveled jogging path that runs around the park or the main thoroughfares. Not most people's idea of a picnic in the park.

Luxembourg Gardens and the Tuilleries each have ton of mobile chairs that you can drag where you want and circle up for a picnic.

If you are there during the week, Mon.-Friday, there are several sandwich and salad shops in the Blvd. Malesherbes. There is also an excellent Lebanese take-out place, Rimal, at 119 Blvd. Malesherbes, at the corner of the Blvd. de Courcelles. But you will find lots of places with take-out as you wander around.

http://www.rimalparis.com/nos-adresses.html

We saw lots of benches in lovely areas of Parc Monceau.

Thank you everyone! I had not thought of not being able to sit on the grass. We'll be in the neighborhood with two 10 year-olds and I thought they might enjoy a picnic. I don't know the area at all, but I've heard Parc Monceau is beautiful...good to know they have some nice benches. I appreciate all the ideas.

Becky, with two 10 year olds I would take them to the Luxembourg Gardens in the 5th/6th... they have an amazing playground that my son at 11 yo absolutely loved. They also have a carousel, donkey rides and boats they can "sail" in a pond. The LG is much more fun than PM for two kids that age.

I don't know the official rules about sitting on the grass in Parc Monceau, but on beautiful days there are hundreds of people picnicking on their towels and blankets. I believe that as long as it isn't roped off to allow new grass to grow, it's fine to sit there.

We have noticed in the last few years that the grass rules which are strictly enforced at nearby Square Batignolles don't seem to be enforced anymore at Parc Monceau, so you are probably good. I just wanted you to be aware in case you got rousted that this is not an unusual thing in Paris. The norm has long been no sitting on the grass in most city parks.

It used to be strictly keep off the grass in all the parks including the Champs de Mars. Things change with tile.

Funny Karen. I'm using the old ipad and can't see straight, or maybe it was the wine with dinner.

Bets, they tile the grass now? ;D