Le Grand Fromage--Cheese is king at Androuët sur le Pouce, 49 rue St-Roch, 1e (tel. 01-42-97-57-39), where a tradition that began in 1909 has evolved into a bar à fromage (cheese bar) that's the modern-day evolution of one of the most famous purveyors of cheese in the world. Gone are the formal meals and dining rituals that used to prevail at Androuët. Today, the venue is more basic, quicker, and more tuned to the demands on the modern Parisian's time. As such, it has met with approval from the French-speaking public. The menu is simple, consisting of either tartines (open-faced sandwiches) or cheese platters. Tartines, priced at from 15€ to 20€, include your choice of any kind of cheese and/or a medley of smoked or marinated fish or meats. If you opt for a platter, you'll select from offerings presented on a half-dozen cheese boards, whose categories are organized into such classifications as goat cheeses, triple crèmes, and so on. If you select a portion of five different cheeses from the platters, it will cost 11€; seven cheeses cost 15€, 11 cheeses cost 23€; and 15 different cheeses (recommended only for serious cheese lovers who won't mind some degree of indigestion) cost 28€. Ultrafresh bread and green salads are the only accompaniment for your tartines and cheese platters. There's also a staggering assortment of French wines. It's open Monday to Friday from 11:45am to 2:30pm and 7 to 9:30pm.

Although this organization maintains a total of 10 branches within greater Paris, the most centrally located of the other branches is Androuët sur le Pouce, 23 rue des Acacias, 17e (tel. 01-40-68-00-12; Métro: Argentine). Charging the same prices and using the same system as the larger branch described above, it's open Monday to Friday from noon to 2:30pm and from 7 to 9:30pm.

Don't expect a full-fledged shop selling cheeses at either of the branches, since the organization's shops are usually separate entities located within walking distance of an Androuët sur le Pouce outlet. The chain's largest sales outlet is Androuët, 23 rue du Villiers, 17e (tel. 01-47-64-39-20; Métro: Villiers).