No visit to Paris is complete without stopping by the venerable bakery, Poilâne on  rue Cherche-Midi in the Saint- Germain des Prés district.  They have been baking their world-renowned bread in wood-fired ovens since 1932 using only four carefully sourced ingredients: stone-ground flour, salt from Guérande, water, and the sourdough starter from previous batches of bread.  The results are sheer perfection; moist earthy interior with a delicate crumb and a crunchy, malty crust.  They also make a fine array of cookies and pastries.  Their petit pain au chocolate is one of the best in Paris.  Poilâne’s dedication to perfection and French tradition make it the perfect place to secure a loaf for your picnic by the Seine, or just to pick up supplies.  I returned with their amazing flour, knives, bread-making book, and boxes of cookies as gifts.  If you’re desperate to sample the famous bread but have no plans on travel to Paris, you can find Poilâne in London, order a loaf sent to you via their website, or locally, stop by the Cafe in Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.  They used to use Poilâne for their sandwiches, but it’s been a while since I’ve been in so I’m not certain they have continued the practice.