In this restaurant hidden under La Madeleine in Paris, white-collar workers rub shoulders with the most precarious

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It is a place full of poetry, listed in the best guides to Parisbut which had become somewhat lost in the memory of the people in the neighborhood. “Some people thought we had closed,” regrets an employee of the Foyer de La Madeleine in September 2024, solidarity restaurant nestled under the church since 1969. Hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis, the address in the 8th arrondissement is gradually resurfacing. With a mission more decisive than ever and an unchanged charm.

A whole romantic universe hidden underground

Shortly before 10:30 a.m., Didier, the former heating engineer at La Madeleine, entered the corridors that welcomed the “little hands” of the department stores of Faubourg Saint-Honoré and rue Royale, where they could do warming their bowls on the coal stoves in the last century.

“I’m the repairman here. As soon as something stops working, I fix it,” he smiles under his thick moustache. On the doorstep, he greets Cédric, the cook, who is one of the few employees at the Foyer de La Madeleine. When he sees us, he turns abruptly.

“The setting is exceptional, isn’t it?” the chef tells us, pointing to a metallic cloud hanging from the crypt ceiling. A few steps away, Martine, the volunteer manager, an energetic and determined woman, is talking with the president of the association, Patrick Cruciata, in an office. Two small loose sheets of paper have been placed on the table between them. These are the contacts of candidates to become volunteers within the association. “We need new blood,” we are made to understand.

Full menu at 13.50 euros for a good cause

Laurence, volunteer at the Foyer for 17 years and who seems to leave nothing to chance, arrived at 10 a.m. to set the table. “At 11 a.m., we all have lunch together. The rush starts from 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.,” she explains.

The large table of volunteers is now chatting in finishing off yesterday’s leftovers. Today, the association has 89. “Some have a fixed day, the others are called ‘flyers’, explains Martine. For a service, there should ideally be about fifteen of us, even if we have sometimes been up to 6…”

Time flies and a queue has formed at reception: it is 45. With two formulas for enjoy a menu in this extraordinary setting : a membership of 10 euros for the year and a meal of 13.50 euros, or a meal of 17.50 euros.

The amounts collected are then used to offer a meal for 1 euro to people in need. “We work with the Ozanam and Connexion plus associations. At each service, 15% of our meals are for people in precarious situationsor psychologically vulnerable. We manage to ensure that there is a rotation,” summarizes Patrick Cruciata.

Large shared tables that can accommodate 4 to 6 guests create bridges between the worlds. “It’s a place where The one who works at the Court of Auditors has lunch with the homeless man. There are also tourists from all over the world,” Laurence enthuses. “These meetings even allow, in some cases, to create job opportunities,” adds Martine. A volunteer for 5 years, Marion marvels at doing the service. “We are like cut off from the world here. All that matters to me is that people leave with a smile.”

The irresistible doyenne “Lili”

“We are well aware that we are not a big restaurant, the goal is the social mission. And then there is a superb atmosphere between the volunteers, the relationship with the staff is also different… It’s friendly,” notes Cédric.

Before leaving, a must-see? Lili’s coffee, of course. Deliciously “brut de pomme”, the oldest volunteer serves hot drinks at the end of the meal behind her counter. “What do you want, my dear?” the little 82-year-old lady will ask you in her hoarse voice under a portrait of her with Johnny fans [Hallyday].

Impossible to miss it, she is there every day . “I’ve been in the restaurant business since I was 18,” she rewinds. One last thing: “You don’t have to be a believer to come, we’re a independent associationand open to all,” we are told. You would be wrong not to respond to the invitation.

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