Jambon Beurre: The French Ham Sandwich

Parisians love their baguette sandwiches, and around lunchtime, you can see Parisians lining up outside their local boulangeries to grab one on the go. Whether they are going to eat it on the way to somewhere (something that used to be taboo) or stopping to picnic with a friend, the sandwich is a classic. And the king of all classics is the jambon beurre sandwich, the French ham sandwich.

This simple sandwich is more than just crunchy bread, salty ham, and a slab of butter – the jambon beurre has a special spot in every Parisian heart. With only 3 simple ingredients, they better be good because each one stands out!

What is Jambon Beurre Sandwich?

Jambon-beurre, also known as the Parisian, is a French ham sandwich loved by all, especially in Paris, and has remained a favorite despite the growing number of lunch options. As the name suggests, the jambon beurre is a sandwich made with a baguette, butter, and ham. A simple recipe, it is enjoyed by everyone, both old and new. 

It is also the most eaten sandwich in the country. Around 3 million jambon beurre are sold across France every single day, which adds up to more than 1.2 billion a year and still about 58 percent of the whole French sandwich market. Not bad for something so simple.

Because the ingredients are very basic, the sandwich's taste depends heavily on their quality. The taste can be altered using variations of European-style butter, from unsalted to creamy and demi-sel.

If you want to know what makes a proper one, it really comes down to the pairing. The classic choice is Jambon de Paris, a mild cooked white ham, layered onto a fresh baguette with a good lightly salted European butter. Many of the best spots reach for a Normandy butter, and you can taste the difference when the butter is that good. If you love French bread and pastry, you might enjoy my guide to a typical French breakfast too.

The sandwich can be traced back to 18th-century England before it was introduced in France. Louis XIV also made an earlier version of the jambon-beurre popular in the country, a sandwich made with round bread and topped with poultry. He used to include it in his hunting parties as it was easy to carry and convenient to eat on the go.

At the end of the 19th century, it was primarily eaten by workers and peasants. It is estimated that the jambon-beurre we know today did not enter the picture until 1950, when it was popularized in the Les Halles district of old Paris.

Jambon de Paris

One of the main reasons the jambon-beurre sandwich is also known as the Parisian is the use of Parisian ham. Also known as Jambon de Paris, it is a cooked white ham that is poached in vegetable broth and sold in slices in all supermarkets. It is one of the products that is universally associated with the French.

Made with superior quality, the first mention of Jambon de Paris is noted in 1793, and then in 1869 when Jules Gouffé, a cook, describes it as “an ordinary salted ham, boiled, boned and then placed in a terrine with the rind underneath and which is then cooled”. The ham then became an expensive product due to the heavy taxation during World War I. 

The ham was initially an artisanal product. This changed in the 20th century with the introduction of industrial charcuterie. Earlier, jambon de Paris was sold in delicatessens, where it was sliced from a 5kg piece. With the newer methods, it was now also sold pre-sliced in packages in all supermarkets.

Where to get a good Jambon Beurre Sandwich in Paris?

Although the timeless French sandwich is available in a majority of shops and cafes, there is nothing worse than having an “okayish” jambon-beurre on stale bread or without enough butter.

Here’s my quick guide to finding a genuinely good French ham sandwich when in Paris.

One of the best things about the jambon beurre is that it stays affordable. At most boulangeries and cafés, you will pay somewhere around 4 to 7 euros for a really good one. Gourmet and luxury versions do exist and can run 13 to 15 euros or more, but the everyday sandwich is still a wonderful bargain.

The humble jambon beurre has even gone a little chic lately. In 2026, you can find upscale takes all over the city, and the Ritz Paris has served a fancy version for around 15 euros. It is a fun splurge, but honestly the one from a good neighborhood boulangerie is still hard to beat.

La Fontaine de Belleville

With the aim of revitalizing the Parisian bistro, La Fontaine de Belleville is the master of classics, be it a good coffee with in-house roasted beans or a favorite sandwich made with Bellevaire butter and ham from Le Prince de Paris.

Address: 31-33 rue Juliette Dodu, 10th Arr

Caractère de Cochon

Caractère de Cochon is a charcuterie store that specializes in pork. Along with just meat, they also sell a really good jambon-beurre with some of the best quality ham and salted butter. It sits in the Marais in the 3rd arrondissement, one of my favorite parts of the city to wander (here is my full guide to the 3rd).

Address: 42, Rue Charlot, 3rd Arr

Le Petit Vendôme

This chic Parisian bistro doesn’t hold back on the ham when it comes to jambon-beurre. They have a variety of gourmet recipes made with local products and a really good onion soup! You will find it in the 2nd arrondissement, just steps from the Opéra (more on that neighborhood in my 2nd arrondissement guide).

Address: 8, Rue des Capucines, 2nd Arr

Chez Aline

A cute spot founded by Delphine Zampetti and now run by Tiphaine Moindrot, who trained under her, Chez Aline offers one of the best ham and butter sandwiches in the area! It is prepared right on the spot and has a quality combination of semi-salted butter and tasty ham folded in a crunchy French baguette.

Address: 85, Rue de la Roquette, 11th Arr

The French Bastards

Homemade bread and good, quality products, The French Bastards sell some of the best pastries and sandwiches. They have an inventive menu for both, sweet and savory dishes. The ham is Doumbea Paris ham, and the butter is an AOP butter from Poitou-Charentes, with the option of Comté or even Emmental from Haute-Savoie. Like Chez Aline, it is over in the lively 11th arrondissement, one of my favorite neighborhoods for eating your way around Paris (I wrote a whole guide to the 11th).

Address: 61, Rue Oberkampf, 11th Arr

Le Bon, Le Beurre & Le Truand

In this small sandwich shop in the 9th arrondissement you will discover old-fashioned sandwiches of a bygone era. Their recipe stands out because they truly use the highest quality for the simple ingredients: a “Meilleur ouvrier de France” baguette combined with “Prince de Paris,” the last branded ham still made in the City of Light.

Address: 31 Rue de Châteaudun, 9th Arr

Le Parizot

Le Parizot is a tiny shop in the 11th arrondissement, run by Jean-Michel, who has given the whole place over to doing one thing beautifully: the jambon beurre. The ham comes from the last master ham maker in Paris and arrives in three ways: a natural white, a smoked white, and a Prince de Paris with herbs. You can order all three side by side to taste the difference. Add in a choice of two butters, a crusty baguette, and a little confit of cornichon, and you have one of the most thoughtful jambon beurre in the city. A small runs about 5 euros, and a large about 10 euros, which is a lovely price for something made with this much care.

Address: 9 rue de Crussol, 11 Arr

Other notes and variations:

• Sometimes you will see a jambon beurre with cheese (usually Gruyère cheese); this is really a French ham and cheese sandwich with butter, but whatever 😉
• Cornichons may be served on the side or sometimes put inside the sandwich
• There is no other spread except the butter, no Dijon mustard, etc.
• Croque-monsieur sandwiches are entirely different! It is ham and cheese between slices of bread, with Bechamel sauce on top, grilled over medium heat until the top is golden brown.
• Vegetarian or vegan? You can still have a French ham sandwich! Check out this plant-based ham!

This is my go-to sandwich while in France. I am picky about it though! Quality matters. I will say that when desperate, I will head to the nearest Paul’s store (it is a boulangerie franchise) and grab one there. I usually pick one up in the CDG for the plane ride home too! The newer franchise BO&MI also has a decent one.

At the end of the day, the jambon beurre is proof that a few great ingredients, treated with care, can turn into something you will think about long after your trip. Next time you are in Paris, skip the fancy lunch once and grab one from a good boulangerie. You will understand why the whole country is still in love with it.

How about you? Have you had a jambon beurre, the French ham-and-butter sandwich? Do you have a favorite spot in Paris?