Croix de Chavaux is Montreuil's homegrown brewpub — a microbrasserie that grew out of a 20-year passion project between old friends into one of the most respected craft beer spots in eastern Paris. They brew on-site (1,000-litre batches, five 1,000-litre fermenters, two 2,000-litre ones) and the beer you're drinking was quite possibly made metres from where you're sitting. On weekends the taproom transforms into a café-concert, and the terrace is where half of Montreuil congregates when the sun comes out. It's not polished or designer — it's a neighbourhood project with a bricolage soul, and that's exactly why the whole eastern Paris beer scene respects it.
On-site brewing, weekend concerts, and a terrace that draws all of Montreuil — this is eastern Paris's most authentic craft beer institution.
Check their schedule before going — if there's a concert on, arrive early to grab a spot on the terrace or you'll be standing room only.
Montreuil's homegrown brewpub with a concert habit
If you're looking for Paris-area craft beer that doesn't come out of a marketing meeting, Croix de Chavaux is the real deal. They brew on-site in a 1,000-litre setup — five 1,000-litre fermenters and two 2,000-litre ones — so the beer you're drinking was quite possibly made metres from where you're sitting. The rotating taps cover a solid range from sessionable blondes to more adventurous seasonal brews, and the team behind the bar actually knows what they're pouring you. Go for a flight to get a sense of their range, then settle in for whatever's on tap that night.
What makes this place more than just a brewery is the café-concert vibe. On weekends, the taproom turns into a proper live music venue, and the energy shifts from chill afternoon beers to a packed, sweaty, singalong crowd. The terrace is a major draw in warmer months — it's where half of Montreuil seems to congregate when the sun comes out. It's not a polished, designer-brewery experience, and that's exactly the point. This feels like a neighbourhood project that grew into something the whole eastern Paris beer scene respects.
If there's a concert on, you're in for a good time — just expect it to get loud and crowded. The space is set in a former graffiti squat turned multidisciplinary artists' atelier, which tells you everything about the spirit here. Come early for a calm beer and a chat with the brewers; come late for the noise and the crowd.