Les Cakes de Bertrand Notebook by Clairefontaine

One of the notebooks I picked up at Writer's Bloc a few months back was this beautiful notebook celebrating a Paris tea room, Les Cakes de Bertrand. Today the shop focuses on jewelry and handbags, but the memory lives on.

Here is Clairefontaine's tribute to this wonderful little shop, as well as my personal favorite of all of the notebooks. I love the sepia-toned picture of the Eiffel Tower, and the heavy cover is slightly more green than you see in this picture. I also love rounded edges on journals and notebooks, so that feature made this a must have for me.


Fantastic paper is Clairefontaine's raison d'etre and this journal is no exception. 96 sheets of lined, bright white 90gsm paper that handles fountain pens with ease. No bleed through and the drying time of the ink was quite fast.


The back cover shows the Bertrand and Clairefontaine logos, very simple designs that are spare and elegant. Looking for a new notebook? Take a look at Les Cakes de Bertrand, and if M. Eiffel's masterpiece isn't your thinkg perhaps Sofie or Eloise will appeal to you.

Clairefontaine Catitudes Lined Notebooks

Several weeks ago I ordered some new notebooks from Writer's Bloc, including two of the new Clairefontaine Cat Journals. While I didn't get to choose the journal covers, I liked them all so it didn't really matter (I imagine if you have a preference you can email a request).

When I opened the package I saw the lovebirds in the first picture and the cutie above, looking as if she's about to hit Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman any minute and would I mind opening the door of her Town Car for her? Now that is Catitude!

The back of these journals have animal prints of varying designs, making this a nice looking journal front or back.

It's Clairefontaine, so you get 96 pages of 90gsm bright white paper. I haven't tested the paper as I'm still undecided as to which one to give to my friend, but it's good stuff as many of us know. I like the wide lines of this journal and the rounded edges at the corners, and I like the size as well which is 8.25 by 5.75.

If you like Clairefontaine and cats and lined/ruled notebooks check these out, they are inexpensive ($5.25 each) pleasures that brighten the day.

Clairefontaine Mlle No Memo Pad

One of my favorite Clairefontaine product lines is Mlle No by Jessica Ollivaud, particularly this stylish woman from the turn of the last century (maybe 1911 or so) wearing all sorts of furry animals instead of their fur.

I hadn't seen this memo pad among the notebooks, but found them at University Stationery on E. 12th Street in the heart of New York University and the Village. I liked the size immediatly, around 4.25 by 5.75 for the paper, which is wonderfully silky 80 gsm and bright white. A good size for notes and jottings, fits in the purse quite well, and is fashionable.


Here's the open memo pad next to a Field Notes for size comparison. At the bottom left of the memo pad is a wonderful pale tan silhouette of the lady on the cover, which adds just a touch of whimsy to this little book. The entire presentation is fun and good-looking, something to think of adding to your desk or bag.

Clairefontaine Linicolor Large Notepad

Saw this Clairefontaine notepad at the LI Pen Show in March and was really taken with the polypro front and back covers in five really bright colors.

At 8.5 by 12, this top-bound double spiral notebook has a very substantial chipboard backing; the ribbing in the covers adds some stability as the front and back interlock and therefore don't allow any sliding.

It's as if you have a double thickness of board to hold the notepad steady, and it works quite well as I wrote most of the below at about an 80 degree angle.


The 80 sheets of bright white paper in Clairefontaine's signature 90 gsm weight is everything you want to write on: smooth, easily readable, fountain pen friendly but not overly so (the ink didn't take forever to dry).

If you have to write using your lap as your backboard there are two notepads to consider: this Clairefontaine Linicolor (which you can find in a medium size as well as large) and the Field Notes Steno Notepad. Both have extra-strong backing for non-desk writing, so the question is whether you want bright white notepaper or steno-style paper.