IMAGINE it is lunch time, you are in Blackheath about to hop on a train to go to a meeting with someone you want to impress.

There’s always the chippy opposite the station. But you have no desire for those calories and you certainly don’t want to turn up all greasy.

This is what you need to do: go to Boulangerie Jade.

Nestling seductively beneath a black canopy in Blackheath village, just visiting this cute French bakery-cum-patisserie feels as reinvigorating as a week among the vineyards in Provence.

Staffed by two lovely Gallic ladies, I felt like I’d left south-east London and arrived in Paris.

The array of delicately-rendered cakes, tarts, sandwiches and biscuits was a knock-out.

And just in case you can’t choose, there is a generous range to sample.

A Ham and Emmenthal Baguette (£3.30) satisfied my luncheon needs.

The Blackheath-baked bread was soft with sufficient bite, the cheese thick and the full of flavour ham felt apart. It was deftly seasoned.

From the range of artful patisseries, I carefully selected a tarte au chocolat (£2.30) as a present for my meeting, but then stuffed it down my face at the station.

Ok, so there was no-one I wanted to impress but I couldn’t start off telling by you I’m a fatty who couldn’t resist buying myself a lush cake, could I? C’est la vie.

How Boulangerie Jade rated:

FOOD **** J'adore. A bit pricey, but the cakes are a treat
SERVICE **** French ladies offering free samples
INTERIOR/DECOR ***** Like being whisked off to Paris

Address:Boulangerie Jade, 44 Tranquil Vale Blackheath, London SE3 0BD