Personal Favorites: Clairefontaine French-Ruled Paper!

One type of paper that is featured on this website fairly frequently is Clairefontaine “French-ruled”, sometimes referred to as “Seyes-ruled” notebooks and looseleaf. As many of you know, I have a personal soft spot for this product - perhaps making it my all-time favorite stationery - because it reminds me of when I was living in France during college and law school, which is when I first truly started to appreciate good stationery and writing supplies. Clairefontaine paper was everywhere, even drugstores, and at that point in my life it was easily the best writing paper I had ever used. Since then, I’ve always kept a steady supply on hand, even if it meant carting back overweight suitcases stuffed full of French-ruled notebooks from Europe. I always said that if I was ever fortunate enough to have my own stationery shop, one of the first things I would do is stock it full of Clairefontaine paper! Now that’s a reality.

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There’s something elegant about this ruling that I love but can’t really explain. Part nostalgia, part stationery nerddom, I guess.

In general, Clairefontaine paper is some of the most fountain-pen friendly paper you can buy, but it also works great with other wet writers such as rollerballs and felt-tipped pens. While the French-ruled paper uses a combination of grid and lines originally intended to help those learning handwriting maintain consistent height and spacing of letters, I appreciate this paper for its unique aesthetics, as well as its versatility in allowing you to write both large and small, depending on the type of work you are doing. Use the darker blue lines if you need a wide ruling, or use the lighter blue lines to size down.

In recent years, Clairefontaine French-ruled paper has become easier to find in the U.S. Starting today, I’m pleased to offer this favorite of mine in spiral, cloth, and staplebound Clairefontaine French-ruled notebooks in The Curated Shop. Despite its high quality and the fact that it’s imported, Clairefontaine paper remains relatively inexpensive compared to many other fountain pen friendly options. You can give the French-ruled paper a try for as little as $3 in the A5 staplebound format. (For those of you who prefer graph, I also have spiral bound A4 and A5 notebooks.)

“You have a store now?” I get that all the time. Yes, earlier this year I launched a small curated retail operation that I’ve dubbed the “T.G.S. Curated Shop.” The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of all products sold in The T.G.S. Curated Shop, including Clairefontaine, Write Notepads, Midori, and others. You can discover all the brands I carry here. If you’ve purchased from me, and were happy with the experience, I’d be eternally grateful if you’d spread the word!

Paper So Good It Should Be Illegal? Reviewing the Blackwing "Illegal Pad"

Personally, I think Blackwing undersells their paper products. While paper quality is less important to pencil users, Blackwing’s paper is still versatile, and works well even with fountain pens. Previously I’ve reviewed Blackwing’s “Slate” notebooks, and today I turn my attention to their latest release, the “Illegal Pad.” Note up front: For purposes of this review, I’m going to test the paper with pens. It’s slightly tactile and exceptional with pencils, but that’s a given coming from Blackwing.

As a practicing attorney, I can testify to the fact that truly great legal pads are hard to find. You end up playing the “good enough” game and settling for something that meets most, but not all, of your stationery needs. Blackwing’s version may change that. The Illegal Pad features quite nice ivory 80gsm paper in either a ruled, blank, or dot grid format, yet maintains the traditional slim “legal pad” profile. (More on this later.) The pad is 8.5” x 11” letter-sized, not the longer, traditional “legal” format, which is something I prefer because the paper is compatible with more binders, notebooks, and file folders. (In my experience, hardly any attorneys still use actual “legal-sized” paper, though this may be more a function of the specific courts in which I practice.)

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The Illegal Pad is sewn-bound and the pages perforated, making it very hard to accidentally tear loose pages when you’re working or carrying the pad around in a portfolio or briefcase. Returning to the slim format, one thing I prefer about the Blackwing Illegal Pad over other pads of high-quality paper, such as Clairefontaine or Rhodia, is that the Blackwing version fits easily into portfolios. Even if you have to sacrifice a bit of page count to maintain a slimmer profile, I don’t like it when a portfolio appears so overstuffed that it barely closes.

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And paper performance? Well, see for yourself!

The only pen that bled through, just a touch, was the Baron Fig rollerball. Even some very wet fountain pens, such as my Momento Zero Grande, performed quite well. Since the pages are perforated and most people will want to use both sides of the page at this price point, I would like to see Blackwing incorporate a double-sided format.

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Pens used in this review, from left: Baron Fig Squire, Erasable Podcast edition; TWSBI Yellow ECO; Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint; Montblanc Starwalker Rollerball; Leonardo Momento Zero Grande in Primary Manipulation; and my Conway Stewart Model 100 in “Honey Noire”.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’ve been looking for a quality, reasonably priced pad of paper to fill this slot in my work rotation, and I plan to place a bulk order for more Illegal Pads. I ordered the paper featured in this review directly from Blackwing. The Illegal Pads are currently priced at $17.95 for a pack of two - just under $9 per pad, which isn’t inexpensive but also falls within the range of reasonableness for this format and for paper of this quality. On a per-page basis, this product is priced similarly to the Baron Fig Mastermind Desk Pad, and while I love the Mastermind as a desk jotter, the glue-bound pages tear off easily, making the Illegal Pad much better suited for portable use. The letter-sized paper also fits my files and notebooks better if I need to retain my handwritten drafts.

Disclaimer: I purchased the product featured in this post with my own funds, for my own use. This post does not contain any affiliate links.

Write Notepads Spiral Notebook: How Far Can I Push This Paper?

Before I get started, I wanted to let you know, in the interests of complete transparency, that today I’m going to be talking about a product I sell. That said, my “retail” operation at TGS is relatively small, and for the time being is limited to those products about which I feel strongly enough to keep in my own regular rotation, including the current TGS “house paper” from Write Notepads. I don’t think my opinion on the product is colored by my interests as a retailer, but again, transparency is important. With that out of the way, on to the review.

If you read my recent series on the Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Write Notepads paper makes numerous appearances. Their standard spiral notebook and landscape notebooks have earned a regular place in my workflow, simply because the paper is among the best-performing paper for fountain pens that’s I’ve used. It helps that I have a thing for vintage-inspired design, and their pistachio-colored notebooks remind me of the vintage supplies I used to “borrow” from my Dad's office supply closet when I was a kid. So, bonus points for nostalgia.

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I’ve never done a “proper” review of this paper, and wanted to post some pictures demonstrating why I like these notebooks so much. Write Notepads has found a source of paper that, for me, strikes the perfect balance of absorbency and smoothness. It’s not heavily coated like Clairefontaine, so you get that same tactile feel reminiscent of Baron Fig paper (another favorite), but with better performance with wet fountain pens. I’ve experienced absolutely no bleed-through, little to no feathering, and a reasonable dry time that’s similar to Rhodia.

Sometimes I find that extra fine nibs will feather and bleed more than broader nibs, especially needlepoints that can dig into the fibers. I tried this paper out with the Platinum Curidas fine nib with both heavy pressure (top) and light pressure (bottom). Neither bled through but the heavy pressure writing sample feathered a bit. With normal writing pressure I did not have this issue.

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Absolutely NO bleedthrough or show-through whatsoever, even with a really wet swab where I made multiple passes. I was, of course, able to make a Sharpie bleed through to the back side.

Final Thoughts and Where to Buy

As I mentioned above, this paper works so well for me that I’ve largely switched over to Write Notepads paper as my primary general purpose writing paper. With the exception of some of their pocket notebooks, Write Notepads uses this high-performance stock in all of their offerings, and I like that the full-size spiral notebooks come in both standard and landscape orientation.

You can purchase Write Notepads notebooks (including the spiral dot grid notebook pictured here) in the TGS Curated Shop, and I also carry the Landscape Notebook, Steno Pad, Reporter Notebook, Paper Journal, and Copper Anniversary Edition Pocket Notebooks (which has the higher quality paper). For items I don’t carry, you can order directly from Write Notepads, though I appreciate all the support you can throw my way!

The Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Part V: Writing Pads, Notecards, and Even Some Looseleaf

I keep a wide assortment of paper products on hand beyond traditional bound notebooks. Because I generally think better on the page than on a screen, I maintain a large stash of what I think of as "brainstorming supplies": paper in convenient formats that I can pull out to get my thoughts down, which I can then shred, scan, or stick in a file or binder for later reference. The products I use for this purpose don't fall into a traditional category, so this final installment of the "Everyday Writers: Best Paper" series will seem like a catch-all - because it is. That said, the fact that I saved this particular article for last doesn't reflect its importance to my workflow. In many ways, the products listed here are among the most important that I use, particularly the Baron Fig Mastermind and Rhodia pads.

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1. Baron Fig Mastermind. At times, the Baron Fig Mastermind desk pad has been the most heavily used product in my rotation. I generally keep one on my desk at home, and one on my desk at the office. This versatile piece of stationery serves multiple purposes: an open canvas for mind mapping; a landscape-style dot grid pad for general note taking; and even a different format for handwritten drafts of longer writing projects.

2. Rhodia A4/A5 Pad (Grid/Dot). For many - and possibly a majority of - fountain pen enthusiasts, Rhodia pads are the default workhorse paper. It's inexpensive for good paper, widely available, and handles nearly any fountain pen ink with minimal feathering or bleed-through. Unlike Baron Fig paper, it's coated and relatively non-absorbent, so the primary drawback will be dry time but even that is reasonable and honestly depends heavily on the ink you’re using.

3. Doane Paper Writing Pad. Doane Paper's signature "Grid+Lines" ruling makes another appearance on my "Best Paper for Everyday Writing" lists, and their single-sided large Writing Pad is probably the Doane Paper format I use the most. Since this particular pad is only made to write on one side anyway, I don't worry about bleed-through, though the grid ruling is so small that I mainly use pencils and ultra-fine gel pens (and sometimes extra-fine or needlepoint fountain pens) on this particular paper. Great for making lists, flowcharts, and analog mind-mapping.

4. Nock Co. Dot-Dash Index Cards. Though I don't use index cards extensively, I will break them out when I'm having trouble organizing thoughts for a longer-form article or legal brief, or otherwise have a project with lots of moving pieces that I want to track visually. Nock's Dot-Dash cards work well with nearly all writing instruments, including most fountain pens, and their colorful orange ruling is visible enough to use but not so loud that it obstructs your writing. The cards also come in large bifold "Gigante" and smaller "Petite" sizes.

5. Clairefontaine Looseleaf. It pains me to have to put this last on this list, because it's arguably my favorite paper ever, but given how difficult it is to get your hands on Clairefontaine looseleaf sheets these days, I debated whether to include it. Oh well. I hauled enough packs of this stuff back from France a few years ago to last me until Armageddon, so I'm going to continue to use it, and hope that at some point Exaclair starts to distribute this paper to U.S. retailers once again. Since I only use the French ruled version, I expect that I'll have to make a restock run across the Atlantic when we're allowed to travel again, though Wonder Pens has it listed on their site (though as “Out of Stock”) and I’m hopeful they’ll bring it back.

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One product that we will likely never see in the U.S. are the French-ruled “Doubles”, or four sheet booklets of French-ruled paper used for notetaking in school. [EDIT: Turns out we now carry them!]

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Given that this last installment is more of a "catch-all" list, there aren't any products on here that I would necessarily prioritize over others in my workflow in terms of importance - I use all of them in different scenarios for different purposes. That said, the ones I use most frequently, as measured by how often I have to restock, are the Baron Fig Mastermind and Rhodia pads. I order these by the dozen at the beginning of each year and typically have to place a restock order towards the end of the summer.

I hope you all have enjoyed the "Everyday Writers: Best Paper" series. Paper can be difficult to write about, since everyone has different needs and preferences and recommendations turn out to be highly subjective, but the best thing about today's market is the variety of products out there, which means that you will almost certainly be able to find something that works for you.

If you are interested in reading further, the rest of the “Everyday Writers: Best Paper” series includes Part I: Hardcover Notebooks; Part II: Slim Softcover Notebooks; Part III: Spiral Notebooks; and Part IV: Pocket Notebooks and Portable Paper.

The Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Part II: Top Five Slim Softcover Notebooks

The second category of paper that I’m going to discuss as part of my “Everyday Writing” series is probably the one that I use the least: slim softcover notebooks. It’s not that I don’t find these notebooks “bad” in any way, it’s just that they rarely meet my personal needs. I tend to be hard on notebooks, and often a soft cover - particularly those made from paper or card stock - will wear quickly, fall off and need to be reinforced with tape before I actually finish the notebook. I also generally prefer to use a single book for multiple projects, relying on an index or bookmarks to separate pages by subject matter. This is mainly a matter of convenience, since I don’t want to have to carry too much when I commute or travel. That said, many people who like to use individual notebooks for different projects swear by the slim softcover format, and I’m slowly coming around and beginning to incorporate them into my workflow, particularly for projects like logging household expenses and home improvements, where the notebook lives on a desk and not in my bag.

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1. BaronFig Vanguard Softcover Notebook. At $12 for a pack of three, BaronFig’s Vanguard softcover notebook is one of the best buys out there if you like smaller, “single-subject” books. I enjoy BaronFig’s paper, and while it’s not the most fountain pen friendly option out there, it’s certainly good enough for my use case, especially at this price point. Baron Fig will also periodically release limited edition Vanguard notebooks, such as the current “New York City” softcover set.

2. Write Notepads Paper Notebook/Journal. The surprise hit from the Baltimore Pen Show, where I sold out of these Write Notepads notebooks/journals in a matter of hours. These lined notebooks contain the same premium fountain pen friendly paper found in Write Notepads’ larger spiral notebooks, and come in a wide array of cool colors with a design reminiscent of vintage books that you might have stolen from your parents’ office supply closet back in the day. I absolutely love Write Notepads’ paper, and they’re one of the only brands I currently carry in my curated shop. (They’re now restocked!)

3. Studio Neat Totebook. At a higher price point that the previous two options, Studio Neat’s Totebook sells in packs of 2 for $20, but offers a slightly more durable leatherette cover, 100gsm dot grid paper, and 8 perforated sheets at the back. If I were to choose a softcover notebook as a “daily carry”, it would likely be the Totebook simply due to durability. I also love that Studio Neat includes archival stickers that you can use to label the spine of your notebook when you’ve finished.

4. Life Noble Note A5 Sidebound. If you want both quantity (in terms of sheets in a notebook) and quality (in terms of premium paper), consider Life, a premium Japanese brand that makes some of the best notebooks around. At $20 per notebook, they’re expensive for a softcover, but you get 100 sheets of paper. The question, at least for me, is whether a softcover notebook will survive long enough for me to actually use all of this paper.

5. Midori MD Notebook Light. Midori is another exceptional Japanese paper brand that makes softcover “Light” notebooks in both A5 and slimmer B6 sizes. The great thing about these notebooks is that Midori makes PVC covers. I’ve not tried this, but I’ve heard you can fit two volumes of the “Light” notebooks into one cover. Midori paper is quite versatile and handles fountain pen ink well.

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Both the Studio Neat Totebook and the BaronFig Vanguard are best described as “A5-ish”. They are both slightly smaller than a standard A5 notebook, whereas the Write Notepads Paper Journal is a closer match at 5.5” by 8.5”.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Though this particular format is not a personal favorite, that doesn’t mean it won’t meet your needs. If you best organize your thoughts and projects using separate notebooks for different topics, the slim softcover format is a highly cost effective way to do that, especially if you need more space than a pocket notebook can provide. As I mentioned above, if I had to pick one notebook from this list, I’d roll with the Studio Neat Totebook, if for no other reason than the increased durability offered by the leatherette cover.

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The Studio Neat Totebook pleasantly surprised me, and I’m looking for a way to get this notebook into my workflow soon. I previously reviewed Studio Neat’s “Panobook” panoramic spiral notebook, and if they' ever decide to use the Totebook’s paper in that format, I’d buy a dozen immediately. I’m becoming a fan of the Panoramic notebook for computer work.

Further Reading 

Don’t miss “The Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Part I: Best Hardcover Notebooks.” If you’d like to read further on my recommendations for “Everyday Writing” tools other than paper, please check out my posts “Choosing the Best Pens and Pencils for Life” and “The Best Fountain Pen Inks for Daily Use”. I also recently updated my “Best Pens” recommendations page, which contains multiple lists of pen recommendations for users at different price points and experience levels.    

Disclaimer: The three notebooks pictured in this review were provided to me free of charge as product samples.