Compiled from 3 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Clairefontaine My.Essential is a sewn A5 notebook from the Age Bag collection: 14.5 × 21 cm, 96 sheets (192 pages) of ivory 90 g/m² Vélin Velouté paper in dot grid, lined or 5 mm squares. It adds an 8-page index, 184 numbered pages, 16 detachable pages, an elastic, a ribbon and two pockets, and is made in France.
On this page10 sections
The My.Essential closed and open, drawn to scale (1 mm = 1 px).
Product facts
Product
Clairefontaine Age Bag My.Essential sewn notebook, A5, dot grid, Black (793431C)
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Notes on these facts
Made by Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); sold in the US by Exaclair. Made in France: Clairefontaine's French product page says the Vélin Velouté paper is made in France by Clairefontaine and that the notebook is hand-finished (façonné à la main). It doesn't name a separate country for the binding. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
Clairefontaine's French site lists the My.Essential at 14.5 × 21 cm (5.7 × 8.3 in) with 96 sheets (192 pages).
The paper is ivory Vélin Velouté at 90 g/m², made in France by Clairefontaine and PEFC certified.
There are 184 numbered pages, the last 16 detachable, plus an 8-page table of contents.
Rulings are 5 mm dot grid, lined or 5 mm squares, in six cover colors; the black dot-grid book is reference 793431C.
US retailers sell it in our $$$ band ($20–75).
What is the Clairefontaine My.Essential?
The My.Essential is the sewn A5 journal of Clairefontaine’s Age Bag collection, with numbered pages, an index and Clairefontaine’s 90 g/m² paper. Age Bag notebooks have card covers tinted through and embossed to look like grained leather.
Goulet Pens pitches it as a field book, lab book, research journal or daily log, and recommends it for bullet journaling. It does the same job as the hardcover dot-grid journals from Leuchtturm1917 and Moleskine, with a lighter card cover.
Clairefontaine My.Essential specs
Spec
Value
Size
A5, 14.5 × 21 cm (5.7 × 8.3 in)
Sheets
96 (192 pages)
Page layout
8-page table of contents + 184 numbered pages, last 16 detachable
Paper
Vélin Velouté, ivory, 90 g/m², PEFC
Rulings
5 mm dot grid · lined with header box · 5 mm squares with header box
Binding
Sewn (brochure cousue)
Cover
Glossy card, tinted, leather-grain embossing
Extras
Elastic and ribbon matching the cover, small front pocket, gusseted back pocket
Colors
Black, Red, Blue, Green, Grey, Tobacco
Reference
793431C (dot grid, black)
Made in
France
All figures are from Clairefontaine’s French product page.
Where the index, numbered pages and tear-out pages sit.
Is the paper good for fountain pens?
The 90 g/m² Vélin Velouté paper is the main reason to buy this notebook, and Clairefontaine sells it on its smoothness. Clairefontaine says it gives a unique glide; the same family of paper is in the Clairefontaine 1951 notebook and the Triomphe pad.
At 90 g/m² it is heavier than the 80 g/m² paper in most A5 journals, which helps against show-through. We haven’t tested the My.Essential ourselves; our best notebooks for fountain pens compares it with Rhodia, Midori and Tomoe River.
How do the index, numbered pages and pockets work?
Number, index, file: the My.Essential is set up so you can find a note months later. Every page from the first ruled page on is numbered, and the 8-page table of contents at the front lets you list topics against page numbers, the core habit of bullet journaling.
The last 16 numbered pages are detachable, per Clairefontaine, for lists or notes you want to hand on without tearing the binding. A small pocket inside the front cover takes cards or stamps, and a larger gusseted pocket at the back holds receipts, tickets or loose sheets.
The elastic and the ribbon match the cover color. Because the cover is card rather than board, the book is lighter and more flexible than a hardcover journal, but it gives less support when you write on your lap.
Which ruling should you choose?
Choose dot grid for bullet journals and mixed notes, lined for prose, and the 5 mm squares for maths and tables. The lined and squared versions have a header box at the top of each page; the dot grid doesn’t.
All three have the same 192 pages, numbering, index and pockets. Our dot grid vs lined vs grid guide goes deeper on rulings.
How does it compare to a Leuchtturm1917 Medium?
The My.Essential has heavier, smoother paper and a lighter card cover; the Leuchtturm1917 Medium has a hard cover and more pages.
Clairefontaine My.Essential
Leuchtturm1917 Medium
Size
145 × 210 mm
145 × 210 mm
Pages
192 (184 numbered)
251, numbered
Paper
90 g/m² Vélin Velouté
80 g/m²
Cover
Card, leather-grain
Hard cover
Pockets
Front and back
Back
Where is the Clairefontaine My.Essential made?
Clairefontaine says the paper is made in France by Clairefontaine and the notebook is hand-finished. Clairefontaine is part of the Exacompta Clairefontaine group, and Exaclair distributes it in the US.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages does the Clairefontaine My.Essential have?
96 sheets, or 192 pages: an 8-page table of contents and 184 numbered pages, the last 16 of which are detachable, per Clairefontaine.
What paper weight is the My.Essential?
90 g/m² Clairefontaine Vélin Velouté in ivory, the same family of smooth paper Clairefontaine is known for.
Is the Clairefontaine My.Essential good for bullet journaling?
It has the features bullet journalers look for: a 5 mm dot grid, numbered pages and an index. Goulet Pens recommends it for bullet journaling.
Does the Clairefontaine My.Essential lie flat?
It is sewn (brochure cousue), which lets a notebook open flatter than glued bindings; Clairefontaine doesn't make a lie-flat claim, and we haven't tested it.
What colors does the My.Essential come in?
Clairefontaine lists Black, Red, Blue, Green, Grey and Tobacco, though not every color comes in every ruling.
What is Clairefontaine Age Bag?
Age Bag is Clairefontaine's collection of notebooks with tinted card covers that imitate leather grain; the My.Essential is its sewn A5 journal with numbered pages.
Is the Clairefontaine My.Essential made in France?
Yes. Clairefontaine says its Vélin Velouté paper is made in France and the notebook is hand-finished.
