naughtyb

Hello all. I will be in Paris on Oct. 1st throught the 8th and have some questions and am hoping that some of you might assist me. First, I am staying on the Champs Elysees @ the Marriott (It is already paid for so I dont need hotel suggestions!) but do not have Champs Elysees money!!! I have done some research and have found many places that I want to try but just not enough time to do it in. Having said that, I am thinking of going to Le Clos du Gourmets in the 7th the first night. Is this a good idea and is it going to be close enough to the hotel? I also plan on eating @ Le Violon d'Ingres for lunch on the 3rd, Taillevent for lunch on the 5th (they still have the 70 euro lunch available, oui?) , Le Comptoir du Relais for lunch on Saturday (unless you guys think dinner would be better on Saturday), Fish La Boissonerie for dinner maybe Saturday the 6th then closing with Reminet in the 5th on Sunday the 7th. I want to try , L'Ami Jean, Cafe Constant, Spring (in the 9th), Chez Clovis and Chez Denise.
Ok, so now you have heard some of my ideas. What would you say I need to reserve before I go? I think the concierge can take care of most of that but what must I absolutely reserve before I go? Also, can anyone recommend a good (no, great) place for lunch in Montmarte? Thanks for any and all assistance. I want to get a good feel for Paris during my first trip and want it to be special for my new wife. Cheers.

naughtyb

btt

robjame

"can anyone recommend a good (no, great) place for lunch in Montmarte"

La Mascotte 52, rue des Abbesses
01 46 06 28 15 18th arrondissement

mideba

We had a reservation at L'Ami Jean and I'm glad we did. They rang the hotel in the morning for confirmation and it was packed before 8.30pm. Great place and food. Wanted to go to Fish but one of the owners was getting married on that day so no go. We made reservations for all Paris restaurants we wanted to go to before we left home a month earlier - safer and you won't have to worry about it once there.

smssowo

Yikes!!! Restaurant reservations? I awoke with a start yesterday when I realized we had no room reservations in Switzerland and Italy Just wondering how many people make reservations before they arrive in Paris?? We leave next week to embark upon a house exchange and side trips to Geneva and Turin.

naughtyb

back to the top.

StCirq

I'm not sure what you mean by Champs Elysées money, but it seems you're already planning to eat at some pretty expensive places in Paris, so what IS your food budget?

I'm a major foodie, but my body could never absorb that many high-end meals in such a short time. Is your goal to have some major gastronomic experience with every meal during your week in Paris? I'm not sayin' there's anything wrong with that; I just personally would prefer a few laid-back bistros and brasseries and cafés. One of the most wonderful things about Paris to me is having a stellar dining experience in some small, intimate place with no major price tag where you leave feeling like some French family just cooked especially for you.

naughtyb

You dont know what I mean by Champs Elysees money? I mean extremely expensive. I realize that Taillevent is extremely expensive but I am a huge foodie and feel like I can handle the 70 euro per person price tag for lunch because it is rated the best restaurant in Paris by Zagats. You say you could never absorb that many high end meals? In my estimation there are only a few that I have listed. The rest seem pretty average when comparing the average cost of other restaurants. Right? I mean this is my honeymoon and can only do this once. We are both big foodies. I am pretty sure that with all the walking we will be able to burn off a lot of the calories and be ready to eat again and may as well eat somewhere we are going to really like rather than somewhere we will regret. I mean, thinking that you may be pissed about the meal when you could have just spent 50 dollars more and been very pleased. I just want to know if I am on the right path.

naughtyb

I know I just replied a minute ago but I was reading St Cirq's response and was thinking, "Didnt I mention a few places that were bistros/brasseries or cafes?" Isn't Cafe Constant a bistro? What about Chez Clovis and Chez Denise? Arent those bistros? I named a variety of restaurants to try to get a well-rounded experience of Parisian restaurants. I have also left out a few days for lunch and dinner so that I can stumble upon a place or two. Am I going about this wrong?

StCirq

No, I don't know what Champs Elysées money is because to me the Champs Elysées is just a long, ugly street with American chain stores on it - not attractive, not typically Parisian, in a neighborhood I'm not remotely interested in.

I don't know if you're "on the right path or not." I'm guessing you are new to Paris and young with a lot of money to throw around and want to impress your wife. For example, I'd never stay at that hotel for my honeymoon in Paris unless I'd never been to Paris before and was thinking I was doing something impressive and expensive (but really had no clue about what Paris hotels were all about). Whether that's the "right path" or not is not for me to say. What I'm suggesting is, if you stop focusing on how many $$$ you're spending and maybe get a bit more in tune with what Paris is all about, you'd end up having a better, more authentic (and not so "impressive&quot experience.

Or not.

StCirq

Yes, Café Constant is a bistro, but a VERY expensive one (as it should be, as Christian Constant is a Michelin-starred chef...and a wonderful one at that). Just suggesting that it seems you are out to impress, but part of the charm of Paris is knowing the places that aren't places Americans can tick off on Places I Ate In Paris (aren't we cool?) but rather places like Florimond and La Fontaine de Mars, where you can eat amazing food at fairly reasonable prices.

naughtyb

St Cirq, you have 100% misjudged me. I am staying at that hotel because my parents own a timeshare and I was given a free week at that hotel. I do not have a lot of money to throw around and "impress my new wife". I work at the Harley Davidson store selling motorcycles in Kentucky. Does that sound like the makings of a young millionaire to you?
I have actaully been to Paris twice when I was in high school with the EF tour program but you are right, I probably dont know what Paris hotels are all about.
I want to experience this town on my own and have made the deductions on restaurants based upon this website and chowhound.com, as well as other books. They sound like places I would like to visit but I dont know if I am making a mistake or not. I do not care about spending more money than I have on eating well and enjoying myself becuase this is not something I do very often (honeymoon that is).
I think I could deduce a bit about you and I think it would be much more accurate than how you have portrayed me.
Why make such comments when you dont know me? And of course you know what the hell Champs Elysees money is. It is the more expensive part of town where the rich and famous hang out. I am not saying I fit in there but if your lodging was free, you can honestly say that you would turn it down for a tiny bedroom with no closet and a bathroom that your cant stretch your arms out in because you wouldn't lower yourself to stay in an American hotel in Paris? You should get over yourself.

AJPeabody

A Paris honeymoon is great! You'll find a wealth of restaurant recommendations everywhere, including Fodors.com. The search engine is a bit clumsy, but there are plenty of recommendations. Also, check out http://tinyurl.com/292tb5
which has lots of links.

My own foodie experience suggests that Zagat's is much less reliable than Michelin and Gault or even Great Eats in Paris, by the way.

StCirq

No, I wouldn't turn down a free hotel in Paris in any location. Fine, good for you, enjoy it!

But you seem hell-bent on spending beaucoup bucks on high-end restaurants in Paris, when you don't have to, is all.

And the comment about not being able to stretch your arms out in a Paris hotel room without staying in an American hotel is telling, too. Clearly, you don't know much about hotel rooms in Paris.

I was actually trying to help you out by pointing out that you didn't need to spend a small fortune to eat well in Paris, but apparently it's fallen on deaf and defensive ears, so I'll stop now with the suggestions.

naughtyb

Review of Cafe Constant in Zagat's-- please read. "When you arent up to the big stars, chef-owner Christian Constant's cozy second restaurant makes a nice substitute for its posh parent. No reservations, but it is worth the wait for classic (if not classy) bistro food prepared with love at PRICES AMONG THE MOST REASONABLE IN THE WHOLE 7th. The decors old...."
Average dinner with a drink and tip per person= 37 euro. Prix fixe not noted.

Your suggestion: Le Fontaine de Mars,
same book.
"...the cuisine is equally classic, with copius servings of fine Southwestern eats (foie gras as large as my fists); the waiters are professional and while prices may STRIKE YOU AS STEEP for the food of grand-mere, you will feel like family here"
Average price with a drink and tip: 47 euros per person. Now what recommendation would you give for the money?? Yours sounds great but weren't you chastising me for picking a restaurant such as the one you just named? Very hypocritical St.

naughtyb

You werent trying to help. You were trying to belittle me and make the choice of hotel and area seem like a horrendous one. You are really accusatory and honestly, you sound like a very jealous person. Maybe you are angry because life has dealt you some bad cards and you have been forced to "rough it" and you feel like you are so much better off than others who haven't because we have been "fortunate" enough to have found the little gems you stumble upon by staying in the offbeat places. Look, if I would have been paying, I would have been staying at an 80 to 90 euro place a night. As luck has it, my parents were kind enough to give me a hotel room for a week that costs around 600 euros a night. Dont hate me for that.

Travelnut

I'm sorry..I'm just having a good chuckle at the thought of St Cirq "roughing it"...

StCirq

I sincerely doubt I was jealous. I own a house in France and live there part of the year and have done so for the past 17 years. Nothing to be jealous about, honey. And when I stay in Paris, I stay with friends or at the two hotels I've come to love and enjoy over more than 20 years of visits, one of them under 80 euro a night for a double, the other about 120 euro a night for same.
I haven't ever had to "rough" it, but after so many years of travel to France (73rd trip to Paris coming up in October), I thought maybe I could offer you some tips about dining that wouldn't empty your pocketbook.
And as I pointed out, you're lucky to have a timeshare in Paris, and one that, according to your apparently limited experience, has more room than a normal Parisian hotel room.
I don't "hate you" for anything. I just think you're kind of clueless and want to impress and are more fixated on the wanting to impress factor than the good food/good ambience factor.

But what do I know? I've only been traveling to France since 1973, own a house there, live there part of the year, give tours there, speak the language, yadayadayada....don't think anything is going to change your perspective, so good night. Was just trying to help, and save you some money...is all.

StCirq

Travelnut: Yes, I was having the same thought, though I suppose I have been "roughing it" at my house on a few occasions when we had big rains and the first floor was flooded.

I'm actually a fairly good "rough it" person. Can don hiking boots and all and rough it up with the best of them and refinish furniture and gut a garage and get into the bowels of a car. Can also get all elegant for a lovely dinner in Paris in high heels and silk. A real chameleon...

Travelnut

well, I can't really participate here for naughtyb because I'm not a foodie... I can't fathom actually making it to all 11 restaurants cited in an 8-day stretch, but it's a fine line-up no doubt. Perhaps he was hoping for some comments to help prioritize the list.

I imagine nearly all of them would be best to reserve, but how far in advance? Would a day or two, after he's arrived, suffice? Or reserve some prior to leaving home? I guess any that are 'starred' should be reserved prior to leaving on the honeymoon.

Another thought - if the honeymoon actually immediately follows the wedding, the bride might like a night off, relax and not have to 'dress' for dinner. Maybe an evening picnic or a room picnic (gourmet goodies, champagne, etc). It could be fun to shop at a couple of upscale traiteurs (right word?) for the treats.

ok, G'night, St Cirq, hope the creek don't rise..