Our December trip is getting closer - and questions are multiplying:

1)If it weren't December, we'd be planning lovely picnics in parks - are there places one can have an indoor picnic - i.e. bring a lovely sandwich in from some place else?

2) where to go for aligot?

3) Still looking for any suggestions for New Year's Eve dining that might not involve 250 euros and seven courses.

Thank you!

Hi M,

Ambassade d'Auvergne, 22, rue du Grenier Saint-Lazare.
Tel: 01.42.72.31.22. Mº Rambuteau

has been recommended for Aligot.

3) What's your budget?

"1)If it weren't December, we'd be planning lovely picnics in parks - are there places one can have an indoor picnic - i.e. bring a lovely sandwich in from some place else?"

It is hard to imagine what you have in mind. I cannot think of anywhere in the US or UK where you could bring in food from outside and have a picnic, but maybe my imagination isn't focussed today.

Am I really missing something?

Maybe they're thinking somewhere like a large museum lobby or otherwise covered but public space?

Suze is right: I hardly mean going into a restaurant and pulling out our sandwiches! I'm thinking large public spaces that happen to be indoors.

And ira, budget isn't a problem as much as time - we have ballet tickets, so would need a later sitting, but have an early departure the next morning, so don't want to start into 7 courses at 10:00PM - and thanks for the aligot tip!

Did a quick scan of some Paris resto blogs

Auberge Aveyronnaise
12th - 40 rue Gabriel Lame

La Maision de la Lozere
6th - 4 reu Hautefeuille

Citheaubrac
11th - 114 rue Oberkamp

Hi

You could visit the covered walkways - http://www.parisinconnu.com/passages/index.htm. I'm not sure about seating or whether you can eat and drink at these spots - maybe Fodorites can shed some light on this.

Covered walkways won't offer casual seating. If there is seating, it is most likely for a bistro of one sort or another.

The most common public space I can think of in Paris (that would have seating and no admission) would be the train stations. They're not great for atmosphere, though--a bit noisy and cavernous.

Le Forum Des Halles has some open space, and it's in the center of Paris, but I can't say it's where I would go.

There are wonderful cafés and bistros at every turn that would provide comfortable, pleasant, and unique surroundings.

Tim

Yes, of course - plenty of bistros and cafes - perhaps I'm sounding like a Clampett - looking for a place to brown bag in Paris. But we're going to be in an apartment and if we were visiting Paris at a more clement time of year, we'd be enjoying the opportunity to bring along a picnic. If it's really tacky, we'll try something else. The train stations occurred to me, too - but was hoping for a little more ambience.

Thanks for the restaurant suggestions.

1) You are kidding of course. A close substitute would be eating in the BHV or Galleries Lafayette cafeteria.

2) Thanks for asking. I never heard of this dish so now I must make it. Found some recipes via google.

3) A baguette, various cheeses, tomatoes, grapes, apples, a great red Burgundy, and then to your room for your picnic. Then stroll the Siene.

Would that be possible at the Louvre? Isn't there quite an expanse of indoor spaces, wide corridors, shops.

In your shoes, I'd just set up in the hotel room for lunch, include a glass of wine, then head out later without having to tote everything around town.

I agree with suze's suggestion about dining in your room. I have had the pleasure recently of eating a sandwich in the Gare de Bercy while waiting for the overnight train to Venice . Definitely not recommended.

Well, I seem to have given the impression that I was raised by wolves. My indoor picnic question was actually asked by someone else some months ago, but my efforts to recover the thread weren't successful. It seems there are stupid questions after all.

In many cases, the hotel breakfast room allows people to eat there throughout the day.

I understand exactly what you mean, I am just not familiar enough with Paris to have good answers to share.

The Louvre is indeed cavernous, but eating is limited to the museum's own restaurants and cafés. However...there's a cafeteria on the mezzanine level, with tables and chairs. I doubt that anyone would notice if you brought in a baguette sandwich similar to those that can be purchased. You could get something hot to go alongside.

mizilen, yours is certainly not a stupid question. With the dollar dropping there will be more and more of us looking at winter to satisfy our affordable "Paris fix".

I will be coming in February and of course would love to find a substitute for a park picnic if the weather is nasty.

Unfortunately, I've drawn a blank but maybe there are some really creative minds in Fodorsville to help us winter travelers.

Good luck and have a wonderful trip whatever weather may come your way Deborah

Not a stupid question at all. Maybe there is a place someone can recommend that would allow for a dining experience that would be indoors but different from a traditional restaurant. Maybe a food hall where you could pick out some different dishes and then sit, share and enjoy?

Not exactly outdoors but the closest that I can think of would be the small and completely charming little cafe IN the Luxembourg Gardens.
It is a sort of greenhouse, all glass so wherever you sit, you are by the window and looking out at the trees, gardens etc.
We have gone in the late fall and had a very nice lunch there..closest thing to an indoor picnic in a garden that I know of.
Otherwise, brown bagging it in Paris is sort of un-romantic in December..Unless the ice skaters are out at City Hall and you just bundle up and go watch and freeze

http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/inde...event_id=24832

Hope this helps

The courtyard under the Louvre (Carouselle du Louvre) has a food court just like a mall, and tables for shared use. You could probably sit there, and no one would notice.