Another Le Florimond fan--thanks fodorites
May 20th, 2004 | 11:05 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 70
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Another Le Florimond fan--thanks fodorites
Just returned from 8 days in Paris. Except for one cold and rainy day, we had sunny and unseasonably warm weather (high 70s). I did not pack sunscreen, but I highly recommend that others do! Who knew I would get sunburned on a city vacation in May?
We ate our way through Paris. While we had some cheap lunches of sandwiches and crepes, the dinners generally cost 30-40 euro per person, even those restaurants that were supposed to be bargains (probably the cost can be at least partially attributed to wine!). We generally ate dinner at 8:00 and were often the first people in the restaurant. Recommendations:
We ate at Le Florimond twice--one for lunch and once for dinner. Both meals were delicious and the service excellent.
Cafe Constant: They start serving dinner at 7:00, for those who like to eat earlier. The restaurant has two floors and was quite crowded when we left ay 9:00 (they don't take reservations). Good food, owned by Christian Constant.
Chez L'Ami Jean: southwestern cuisine. I had some of the most delicious duck of my life.
Fish: we had an excellent meal. The place was quite crowded so I recommend reservations. The staff are very helpful with wine recommendations.
Le Bellecour: a delicious meal--but we were so full we could not finish our desserts! The pre fixe is four courses (entree, main, cheese and dessert). I recommend skipping the cheese or dessert unless you have a huge appetite.
L'Indochine (might not be the name of the restaurant): delicious vietnamese food on Rue Dante. (ordering Vietnamese food in french is very difficult!)
We mainly walked or took the metro (buying carnets of ten). Be sure to find the direction you want to go before passing through the turnstile! Also, do not put your ticket in before the person in front of you is through the turnstile (These may be self evident pieces of advice, but others may be as bumbling as DH and I).
We saw the usual sites, and took two walking tours with Paris Walks (Montmartre and Paris and the Occupation), both interesting and not particularly strenuous. We signed up for a bike tour of Versailles by Fat Tire Bike (Mike's) Tours, and this trip was my favorite experience of the trip. We picnicked on the grounds of Versailles and got to see a lot of the gardens. We also took a day tour of Paris with them (3 hours). The tour guides are recent college grads and highly enthusiastic, helpful, and know the basics. It's a different experience than the walking tours, which are more content based, but enjoyable nonetheless. I especially recommend their Versailles tour!
We stayed at the Hotel Muguet in room 15 on the first floor. The queen bed was comfortable, and we took advantage of the 8 euro breakfast, which we thought was a good deal for the amount of coffee and food we consumed. The hotel staff is very helpful and there is a computer with internet access in the lobby (2 euro for 1/2 hour). We could hear some tv and conversation noise (esp. with windows open), but it was not particularly bothersome.
I brought along four small guidebooks: Eyewitness Paris Top 10, a detailed Michelin street map, zagats, and "Eating and Drinking in Paris." The latter has some extremely helpful food translations, though sometimes we could figure out the menu without it.
Recommended exhibits: Picasso and Ingres at the Picasso museum, Paris in 1400 at the Louvre, and the Unicorn tapestries at the Musee de Moyen Age.
I deeply appreciate all the advice I received from this board. My DH remarked that this trip was as well planned as the invasion of Normandy (a great and ironic exaggeration), but he was also pleased by the activities I had planned.
Thanks fodorites!
We ate our way through Paris. While we had some cheap lunches of sandwiches and crepes, the dinners generally cost 30-40 euro per person, even those restaurants that were supposed to be bargains (probably the cost can be at least partially attributed to wine!). We generally ate dinner at 8:00 and were often the first people in the restaurant. Recommendations:
We ate at Le Florimond twice--one for lunch and once for dinner. Both meals were delicious and the service excellent.
Cafe Constant: They start serving dinner at 7:00, for those who like to eat earlier. The restaurant has two floors and was quite crowded when we left ay 9:00 (they don't take reservations). Good food, owned by Christian Constant.
Chez L'Ami Jean: southwestern cuisine. I had some of the most delicious duck of my life.
Fish: we had an excellent meal. The place was quite crowded so I recommend reservations. The staff are very helpful with wine recommendations.
Le Bellecour: a delicious meal--but we were so full we could not finish our desserts! The pre fixe is four courses (entree, main, cheese and dessert). I recommend skipping the cheese or dessert unless you have a huge appetite.
L'Indochine (might not be the name of the restaurant): delicious vietnamese food on Rue Dante. (ordering Vietnamese food in french is very difficult!)
We mainly walked or took the metro (buying carnets of ten). Be sure to find the direction you want to go before passing through the turnstile! Also, do not put your ticket in before the person in front of you is through the turnstile (These may be self evident pieces of advice, but others may be as bumbling as DH and I).
We saw the usual sites, and took two walking tours with Paris Walks (Montmartre and Paris and the Occupation), both interesting and not particularly strenuous. We signed up for a bike tour of Versailles by Fat Tire Bike (Mike's) Tours, and this trip was my favorite experience of the trip. We picnicked on the grounds of Versailles and got to see a lot of the gardens. We also took a day tour of Paris with them (3 hours). The tour guides are recent college grads and highly enthusiastic, helpful, and know the basics. It's a different experience than the walking tours, which are more content based, but enjoyable nonetheless. I especially recommend their Versailles tour!
We stayed at the Hotel Muguet in room 15 on the first floor. The queen bed was comfortable, and we took advantage of the 8 euro breakfast, which we thought was a good deal for the amount of coffee and food we consumed. The hotel staff is very helpful and there is a computer with internet access in the lobby (2 euro for 1/2 hour). We could hear some tv and conversation noise (esp. with windows open), but it was not particularly bothersome.
I brought along four small guidebooks: Eyewitness Paris Top 10, a detailed Michelin street map, zagats, and "Eating and Drinking in Paris." The latter has some extremely helpful food translations, though sometimes we could figure out the menu without it.
Recommended exhibits: Picasso and Ingres at the Picasso museum, Paris in 1400 at the Louvre, and the Unicorn tapestries at the Musee de Moyen Age.
I deeply appreciate all the advice I received from this board. My DH remarked that this trip was as well planned as the invasion of Normandy (a great and ironic exaggeration), but he was also pleased by the activities I had planned.
Thanks fodorites!
May 20th, 2004 | 06:38 PM
#3
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 398
Likes: 0
Great trip report, rosalicious!
I'm curious about the Paris Walks "Occupation" walk, which I think is a new offering since the last time I was in Paris (two years ago). Could you describe a little bit of what the walk covers? Thanks!
I'm curious about the Paris Walks "Occupation" walk, which I think is a new offering since the last time I was in Paris (two years ago). Could you describe a little bit of what the walk covers? Thanks!
May 21st, 2004 | 04:01 AM
#4
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 70
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The Paris and the Occupation walk is indeed new--I think this is the first time they offered it. I imagine it will become a regular part of their schedule since the two tour guides who lead it did a lot of research. (It also cost 11 euro as opposed to 10).
We met at the Tuileries metro stop and walked around the Place Vendome area to see the hotels and buildings used by Nazis. The walk also focused on what life was life for everyday citizens in Paris, those who resisted as well as those who collaborated. When we stopped to look at some placques dedicated to french men and women who lost their lives in the liberation, an elderly Parisian gentlemen came up and told us he fought under Patton in the liberation! He chatted with us for a bit, which was fascinating.
The tour was very informative, but I felt a bit sorry for a guide b/c I think a lot of people in the tour were WWII buffs and knew as much as the tour guide, which put some additional pressure on her.
We ended at the statue of de Gaulle on the Champs Elysee.
I forgot to mention in my previous post that w/ the Fat Tire Bike Versailles tour, the group does not bike all the way to Versailles, but rides the RER with bikes to Versailles Riche Gauche. Otherwise, I don't think I could have made it all the way out and back on a bike!
We met at the Tuileries metro stop and walked around the Place Vendome area to see the hotels and buildings used by Nazis. The walk also focused on what life was life for everyday citizens in Paris, those who resisted as well as those who collaborated. When we stopped to look at some placques dedicated to french men and women who lost their lives in the liberation, an elderly Parisian gentlemen came up and told us he fought under Patton in the liberation! He chatted with us for a bit, which was fascinating.
The tour was very informative, but I felt a bit sorry for a guide b/c I think a lot of people in the tour were WWII buffs and knew as much as the tour guide, which put some additional pressure on her.
We ended at the statue of de Gaulle on the Champs Elysee.
I forgot to mention in my previous post that w/ the Fat Tire Bike Versailles tour, the group does not bike all the way to Versailles, but rides the RER with bikes to Versailles Riche Gauche. Otherwise, I don't think I could have made it all the way out and back on a bike!
May 21st, 2004 | 04:10 AM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,876
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Where is Chez l'AMi Jean and how much was the formule?
How much was the bike tour?
Many thanks. Taking kids to Paris in October and have already thought they would enjoy Mike's tour but going to Versailles with it might be even better.
How much was the bike tour?
Many thanks. Taking kids to Paris in October and have already thought they would enjoy Mike's tour but going to Versailles with it might be even better.
May 21st, 2004 | 05:29 AM
#6
Original Poster
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Chez L'Ami Jean is on Rue Malar, which is off Rue St. Dominique in the 7th. My memory is a bit fuzzy but I think the formule was 28 euros? Zagats lists the average price per person w/ one drink as 36 euros.
The bike tour to Versailles cost 50 euros, and included bike rental, RER tickets, admission price, and audio guide for Versailles, as well as the services of the tour guide. Each member of the group bought a picnic lunch at the outdoor market in Versailles before heading to the grounds. Hope this helps!
The bike tour to Versailles cost 50 euros, and included bike rental, RER tickets, admission price, and audio guide for Versailles, as well as the services of the tour guide. Each member of the group bought a picnic lunch at the outdoor market in Versailles before heading to the grounds. Hope this helps!
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May 24th, 2004 | 04:44 AM
#9
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Joined: Aug 2003
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I reserved the tour via their website:
http://www.fattirebiketoursparis.com/
I made the reservation about a week ahead of time, but a couple of days might do unless you are in peak tourist season. The tour lasts 7 hours. We met at the Fat Tire Bike shop at 9:45, were in Versailles by 11:00, then left the palace at 4:00, and were back at the shop by 5:00.
The only drawback if you are on a tight schedule (and this would be true bike tour or not), is that they are dependent on the RER system, which sometimes strikes or stops service for repairs. But the company seems experienced at handling these possibilities, which happen only irregularly.
Have a great trip!
http://www.fattirebiketoursparis.com/
I made the reservation about a week ahead of time, but a couple of days might do unless you are in peak tourist season. The tour lasts 7 hours. We met at the Fat Tire Bike shop at 9:45, were in Versailles by 11:00, then left the palace at 4:00, and were back at the shop by 5:00.
The only drawback if you are on a tight schedule (and this would be true bike tour or not), is that they are dependent on the RER system, which sometimes strikes or stops service for repairs. But the company seems experienced at handling these possibilities, which happen only irregularly.
Have a great trip!
