Birthday in Paris! What to do?
 

My husband is taking me to Paris in September for my big "40"! We want to do something memorable. A great restaurant would be nice and then perhaps a Jazz club? Not sure...Something like that...does anyone have a suggestion?

Happy B-day DB!! IMO the very best restaurant is Fermette Marbeuf with restored belle epoch stained glass and wonderful food. There was a thread a couple months ago that asked for people's "most memorable French meal", you might try doing a search on that because I wrote a review of it and another person found the web site it is extraordinary! You could also take in a ballet at the Operal Garnier, which is where the Phantom of the Opera takes place and is delightful. They also have dinner cruises along the Sein which have gotten mixed reviews in this forum, some suggesting they are too touristy and some loving them. But the food is nearly always panned. There also is the Folles Bergere (sp) which is really really expensive and shows tastefully naked dancers doing flashy "Vegas" style shows, if that is more your scene. If it were my birthday (and it will be soon) I would dress to the nines, take a cab to Fermette Marbeuf either before or after a ballet at the Opera Garnier, making sure I had some time for a leisurely stroll underneath and around the Eiffel Tower and the lovely fountains that are in that area and the lights that illuminate the City of Light!

Happy Birthday DB <BR> <BR>last November, while we were in Paris, I took my wife on a Dinner Cruise on the Seinne to celebrate her ?? Birthday (a gentleman would never divulge the age of a lady now would he!!). <BR> <BR>We had a great night, and although it was expensive, the way in which the staff treated my wife, as I had advised them that it was her birthday (and I had only done this once when I had made the first enquiry by eMail from Australia), was magnificent. The food and wine was great and the entertainment was very enjoyable. Oh, and of course, Paris ny night from the river - well you can only imagine how that looked. <BR> <BR>We unfortunately ended our night at the end of the cruise as we left Paris early the next morning (bad planning on my part). <BR> <BR>I suggest that you look up: <BR> <BR>http://www.bateaux-parisiens.com/english/index.html <BR> <BR>to get further information. <BR> <BR>Whatever you do, enjoy your birthday in the City of Love. <BR> <BR>David

Love seems like a sure thing there, but Paris is the City of Light!

If you like jazz, you might try La Cave du Franc Pinot on Ile St-Louis (fairly new but good from what I've read) or Le Bilboquet or La Villa in St-Germain. New Morning club has a lot of really good performers (Pat Metheny Trio recently) but the others are in locations around where more restaurants would be you might want to go for dinner. New Morning is in the 10th arr. which isn't so nice an area; there is a good well-known Alsatian brasserie very near it called Brasserie Flo if you like that food; it's got a beautiful interior, and I think they have more than just the typical Alsatian sausages and sauerkraut (ie, seafood, steaks). You can find out a lot about jazz clubs if you really want specifics on www.jazzvalley.com (has internal subURL for Franc Pinot plus other club info) or www.jazzfrance.com. You can get tickets to New Morning on www.ticketnet.fr/sites/salles/newmorning.htm although may not be necessary except for really popular performers. <BR>I'm not a big gourmet so don't know a lot about special restaurants, but L'Orangerie on Ile St Louis (near the club Franc Pinot) is a romantic and special French restaurant. For the Left Bank (near the St-Germain clubs), you might try Le Coupe-Chou near rue d'Ecoles, a romantic place in an old mansion, fireplace, etc, French cuisine, or maybe Jacques Cagna in teh 6th, also in an old townhouse, or maybe Laperouse which is really known for its beautiful decor, around same place. All of these serve French cuisine and are maybe around $50-75 per person, the Brasserie Flo (several of that "chain" in Paris, I think that's one of their best) is cheaper and has a good late night prix fixe menu. <BR> <BR>(BTW, I wouldn't recommend going to any "caberet" but the Folies-Bergere isn't that expensive for those shows, I think it's the cheapest of those places in town). <BR>Oh, if you just want a really special dinner, I've heard La Tour d'Argent really does have the best romantic ambience with a great view of Notre Dame. I agree La Fermette Marbeuf has a pretty interior but it's not near these jazz clubs and the food isn't anything special IMO, just average; there aren't any jazz clubs over that way I know of, there are several around the Chatelet metro stop, some wellknown ones like the Slow Club or Duc des Lombards or Petit Opportun, I'd choose either of the latter two as fresher myself, I think the Petit Opportun has more instrumentalists and the Duc des Lombards is more modern jazz, the Villa is very stylish.

I just remembered that several Left Bank jazz clubs closed or were scheduled to within the last couple years and I think La Villa may have been one of them, so better check those URLs I gave before planning anything. Jazz is really better on the Right Bank nowadays.

Caitlin <BR> <BR>Thanks for reminding me of the unofficial title of Paris - "City of Light", but for my wife and myself, on that trip, it was the "City of Love". And, incidently, my wife and I have been happily married now for 30 years. <BR> <BR>David

Thanks so much everyone for all the great suggestions! Thyra, I looked up the web site for the Fermette, and it looks gorgeous! Thank you! <BR> <BR>David,we will definitely be doing the boat ride. Thanks for the info & congratulations to you and you wife for 30 years! <BR> <BR>Christina, I was quite impressed with your knowledge of jazz clubs in Paris! <BR>It sounds like you spend a lot of time there! I can't believe I missed Pat Metheney! I've been a huge fan of his for 20 years and I see him whenever he tours! Oh well...thanks for all the great ideas! It will be a great help! <BR>DB <BR> <BR> <BR>