Francophile,
You're right... 60 Euros for breakfast is too much for a family to pay. Better for you to get your pastries in the patisseries/boulangeries and eat them in the parcs. Not so bad for just 2 of us... your kids are lucky, though. They're in Paris! My kids were lucky to get McDonalds :-)

Sandy

Great breakfast at Pauls on rue de Buci a couple blocks away. It's right on the corner. There's a nice market on Buci too if you need picnic supplies.

They have tables and even a nonsmoking section and a pretty good menu selection. The prices are varied depending on what you get, but it's quite reasonable. I think the least expensive menu is 3.30 euros.

It's a patisserie so the pastries are excellent. The hot chocolate is a favorite.

SalB, I do agree with you about Paul-good location as well. May I ask what is the 3.30 euro menu selection? Maybe it was on the menu but I must have overlooked it or decided not to get it. I don't recall seeing it however.

I had the regular continental menu at 8 euros (1/2 baguette, croissant, coffee, and oj) and my aunt had the complet menu at 12 euros (same as above but includes 2 eggs the way you want it prepared). It's almost the same cost at eating at your hotel. Average breakfast cost at hotels is 8 to 9 euros just for continental-buffet type is more.

francophile, To be honest, I took the price from a previous post (Jody on the thread Coffee available in a patisserie?). Type Paul in the search.

My husband always pays the bill and I hadn't a clue, just assumed jody knew what he/she was talking about. We usually didn't have the oj but did have the half baguette, croissant. I have coffee and my husband has hot chocolate. I asked and he didn't remember the cost.

We did notice the Pauls on Blvd. St. Michel was considerably cheaper than Pauls on Buci. This surprised us . . . and faintly annoyed us since we had hiked all the way to Buci several mornings before we discovered the closer one.

BTW, our hotel only charged 5 euros for a breakfast of coffee (tea or hot chocolate), oj, cereal and breads. We thought that was great . . . but it didn't taste as good as Pauls! We only ate there when it rained.

We really enjoyed Le Petit Zinc, however, if you ask for non-smoking be prepared to be seated next to the air conditioner in a corner. It really is a lovely restaurant.

SalB, you know, the funny thing is that oj is part of the menu but the waitress told everyone that that morning, oj wasn't available. However, there was no discount off of the price.
That's surprising the prices are cheaper at the other branch of Paul. You're right though, their pastries are really good.

Someone on another thread (Christina, I think) said the prices were based on the location because the rents varied by location. It makes sense to me.

Somehow it doesn't surprise me that they didn't discount the price when they didn't have oj. That seems so French! That's the price; take it or leave it.

Love it.

We also loved Le Petite Zinc. The decor is amazing and in the summer the patio is wonderful too. Can't wait to go back this summer.

the 3,30 menu at the Buci Paul was large coffee, tea, or chocolate with a croissant or a 1/2 flute,. It was 6,00 if they added a large juice, and 8,00 with the addition of an egg.

If you wanted a fancier croissant they added a small amount..my DH loves their almond croissant.

Those were the prices in November

Instead of 6 euro I paid 8 euro but included the 1/2 flute with a croissant. The complet was 12 euro.

Hi

Thanks so much for all the suggestions - Le Petit Zinc looks like it is very close to the Madison - my question is do we need reservations? Just not sure about arrival time. Our flight is supposed to get into Paris (from Munich) around 4:15. I figure by the time we get to the Hotel it will be 6:30 or so. We would probably want to eat around 7:30 or 8 but just worried about delays.

t

ttt

Yes, you need reservations at Le Petit Zinc. You would probably be safe with an 8 pm slot. It's very pretty and we loved everything we ate there. And, yes, it's close enough to "stumble" to and back. Bon journee!

Jody, We were there in Nov. too so I bet we paid the same prices you did. Thanks for clearing it up.

We're off to Rome tomorrow. I hope I can survive a week without Fodors!! Perhaps Rome will make up for it. 8^>

SalB, have a great visit to Rome! I wish I were going too!

Hi westie,

Ask the hotel to make a reservation for you at Petite Zinc.

Another recommendation for Allard on St. Andre des Arts; we had two meals there last week. Loved the ambience as well as the food; especially good was the beet and mache salad with a dressing that was delicious but of "indeterminate origin", ie, couldn't figure out how it was made! Have fun!