My mother will be 60 on 23rd October. She will be visiting Paris with my father from 18th - 24th Oct.My sister & I & our partners will be arriving in Paris to celebrate her birthday with her. She is unaware that we will be in Paris. <BR>I am looking for some advice re what to do on the day of her birthday & some recommendations for dinner in the evening. <BR>My parents are staying near the Louis Aragon Metro & we are staying near L'Opera Metro. <BR>They will have already visited Versailles, Montmatre, had an evening trip on the Seine & a half day coach trip around Paris. <BR>I want to make the day one to remember!!! <BR>With ref to the evening meal something traditional and in the mid price range up to £30 per head. I have seen a restauarnt called " Bofingers " in the Fodors guide and wondered if anybody had eaten there. <BR>Your advice would be much appreciated.

Eileen: How about dinner at the Eiffel Tower? The food is pretty good and it's not real expensive, while the atmosphere is quite something. I mean, just the thought of it. <BR> <BR>It's the same restaurant from the bond film "A View to a Kill". <BR> <BR>It sure would be something to tell her friends. <BR> <BR>Good luck!

The Jules Verne restaurant on the Eiffel Tower would be a good choice, but the bill is closer to £60 than £30! An d you would definitely need reservations. <BR>Bofinger is very nice, but it is a "brasserie", which means a big room, and quite a noisy atmosphere. So, farewell to the cosy atmosphere ! A very nice restaurant - and an insider's tip, if I may - is "Le Bascou" on rue Réaumur, 3rd arrondissement between Pompidou centre and République. Excellent food from the south-west of France, good wine-list, quiet atmosphere, nice decor. Please reserve, since there are not that many tables (which is a plus ! ). <BR> <BR>Another original thing to do (in the daytime), is to take a boat trip, but on the Canal Saint-Martin, where you will go through a charming, and very authentic neighborhood of Paris

Thanks to Lee & Vincent for their advice. Anymore helpful tips ? <BR>Thanks <BR>Eileen Calder <BR>

<BR>Dear Ms Calder, <BR> <BR>If your mother likes music, you might now look up http://www.pariscope.fr, and later, on arrival in Paris, buy the 14 October and later the 21 October issues of the printed events magazine. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR>

Happy Birthhday to your mother! And best wishes to your father! I wish that my mother and father would take a similar vacation, and enjoy. <BR>

<BR>Two years ago in Paris I had one dinner at Chez Julien which is around the corner from l'Hotel de Ville. I do not have the exact address, but if it is still there, I highly recommend it. <BR>Food was excellent, moderately priced (I recall about$50 per person,) and you can have a view of the Seine. Not touristy. <BR> <BR>If you wanted to opt for a special lunch, I highly recommend Cafe Marly <BR>which is tucked in next to the Louvre. It is not horribly expensive, it will not be full of Americans, and it is a wonderful way to while away part of a Paris afternoon. Of course, if you wanted to spend much more, you can lunch at several of the famous haute cuisine <BR>haunts like Tour d'Argent (which I know serves lunch) or perhaps one of the other famous and beautiful places. <BR>On one trip my companion and I had a picnic in our hotel room after buying wonderful delicacies at Fauchon, near <BR>Pl. Madeleine and buy wine of course. If you want to spend less, just pick up some wonderful bread and cheese. And pick up pastry from Christian Constant on rue du Bac. You will need your own dining utensils and corkscrew. <BR> <BR>If you enjoy music there are frequently concerts at Ste Chapelle which is one of my favorite places in Paris as the stained glass is gorgeous. <BR> <BR>Take a walk on Ile St Louis, or to Place des Vosges, in the Marais section, which is a pretty and peaceful place to just sit and observe. <BR>There are lots of places in the arcades <BR>to have lunch or coffee. <BR> <BR>There's also afternoon tea at the Plaza Athenee hotel, among other places. <BR> <BR> <BR>

<BR>Two years ago in Paris I had one dinner at Chez Julien which is around the corner from l'Hotel de Ville. I do not have the exact address, but if it is still there, I highly recommend it. <BR>Food was excellent, moderately priced (I recall about$50 per person,) and you can have a view of the Seine. Not touristy. <BR> <BR>If you wanted to opt for a special lunch, I highly recommend Cafe Marly <BR>which is tucked in next to the Louvre. It is not horribly expensive, it will not be full of Americans, and it is a wonderful way to while away part of a Paris afternoon. Of course, if you wanted to spend much more, you can lunch at several of the famous haute cuisine <BR>haunts like Tour d'Argent (which I know serves lunch) or perhaps one of the other famous and beautiful places. <BR>On one trip my companion and I had a picnic in our hotel room after buying wonderful delicacies at Fauchon, near <BR>Pl. Madeleine and buy wine of course. If you want to spend less, just pick up some wonderful bread and cheese. And pick up pastry from Christian Constant on rue du Bac. You will need your own dining utensils and corkscrew. <BR> <BR>If you enjoy music there are frequently concerts at Ste Chapelle which is one of my favorite places in Paris as the stained glass is gorgeous. <BR> <BR>Take a walk on Ile St Louis, or to Place des Vosges, in the Marais section, which is a pretty and peaceful place to just sit and observe. <BR>There are lots of places in the arcades <BR>to have lunch or coffee. <BR> <BR>There's also afternoon tea at the Plaza Athenee hotel, among other places. <BR> <BR> <BR>

<BR>Two years ago in Paris I had one dinner at Chez Julien which is around the corner from l'Hotel de Ville. I do not have the exact address, but if it is still there, I highly recommend it. <BR>Food was excellent, moderately priced (I recall about$50 per person,) and you can have a view of the Seine. Not touristy. <BR> <BR>If you wanted to opt for a special lunch, I highly recommend Cafe Marly <BR>which is tucked in next to the Louvre. It is not horribly expensive, it will not be full of Americans, and it is a wonderful way to while away part of a Paris afternoon. Of course, if you wanted to spend much more, you can lunch at several of the famous haute cuisine <BR>haunts like Tour d'Argent (which I know serves lunch) or perhaps one of the other famous and beautiful places. <BR>On one trip my companion and I had a picnic in our hotel room after buying wonderful delicacies at Fauchon, near <BR>Pl. Madeleine and buy wine of course. If you want to spend less, just pick up some wonderful bread and cheese. And pick up pastry from Christian Constant on rue du Bac. You will need your own dining utensils and corkscrew. <BR> <BR>If you enjoy music there are frequently concerts at Ste Chapelle which is one of my favorite places in Paris as the stained glass is gorgeous. <BR> <BR>Take a walk on Ile St Louis, or to Place des Vosges, in the Marais section, which is a pretty and peaceful place to just sit and observe. <BR>There are lots of places in the arcades <BR>to have lunch or coffee. <BR> <BR>There's also afternoon tea at the Plaza Athenee hotel, among other places. <BR> <BR> <BR>

<BR>Two years ago in Paris I had one dinner at Chez Julien which is around the corner from l'Hotel de Ville. I do not have the exact address, but if it is still there, I highly recommend it. <BR>Food was excellent, moderately priced (I recall about$50 per person,) and you can have a view of the Seine. Not touristy. <BR> <BR>If you wanted to opt for a special lunch, I highly recommend Cafe Marly <BR>which is tucked in next to the Louvre. It is not horribly expensive, it will not be full of Americans, and it is a wonderful way to while away part of a Paris afternoon. Of course, if you wanted to spend much more, you can lunch at several of the famous haute cuisine <BR>haunts like Tour d'Argent (which I know serves lunch) or perhaps one of the other famous and beautiful places. <BR>On one trip my companion and I had a picnic in our hotel room after buying wonderful delicacies at Fauchon, near <BR>Pl. Madeleine and buy wine of course. If you want to spend less, just pick up some wonderful bread and cheese. And pick up pastry from Christian Constant on rue du Bac. You will need your own dining utensils and corkscrew. <BR> <BR>If you enjoy music there are frequently concerts at Ste Chapelle which is one of my favorite places in Paris as the stained glass is gorgeous. <BR> <BR>Take a walk on Ile St Louis, or to Place des Vosges, in the Marais section, which is a pretty and peaceful place to just sit and observe. <BR>There are lots of places in the arcades <BR>to have lunch or coffee. <BR> <BR>There's also afternoon tea at the Plaza Athenee hotel, among other places. <BR> <BR> <BR>

<BR>Two years ago in Paris I had dinner at Chez Julien which is around the corner from l'Hotel de Ville. I do not have the exact address, but if it is still there, I highly recommend it. <BR>Food was excellent, moderately priced (I recall about$50 per person,) and you can have a view of the Seine. Not touristy. <BR> <BR>If you wanted to opt for a special lunch, I highly recommend Cafe Marly <BR>which is tucked in next to the Louvre. It is not horribly expensive, it will not be full of Americans, and it is a wonderful way to while away part of a Paris afternoon. Of course, if you wanted to spend much more, you can lunch at several of the famous haute cuisine <BR>haunts like Tour d'Argent (which I know serves lunch) or perhaps one of the other famous and beautiful places. <BR>On one trip my companion and I had a picnic in our hotel room after buying wonderful delicacies at Fauchon, near <BR>Pl. Madeleine and buy wine of course. If you want to spend less, just pick up some wonderful bread and cheese. And pick up pastry from Christian Constant on rue du Bac. You will need your own dining utensils and corkscrew. <BR> <BR>If you enjoy music there are frequently concerts at Ste Chapelle which is one of my favorite places in Paris as the stained glass is gorgeous. <BR> <BR>Take a walk on Ile St Louis, or to Place des Vosges, in the Marais section, which is a pretty and peaceful place to just sit and observe. <BR>There are lots of places in the arcades <BR>to have lunch or coffee. <BR> <BR>There's also afternoon tea at the Plaza Athenee hotel, among other places. <BR> <BR> <BR>