And don't forget that tap water is free and nobody is forced to buy expensive wines.
Wine can be had below 20 euros a bottle for a vin du patron or less for a pichet.
Being an anonymous alkie I like some good wines when in good company and a single glass or none at all if alone.
So you find a lot of good places below 40 euros per person drinking reasonably.
Esp in the outer arrondissements.

Chez Fernand in the 6th.

Thanks, Ann. Lunch is indeed a better value. The problem is that we're usually still full from the breakfast buffet at the hotel>>


Jim, we tend to stay in hotels where breakfast is extra, so often we miss it, and have a smaller breakfast elsewhere, in order to have room for a decent lunch. we find that we get a lot more sight seeing done if we fortify ourselves midday.

And then we can have dinner too!

Nothing wrong with that, Ann. I'm sure we'll manage to squeeze a lunch or three in.

After 5 nights in Paris we head to Normandy for 5 days.

Any suggestions for that? Or perhaps I should start another thread.

Jim - I would start another thread for Normandy - apart from anything else it means that it should load more quickly as it won't be so long.

Topping, because this is such a helpful thread, and to make note of MaitaiTom's blog. Absolutely hilarious! Thanks for sharing!

Jim, I wish you all the best and bonne chance.
I'll be heading off to Paris in a couple of days myself and my travelling style, eating criteria and restaurant search will be very much like yours for this trip.

I've visited Paris with different goals and mindsets on 5 previous visits, but this time round my time allocation between business and pleasure commitments is uneven, and so I've set myself the goal of casually discovering the lesser known out-of-the-way eateries with rising star chefs, where the price is low(er) and the reputations poised to soar. Thanks to a few friends in the business with recommendations, I hope this will be an exciting adventure of discovery, lol. I'll be happy to post notes and reviews upon my return and I hope you will too.

Bon voyage.

This is a jewel of a thread and considering I'm starting my November trip planning (yes, I am a procrastinator :-) ), this is helping me along quite well.

I would like to add

<b>Petit Pontoise</b>
http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/
9, rue de Pontoise
75005 PARIS
A go-to favorite for at least one meal, if not more than that.

Seconding HappyTrvlr for
<b>Rotisserie de Beaujolais </b>(sister restaurant to La Tour D'Argent)
Very nice menu
They are so nice to us and remember us every trip. Once we had to cancel our reservation because I had a sore throat and she (the owner) said she would make a take-away tray for my husband to come get -- it was a most generous (and heavy!) staab pot of lamb stew, and small variety of other things as she didn't know what I would feel like eating. So very generous and kind.
** I just checked their website and is closed for renovation**
:-( I hope they are open in November

L'Amarante near place de la Bastille--

http://www.amarante.paris/

http://www.alexanderlobrano.com/rest...-new-bistro-b/

Bookmarking

This is all so great -- we're leaving on Friday for Paris and I feel like I'm still in the beginnings of research. oops.

I eat at home, mostly - because I know the food will be good and of course, a whole lot cheaper than if I went out somewhere.

But when I go out to eat with friends, I don't really care too much how much the meal costs per person. The whole point for me is to celebrate being there with them and enjoying ourselves. If someone is on a budget, which is usually the case, that person just chooses to have a "plat" instead of a full meal.

There are always discussions about the wine, but most times, reason prevails, because more than one bottle will be consumed.

Great suggestions bookmarking for our next trip.

Now if only it was this easy to find recommendations for vegetarian / vegetarian friendly places in Paris....<sigh>

'There are always discussions about the wine, but most times, reason prevails, because more than one bottle will be consumed.'

Got the same problem and the same solution.

Bookmarking for our Paris visit in May. Thanks!