Paris report: 10 marvelous nights
May 26th, 2008, 01:07 PM
#21
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Sally,
The RER C to Versailles from St to Versailles is just under 40 minutes.
If you go, I don't know that I would attempt doing the inside parts with a stroller due to the hoards of people. Walking the gardens would be fine though.
The RER C to Versailles from St to Versailles is just under 40 minutes.
If you go, I don't know that I would attempt doing the inside parts with a stroller due to the hoards of people. Walking the gardens would be fine though.
May 26th, 2008, 02:21 PM
#23
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Sally, La Regalade was filled mostly with French speaking people. Even though they've gotten a lot of press, it's off the beaten track and so while I'm sure there are non-French "foodies" who seek the restaurant out, it's not the kind of place people just wander into because they've been sightseeing in the area. And most tourists don't stay in the 14th either.
I would not try to take a stroller through the Palace at Versaille. In fact, I suspect the whole experience would not be great with a youngster given the massive crowds.
There are so many gorgeous parks with gardens in Paris proper that are great for kids, I wouldn't take the time to go to Versailles if I were there with a child.
I would not try to take a stroller through the Palace at Versaille. In fact, I suspect the whole experience would not be great with a youngster given the massive crowds.
There are so many gorgeous parks with gardens in Paris proper that are great for kids, I wouldn't take the time to go to Versailles if I were there with a child.
May 28th, 2008, 09:31 AM
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Hi Plafield,
Enjoying your report and dinner conquests! Hey, what happened to you guys on your last night? We waited for you at L'Insulaire but gave up around 9.30pm. We had a great GTG with ggnga - wish you'd been there.
Enjoying your report and dinner conquests! Hey, what happened to you guys on your last night? We waited for you at L'Insulaire but gave up around 9.30pm. We had a great GTG with ggnga - wish you'd been there.
May 28th, 2008, 02:48 PM
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Hi Tod,
We thought we'd try to come, but we saw a poster for an organ concert in a church in Le Marais that evening and my husband, who is a professional musician, really wanted to go so we had an early dinner near the concert and heard some great Bach in an amazing setting.
We actually saw 3 fantastic concerts over the days we were there. A solo cello playing Bach's concertos, a jazz trio playing in the style of Django Reinhardt, and this organ concert. All three in churches. The first two cost 23E per ticket (well worth it) and the organ concert was free!
These concerts were highlights of the trip!
We thought we'd try to come, but we saw a poster for an organ concert in a church in Le Marais that evening and my husband, who is a professional musician, really wanted to go so we had an early dinner near the concert and heard some great Bach in an amazing setting.
We actually saw 3 fantastic concerts over the days we were there. A solo cello playing Bach's concertos, a jazz trio playing in the style of Django Reinhardt, and this organ concert. All three in churches. The first two cost 23E per ticket (well worth it) and the organ concert was free!
These concerts were highlights of the trip!
May 28th, 2008, 07:04 PM
#26
Great report, very helpful and the food notes are right up my alley! I will have to return to La Regalade next time I am in Paris; I was there years ago and loved it but have not made it back.
Glad you had such a good time. Thank you for writing this up.
I'm off to see your photos.
Glad you had such a good time. Thank you for writing this up.
I'm off to see your photos.
May 29th, 2008, 04:45 PM
#27
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Here's a report on our pastry/bread/sandwich tastings during our 11 days in Paris.
For croissant, pain au chocolate, millefuelle , chocolate éclairs, sandwiches and miscellaneous pastries we tried:
Miss Manon, Au Levain du Marais, Pierre Herme, Gerard Mulot, Pain du sucre, Julien, Kayser, BE, Secco, Dallyou, and one whose name I forgot, around the corner from Spring, where I bought a great looking millefuelle that was disgusting and thrown away after one bite. Soggy pastry and gloppy cream.
It was really hard to find that perfect millefuelle. Gerard Mulot had the best cream, very eggy, creamy and just the right sweetness with no frosting, but the pastry wasn't very crisp. Secco also had great cream but the pastry, while crisp, had a burnt butter flavor. Au Levain's pastry was excellent but the cream was not sweet enough! Julien had the best balance of sweet frosting and not too sweet eggy cream but the pastry wasn't crisp enough. Miss Mannon's millefuelle was terrible, a gloppy gelatinous filling like the horrible on in the 9th. I think if we had gotten one right after being assembled, Gerard Mulot would have been the best of the places we tried.
Kayser had the best croissants (plain and chocolate)very flaky, buttery and crisp. I was disappointed by the sandwiches there, however. I remembered from my last trip many really special choices, but this time, the two days we traveled to there to buy sandwiches, they only had a few choices of very ordinary ingredients.
The sandwiches and the ham and cheese croissants from Secco were killer. As were the chocolate eclairs. In fact, I would say that Secco was the best overall for selection, price and quality of the places we tried.
Au Levain du Marias had excellent pain au chocolate and great sandwiches too. They also had a killer almond/chocolate croissant.
Herme had a glazed croissant that was to die for, reminiscent of a Dunkin' Donut to the enth degree.
We hit BE one day after the lunch rush (2:00PM) and were disappointed by the almost empty display cases. We bought a chicken and pesto open face sandwich which they heated for us and took it to Parc Monceau and enjoyed it but wish we could have had more choices. We did have a delicious chocolate finacier from BE for dessert. Unfortunately, they were out of the passion fruit tart that Julot raves about.
I'm sad to say we didn't try any macarons (other than the ones on the dessert cart at Guy Savoy's) but we ate enough other pastry to more than make up for it, including a fabulous vanilla eclair called a Lili at Pain du sucre.
Here are some pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26819563@N02/sets/721
For croissant, pain au chocolate, millefuelle , chocolate éclairs, sandwiches and miscellaneous pastries we tried:
Miss Manon, Au Levain du Marais, Pierre Herme, Gerard Mulot, Pain du sucre, Julien, Kayser, BE, Secco, Dallyou, and one whose name I forgot, around the corner from Spring, where I bought a great looking millefuelle that was disgusting and thrown away after one bite. Soggy pastry and gloppy cream.
It was really hard to find that perfect millefuelle. Gerard Mulot had the best cream, very eggy, creamy and just the right sweetness with no frosting, but the pastry wasn't very crisp. Secco also had great cream but the pastry, while crisp, had a burnt butter flavor. Au Levain's pastry was excellent but the cream was not sweet enough! Julien had the best balance of sweet frosting and not too sweet eggy cream but the pastry wasn't crisp enough. Miss Mannon's millefuelle was terrible, a gloppy gelatinous filling like the horrible on in the 9th. I think if we had gotten one right after being assembled, Gerard Mulot would have been the best of the places we tried.
Kayser had the best croissants (plain and chocolate)very flaky, buttery and crisp. I was disappointed by the sandwiches there, however. I remembered from my last trip many really special choices, but this time, the two days we traveled to there to buy sandwiches, they only had a few choices of very ordinary ingredients.
The sandwiches and the ham and cheese croissants from Secco were killer. As were the chocolate eclairs. In fact, I would say that Secco was the best overall for selection, price and quality of the places we tried.
Au Levain du Marias had excellent pain au chocolate and great sandwiches too. They also had a killer almond/chocolate croissant.
Herme had a glazed croissant that was to die for, reminiscent of a Dunkin' Donut to the enth degree.
We hit BE one day after the lunch rush (2:00PM) and were disappointed by the almost empty display cases. We bought a chicken and pesto open face sandwich which they heated for us and took it to Parc Monceau and enjoyed it but wish we could have had more choices. We did have a delicious chocolate finacier from BE for dessert. Unfortunately, they were out of the passion fruit tart that Julot raves about.
I'm sad to say we didn't try any macarons (other than the ones on the dessert cart at Guy Savoy's) but we ate enough other pastry to more than make up for it, including a fabulous vanilla eclair called a Lili at Pain du sucre.
Here are some pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26819563@N02/sets/721
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