Paris restaurant w terrace on Seine?
 

I'm looking for a special occasion restaurant, in Paris where we could have dinner and watch the bridges light up on the Seine, preferably up to the Eiffle Tower.

Price range in the neighborhood of 50E per person including wine. We'll be there in the last week of May. Will it be too chilly at night to be comfortable?

Lunch, on a terrace on the Seine, with a great view is an option if the cost is a little too high for our comfort.

Our hotel is on the Left Bank near Luxembourg Gardens.
Thanks for any recommendations trusted Fodorites....

ttt

Wanna-go,

You should post this question also on www.chowhound.com (the international board) and maybe also on the France board of www.slowtravel.com

Good luck!

Maybe this option would be good:

Toupary
5th floor - la Samaritaine
www.toupary.com

Thanks to each of you for your help. I wasn't sure how to post for more replies. I didn't see my question coming up when I searched on France and Paris. I'll give the other sites a try.

Your questions is not an easy one to answer. There are very few restaurants right on the Seine. Most are on the opposite side of the Quais from the river. Unless you were on an upper floor, it is unlikely that you could see more than one bridge at a time. And the Seine curves so it is difficult to see bridges and the tower at once. Perhaps the best location would be in the 8eme near the Pont d'Alma. I can't think of a specific restaurant that would work but it is near the Seine's curve so you could see in both directions.

Another option is to have a nice dinner and then take a Seine cruise at dusk when you can see the bridges light up and the Eiffel Tower. In late May, dusk is after 9 pm.

To find your posts, just click on your name at the top of the screen.

Well, it wasn't a "Swell" restaurant (nice enough though) but I had lunch at a cafe facing Notre Dame on the Left Bank, close to Shakespeare & COmpany. If my memory serves, it is called Notre Dame Cafe...

I could see a bit of the river...and, they had "california heaters" on the terrace. I was there during November.

I can make a couple suggestions, although I don't think they are perfect given your criteria. I haven't dined in this one, but have read a good review by Patricia Wells in IHT, and it is on the Seine and is supposed to have good view (see her review). That is Port Alma at 10, ave de New York (near Alma metro). see www.patriciawells.com/reviews/iht/2000/1512.htm

Toupary is a good idea, there is also the restaurant at the top of Montparnasse Tower, of course, where you would have a view of about everything (Le Ciel de Paris). I think it's in that range.

I wanted to dine lat summer in Le Totem which has a good view of the Eiffel Tower across the river (it's in Trocadero area), and is in that price range. Unfortunately, it appears to be under massive construction, at least the location where I thought it was when I was walking in the neighborhood and wanted to reserve. Maybe that is over and they are still open, here is contact information and a little more info from a Parisian restaurant website:
http://www.parishotels.com/restauran..._totem_en.html

There is supposed to be a great view of the city from the terrace restaurant of La Terrasse hotel up in MOntmartre, also. I would consider that one. I know you have to be careful about that reservation, as they have a restaurant on the ground floor where I've been (nice for lunch) but it has no view. I think this is their web site, you can maybe find out more
http://www.ila-chateau.com/terrass/

Most special occasion restaurants with wonderful views are not going to be in that price range, which is rather modest for that desire (ie, Tour d'Argent, Jules Verne).

There is a modest restaurant right at place de l'Alma with a view of the tower -- Chez Francis. That could work, although I don't know if it would be considered a special occasion restaurant.

I was going to suggest Le Totem myself, view of the Eiffel Tower is excellent, and it's a short walk from there.
The one time I was there, we thought the food was just okay and the prices a bit high for such a casual place, but the view WAS memorable
Ask for a table facing a window

My old favorite restaurant Chez Julien, near Hotel de Ville, has some tables facing windows which face the Seine.
No Eiffel Tower views. Haven't eaten there in a while, but even a few years ago 50 euro pp would be tight for dinner, you might just make it if you order only from the prix fixe menu and don't do much drinking.

I thought Chez Francis special, years ago. I framed my menu cover that is a colorful sketch of the terrace and metro stop. Christina, is the menu cover the same these days?

I don't know, haven't been there in a long time. I know it's included in a lot of tourist package things with one of those cabaret shows, also, but is not solely a tourist restaurant.

Wow, thanks so much! I'll enjoy researching your recommendations this weekend. Can't wait to share our favorites when we return. Thanks again!
Terry