We are nipping over to Paris in late July for the day only and would like to lunch at a good restaurant with a view of the Seine. Outdoor seating is a must if the weather's good. We're looking for a traditional restaurant, don't care if the Chef has never been on telly but happy to pay for good food.

There must be lots of suggestions, so let's hear them!?

Les Bouquinistes and La Rotisserie du Beaujolais are on the Right Bank across the street from the Seine. Wonderful food too.

Or the bigger more expensive owner of La Rotisserie du Beaujolais, Tour Argent:

http://www.latourdargent.com

I'm not certain if they have outdoor tables as we dined there in October, but Le Voltaire, a Left Bank bistro, on Quai Voltaire is directly across on the Seine from the Louvre. I might suggest checking with them on outdoor seating.

I've had dinner at La Tour D'argent. I found it to be very overrated with a waiter that went out of his way to be intentionally obnoxious. The view is great, though.

I always enjoy the Brasserie de L'Ile.

You do realize the Seine is not at street level, but quite a few yards below, so even sitting outdoors on one of the quais you are mostly looking at the buildings on the other bank.I think O=Chateau has champagne wine tasting cruises that might suit. Or pack a picnic and take an evenig cruise. There are very good dinner cruises but they will run about $200.00 a person with wines. We were guests of a Paris restaurant critic on one of them and the food was great not like the dinner cruises most advertised

Not sure it meets the traditional definition, but if the view is the main consideration not sure you can do much better than Jules Verne.

That's a good idea (Jules Verne) if money is no object. I actually don't think there are that many restaurants with views of the Seine, for reasons mentioned (it is too low). YOu'd have to be on the second or third floor at least, I would think.

I was going to recommend Chez Francis at place de l'Alma as it is traditional and reasonable and has some area outdoors, but while it has a view of the Eiffel Tower (maybe not so great in the day time), I don't think you can see the Seine from there, and it's pretty close.

One of those restaurants in a museum might do -- the one over at Trocadero, for example: Cafe de l'Homme http://www.restaurant-cafedelhomme.com (website down)

Not sure how well you can see the Seine from there, though.

Best view of the Seine would be to get your own food and go walk across that pedestrian bridge -- or get a packed picnic basket and go out onto place Dauphine on the island. I don't really find that Seine all that attractive.

Les Ombres on Quai Branley has some views of the Seine but I believe only certain tables might have the view. It has wonderful Eiffel Tower views!

They do have service on the terrace in warm weather.

Thanks to you all. I'll do some serious website trawling on all of them.

I'm just jealous that you can go to Paris for a day! Here on the other side of the pond, it's a much bigger -to say nothing of more expensive - undertaking

I'll be there in two weeks with my daughter-in-law and grandson (he for the first time), and I'm sure we'll be dining or snacking near the Seine, so I'm also reading these suggestions with interest!

We'll be in London for a long weekend, so we thought it would be a good idea to use the Eurostar. It's fairly inexpensive from London if you book far enough in advance.

Because it's only a day trip, evening cruises are too late for our return train and we don't really want to start carrying picnic stuff with us. A good restaurant suits us much more.

Check out Le Quai. It's down on the Seine in the river.