Picnicking in Paris
 

Would love to have a picnic in the Jardin Luxemborg and Jardin Tuilleries. Where can I go for wines, cheeses and meats?
Also, will be staying in the 17th at the Arc de Triomphe Hilton. Any good restaurant or bistro recommendations for the 17?
I have revamped my restuarant list after reading what some fodorites said. They now are:
Cafe Marly
Au Bon Accueil
Cafe Rene
L'Ami Jean
Le Cinq
Ma Bourgogne
Le Procope
Le Brasiere
Le Parraudin
Allard
Le Bistrot d'a Cote Flaubert
Lavinias for cheese and charcuterie

Any other suggestions?
Any good restuarants in the Ille de St. Louis? Upon advice from this site we have decided against Mon Vieil Ami.

While cheese and meats sounds more romantic, I find pre-made sandwiches from a bakery (don't worry they are delicious) to be more practical for a city picnic. I can't remember a specific bakery to recommend, but you'll easily find them near both Luxembourg Garden and Tuilleries.

Just remember, don't sit on the grass :-)

In the 17th, where I was based on my most recent trip (last spring) I liked Baths on Rue Bayen:



http://www.baths.fr/bath_v2_us/index.html

Also in the 17th, L'Entredgeu is an adorable place with moderate prices. I visited but did not eat there. It would certainly be on my list if I were staying again in the area.
There is a fabulous conglomeration of food shops and stalls around the covered Marche de Ternes on Rue Lebon in the 17th. I liked this area very much and would stay there again! Attached to the market, on Rue Lebon, is a nice bistro with indoor and outdoor tables and low prices..

If you are planning just a single picnic suze is bang on - just buy things prepared. Since you will be staying at a hotel (presumably without a kitchen to store leftovers) it makes sense. Alternatively you can stop at any supermarket to pick up the things you would want. Another option would be to take a sack (and don't forget the wine opener!) and spend part of the morning visiting different types of shops (bakery, deli, cheese, wine) and assemble lunch as you go along.

Also, just a comment on a post above. While pre-made sandwiches may be more convenient, I do not think you can compare these with mixes of meats and cheeses that you select yourself. You can have the meats pre-sliced at the counter; just bring a small knife for the cheese. You are not going to get anything close to great cheese or meat if you buy the average pre-made sandwich...

We had a memorable picnic on the Champs de Mars
(sp?) viewing the Eiffel Tower. We got baguettes, cheese, ham, and fresh fruit from Rue de Cler a few blocks away. I will never forget it.

Also saw people having picnics on bridges... looked nice.

have a great time!
dina

If you are looking for a really special place to picnic, look up info on "arenes de lutece" in the 5th. Easy to get to by Metro, and a haven for many Parisians.

IMO this is one of the best kept secrets of Paris.

Procope is one I would take off the list.

Ile St Louis--I recommend Le Tastevin. Visit the web site.

In the 17th, try the Ballon des Ternes. Very good traditional food, supposedly this is where some French chefs like to hang out. When I was there two weeks ago, there was indeed a pair of retired French chefs sitting at the table next to me.

When you reserve, make sure to ask for a table in the main room downstairs and not upstairs, which doesn't have the same atmosphere (same food, of course).

http://www.bestrestaurantsparis.com/...es-ternes.html

I had the toasts de chèvre chaud with salad for a starter and the filets de bar for the main course. The chevre chaud (one of my favorite starters) was excellent, they used a truly good chevre and artisanal bread. The filets were also very good, served with some sauteed veggies and potatoes.

The only sour note in the experience was the metro station...getting out of the Porte Maillot at the exit closest to the restaurant was a huge pain. That exit was poorly signed and when I finally found it, it was closed! Another woman (a French woman) was in the same predicament. Yet people were able to enter from that area. The woman and I ended up crawling under the turnstiles to get out, not a dignified start to the evening. To get home, I took the path of least resistance and went to the taxi stand across the street from the restaurant at the Hotel Concorde Lafayette.

No 'on the grass' picnic-ing at Tuileries or Luxembourg, but you can use a bench.

bookmarking. Also, we enjoyed the Park Monceau, and we seemed to be the only non-locals there last Easter. Plus, you can sit on (most of) the grass.

well actually it was a memorable chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat bread from a bakery ready made, and eaten in a small park on a bench near the Sorbonne.

I agree with a poster above - I would remove Le Procope from the list.

I would add Astier (wow at their cheese course, and at all their food in general - one of our best Parisian meals), Fontaine de Mars, or Le Petit Troquet in its place.

I agree with a poster above - I would remove Le Procope from the list.

I would add Astier (wow at their cheese course, and at all their food in general - one of our best Parisian meals), Fontaine de Mars, or Le Petit Troquet in its place.

Some people will probably recommend Caveau de l'Isle for a restaurant on the Ile St. Louis, but I had an extremely mediocre meal there last June.

Jeez, I'd gain 20 lbs. dining off that list on a trip to Paris, but enjoy!

I love a picnic on the easternmost point of the Ile de la Cite, right behind Notre Dame. There are benches. Where to find picnic supplies? I dunno, it's Paris...food is everywhere.

I agree with Likeswords about the desirability of Parc Monceau. It is my favorite outdoors place in Paris to sit, read, picnic, people-watch, etc. And the surrounding area is very interesting as well.

A real nice place to picnic (on benches) would be Square du Vert Gallant, which is the western-most tip of Ile de la Cite. Great views, rose garden,etc..

Lenotre is one place to pick up some nice takeaway food. You could also get cheese, wine, chocolates on main street of Ile St Louis.

Don't get me wrong, I think scratch picnics are lovely too, it just means toting around a bit more equipment to make it happen... canvas grocery sack, corkscrew, napkins &/or plates, glasses, small knife, etc.

Hi Jo Jo--The best place to get picnic provisions is in rue Cler--plenty of markets for everything you will need, including a Leader Price (grocery store) for things you can't find elsewhere. You find a wine shop, a cheese shop (right in front of the wine shop) and a butcher (will slice meats for you) and a bakery as well as other shops. To get there from your hotels in the 8th: from George V, take line one from the George V metro stop and transfer at Concorde metro stop to line 8 in the direction of Balard; get off at Ecole Militaire stop and you are a few steps from rue Cler. From Arc de Triomphe Hilton, your closest metro stop is Courcelles. Take line 2 in the direction of Porte Dauphine and transfer to line one at Charles de Gaulle Etoile, then follow earlier instructions for reaching Ecole Militaire. Shopping in rue Cler is a wonderful Parisian experience; budget time for relaxing at a sidewalk cafe while you are there. If you have never taken the Paris metro, don't be worried; it's very easy and convenient.



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Hi Robjame, thanks for the tip, we will be staying in the 5th not far from "arenes de lutece" in June and will certainly take a picnic there. My hb is an teaches Ancient History and will enjoy something a little quirky.