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Reluctant husband dragged to Paris
....and quickly became a convert!
We arrived on a rainy day, October 29. The remainder of our two weeks was a mix of overcast and sunny days and temps mostly in the 50s F. We stayed in Parisperfect's Cabernet apartment with killer views of the Eiffel Tower. The 7th was perfect for us with its wide streets, beautiful buildings and great restaurants. We walked for miles and miles and miles and also became proficient in traveling around the city on the Metro. One delightful day was spent with Michael Osman. He is a dear. We are foodies and chose our restaurants from recommendations and Pudlo Paris 2007-08 (a great restaurant review book.) All of the restaurants except for Spring were in the 7th and within walking distance from our apartment. We made reservations for all, often on the same day. Mostly we chose the Formule (prix fixe) and always had a bottle of wine. Here is my list, my opinions and the approximate total cost in US dollars: Au Bon Accueil - Very good, a perfect "first dinner" in Paris. Very friendly waitstaff. $112 Le Clos des Gourmets- Great; our favorite; we ate there twice. Pudlo deems it a little temple of gastronomy. $160 Les Fables de la Fontaine- Great. No Formule, fish. $177 Leo le Lion- Great. Clubby feel, very friendly server. $112 (lunch) L'Affriole- Great. Small unassuming place. $130 Le Florimond- Very good. Very considerate waitstaff. $135 Pasco- Great. Pretty and spacious. $111 Cafe Max - Very good. Convivial atmosphere. $112 Le Maupertu- Very good. Pleasant waitstaff. $124 Le P'tit Troquet. Good. Went with friends. Poor service. A bit disappointing. $130 Le Bistrot de Breteuil. Good/good deal. Incompetent server, crowded on Sunday. $104 La Taverna. Good but no better than our local Italian restaurants at home and more expensive. Note to self: stick to French restaurants in Paris. $117 Spring (in the 9th). Daniel Rose's restaurant gets a lot of hype and one must book months in advance. It was fun but it wouldn't be fair for me to rate the food. There is no menu; one eats what is served that night. I didn't like the chestnut soup or rabbit and the dessert was ordinary. On another night I may have thought it was great. $155 DH's favorable discoveries about Paris: Everyone was pleasant, some downright sweet and many had a good sense of humor. The produce at the green grocers and markets was all fresh and beautifully displayed. Pastries and desserts are works of art. The bread.......ah, the bread! The wide tree-lined streets and the beautiful green spaces. The magnificent buildings. The creative and inventive meals. Some of the dishes were unbelievable. Our two weeks passed by way too quickly. It was a terrific trip. Here are a few photos of Paris and Paris food: http://web.mac.com/pj2592/Travel/Paris_2007.html BTW, DH is looking forward to returning. He wants to see Paris in the springtime. I think he is hooked! |
I'm glad that you had a good time and that you have deep pockets. Paying such amounts definitely helps the economy.
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Nice to hear you and your husband both enjoyed the trip.
And ignore the comments about deep pockets. What you choose to spend your money on is entirely up to you. |
Beautiful photos! Thank you for posting Judi. I the price points are helpful. You always wonder what some of these places people write about cost.
Glad to hear your husband will return again! :-) |
I am definitely not a foodie and don't associate with people who are, but I wouldn't call those expenditures on some of those restaurants so expensive at all. In fact, some are modest (and I don't know all the restaurants, but I know one is not some foodie mecca, but just a normal good value bistro). I think the snarky remarks by kerouac may be be because he is somewhat forgetting the value of the dollar vs. euro right now. Now a few of those are somewhat above what I'd consider average, but Bistro de Bretueil is a bargain for what you get and not expensive. Spending $50 a person for complete dinner plus wine only amounts to about 34 euro nowadays, which is hardly reflective of deep pockets.
I routinely dine in one of the bistros owned by that group, but not one close to where a lot of tourists stay and not that one, so there are hardly any (or no) tourists in it when I go there, and it is very full with lots of Parisians and local neighborhood residents who consider 30-35 euro for a complete dinner with wine and aperitif a good deal and they are not upper crust Parisians. |
We're staying at Parisperfect's Champagne apt. for 3 weeks next fall. I think it may be in the same buildng as Cabernet, or very close.
With the Euro hitting $1.50, those restaurant prices seem pretty normal for Paris if you have a Kir and a reasonabble priced bottle of wine for dinner. You can certainly spend less, and if you are not careful - a lot more. Looks like you dined out every night & did not prepare dinner at the apt. Try using the bus system instead of the metro next visit. It's above ground & you can see a lot more. We aften pick several routes that are linked together, so that our trip just does a big wandering circular route through the City - driving through neighborhoods that we might not normally visit on our own. Often if we see something that looks interesting (like a street market, unusual store, nice building architecture), we pull the "stop" cord, get off the bus, & visit. Stu Dudley |
The photos were wonderful. Thanks for posting them and the food ones were to die for. I can't wait to go back!
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Judi,
That's what is so nice about being in the 7th and staying in a Paris Perfect!! You can walk to smany, many good restaurants in all price ranges. You hit many, but there were at least as many that you did not!! Save them for next trip! |
Judi, thanks for this. Your photos are excellent.
Anselm |
Hi Judi!
Lovely report! Looking forward to looking at your photos! s |
Loved the photos! So glad you had such a good time and that your husband wants to go back so soon :)
It becomes a habit that is hard to break ! We also stayed in a ParisPerfect apt in the 7th and we were very happy with it all...especially being so close to the Eiffel Tower..and the restaurants ... Thanks for posting ~ |
Loved seeing your photo montage!
We were in Paris for our first time from October 30 - November 6 (this was the final week of a month-long journey including Greece, Croatia, and Venice), so we may have passed by you in a park or on the street. Our apartment was in the Montmartre, and we were enchanted with both the 19th century building and the charming neighborhood full of small specialty shops. While our budget appears to have been a bit less than yours, we found many memorable meals, and plenty to do and see while we were there - used the Metro almost exclusively to get around. Walked for miles and miles and miles. Glad you enjoyed yourselves ... we, too, are converts, hoping to someday return. |
You hit some of our favorite restaurants and a day with Michael is pretty darned fun, too.
I wish everybody would put what their meals cost (like you did) to give some sort of a gauge, so thanks for sharing (our dinners are always on the steep side, too, thanks to vin rouge and champagne). Those Parisperfect apartments look cool. Thanks, and glad you both had a great time. ((H)) |
Salut Judi, I am glad that Your Young at heart Lion enjoyed Paris..Definately you must go back in the Spring.
My favourite's ARRS. in Paris are the First, the Fith and Sixth. I am a budget traveler because usually I spend one month or more in Europe and I always bring one of my grandchildren with me..therefore I stay away from expensive establishments. However, my philosophy of life is that ,if you Can Afford to splurge, Do it and have fun.. You live only once and you cant take it with you .... |
Hi Judi, so glad that you and your reluctant husband had such a great trip! Wonderful that he is now hooked and wants to go back. I enjoyed your photos and please ignore the weird remark or two about what you spent on meals. I think it was nice of you to include a price - it gives others an idea about costs if they want to go there too, and honestly it was not out of line, I'mnot sure what the fuss is about. You are foodies and what a great city to enjoy some wonderful dining experiences!
Looking forward to your "Springtime Report!" |
Hi Judi - I too have a reluctant DH who finds travelling slightly stressful at times but because I love it so much he indulges me! I am left to do ALL the planning and airline /hotel bookings so try to cut out tight schedules between airports/trains etc. It does help just to be early and read a book whilst waiting.
May is out favourite time in Paris and we will be there in 2008!! Yipee! The gardens are absolutely beautiful eg. Parc Floral. |
Judi,
Beautiful pictures! Glad you guys had a nice time. |
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I'd like to thank you Judi for posting details about expenditures. It is bound to help everyone in their planning, even if their budgets are lower (or for that matter higher.)
My only request is that posters express prices in Euro. This, after all, is the currency with which one must become familiar. Prices in euro are also more accurate in a time of volatile foreign exchange rates, not to mention of help to those whose home currency isn't $US. Glad you and especially hub had a nice trip. |
Since a number have asked for dining prices (in euros), I wil give the following for a trip in October:
Les Cocottes..lunch for 2 25euros P'tit Troquet, dinner for 2 92 euros Cafe de Paris, lunch for 2 57 euros La Cerisaie, dinner for 2 70 euros Au Petiete Tonneau, dinner 72 euros Taillevent, lunch for 2 484 euros Au Gourmand, dinner for 2 100 euro Chez Pierrot,dinner for 2 72 euros Carte Blanche, dinner for2 66 euros Huterie Regis, lunch for 2 50 euros Violon d'Ingres, lunch for 1 140 euros Le Clos des Gourmets, dinneer for 2, 90 euros l'Obelisque, lunch for 1, 120 euros We had a variety, from Taillevent on down. All price ranges for whatever pleases you. Your choice to make. We enjoyed all. |
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