Paris and beyond in France

Recommended books and publications: Paris, France and the French

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One can visit Paris for a few days and be impressed with the architecture, ambiance, restaurants, and pleasant hotels. But if, after doing that, you decide you want to return for more — to the city or the countryside — you may find yourself drawn toward two things likely to enhance the richness and meaning of your experience: (1) learning more (or at least some) of the language; and (2) learning about the country’s history and culture. Our language skills are quite poor, and yet we try. Reading about France is much easier. In our "General Notes" section, we've listed some of our favorite Paris and France Web sites. Below we’ve listed a selection of our favorite books. Those marked “►” are especially recommended.

General guidebooks

► The Michelin Green Guide: Separate guides are available for Paris, and for the rest of France: Brittany, Normandy, Northern France and the Paris Region (also know as “ile de France” — the countryside surrounding Paris), Alsace Lorraine / Champagne, Chateaux of the Burgundy/ Jura, French Alps, Auvergne/Rhone Valley, Dordogne/Berry/Limousin, Atlantic Coast, Languedoc/Roussillon/Tarn Gorges, Provence, and “French Riviera.” Versions of these French guides are often used by the French. The titles listed above have been translated into English, and many also are available in Italian, German, and Spanish, among other languages — and so one benefit of this guide is that you are not immediately identified as an American (or British, or German, etc.) tourist if you are seen with one of these.

Also recommended: The Eyewitness Travel Guides for Paris and various other regions (including the "Back Roads France" guide -- setting out 24 suggeted driving tours); Access Paris; the Cadogan Guides for the various regions of the country; and An Hour From Paris, by Annabel Simms (descriptions of 20 destinations in the Ile de France). Finally, for first-time visitors, many have found useful the Rick Steves Paris guide, and the on-line guidebook, The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris, by Stephen C. Solosky (it's short but sweet, and contains many useful listings, observations, and tips).

Magazines (on line and hard copy)

► France. This British magazine is published (by paid subscription) bi-monthly in the United States. It covers France from the special and delightful perspective of a neighbor that has, for centuries, known and loved — and had other, more conflicted feelings for — la belle France.

► France Today. This United States-based magazine is published 11 times yearly, and also is available by paid subscription on line. The free France Today Web site is very useful.

► Paris Notes. We have been sad to learn that this classy newsletter, published (by paid sunscription) ten times yearly by Mark Eversman, has announced that it will cease publication. We assume that the massive amount of free content on the internet is at least partly to blame. Apparently, the Paris Notes site will stay up until September 2010, providing access to 50-plus available back copies. It's unclear what will become of the rest of the site, which has been free, and contains numerous well-written articles, tips, and usefully-categorized links to hundreds of other Paris-related sites (including excellent listings of hotel and apartment Web sites). First-time visitors will especially appreciate an excellent overview, “Paris for Beginners.”

Paris Walking, History, and Museum guides

► Little Known Museums in and Around Paris, by Rachel Kaplan.

► Walks Through Lost Paris by Leonard Pitt (“then-and now” pictures and history).

Around and About Paris (vols. 1-3) by Thirza Vallois (comprehensive and somewhat dense historical and architectural treatment of each of the 20 arrondissements).

Paris Then and Now by Peter & Oriel Caine (“then-and now” pictures by the folks that own and run “Paris Walking Tours.” (Hardcover, coffee table book.)

One Thousand Buildings of Paris, by Jorg Brockman, James Driscol & Kathy Borros (a thick compilation of notable Paris structures and a brief history of each, arranged by arrondissement).

Quiet Corners of Paris, by Jean-Christophe Napias. (Just as it sounds — a guide to contemplative places.)

Frommer’s Memorable Walks in Paris, by Jeanne Oliver.

The Secret Gardens of Paris, by Alexandra d’Arnoux & Bruno de Laubadère.

The Quays and Bridges of Paris, An Historical Guide, By Marc Gaillard (well illustrated).

Paris (and Regional) Restaurant and Dining Guides

► Zagat, Paris Restaurants (2009/2010). Very useful. (As is the current Michelin Guide.)

► Hungry for Paris, by Alexander Lobrano. (2008.) This companionable and well-written guide to "102 of the city's best restaurants" well conveys the personality of each establishment. (Lobrano also provides a useful opening chapter, "The Happy Eater's Almanac: How to have a Perfect Meal in Paris"), covering some of the points we make in our own "12 tips" elsewhere on this site.)

► Great Eats Paris, by Sandra Gustafson (10th ed. 2004) (we’ve found some of our favorite restaurants in this useful guide).

► Food, Wine, Burgundy, by David Downie. This is Downie's latest “Terroir” guide. Roughly the size of a thick Green Guide (450+pages), it’s an opinionated, lively, and beautifully photographed celebration of the small scale wine producers, regional restaurants, bistros, inns, and food shops of the vast Bourgogne — the kind of countryside places we like to patronize. (we've noticed some dining favorites of ours in four of the book’s many recommendations — “Les Deux Ponts” in little Pierre-Perthuis; “Laroche Wine Bar” in Chablis; “Café St. Martin” in Chapaize; and “Le Relais de Flavigny,” in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain — and this makes us trust the rest of the book’s recommendations.)

Food Lover’s Guide to Paris, by Patricia Wells (although last updated in 1999, many descriptions remain apt; includes a nice listing of weekly markets, etc., and a great index of food terms/ translations).

Restaurants of Paris (Knopf, 1994) (this book focuses on décor and history, and includes fine photos; even though dated, it’s still fun and useful).

Gourmet Paris, by Emmanuel Rubin (organized by dish — e.g., where to find the best Charcuterie, Duck confit, Rum Baba, Steak tartar, etc.).

Brasseries de Paris, photographics, Yannis Valmos.

Eating and Drinking in Paris, A Menu Reader and Restaurant Guide, by Andy Herbach and Michael Dillon.

Favorite Bistros of Paris, by Robert & Michele Seass.

The Authentic Bistros of Paris, by Francois Thomazeau & Sylvain Ageorges.

The Historic Restaurants of Paris, by Ellen Williams.

Bistros of Paris, by Robert and Barbara Hamburger.

Boulangerie! (a pocket guide to Paris's famous bakeries), by Jack Armstrong & Delores Wilson.

The Cafés of Paris . . . a Guide, by Christine Graf.

Paris and France Dining Memoirs, Biographies & Studies, etc.

► Between Meals — An Appetite for Paris, by A.J. Liebling (recollections of Paris dining in the 1930s-1950s).

► The Sweet Life in Paris, by David Lebovitz (a well written and offbeat account of "delicious adventures" — cultural, social, and culinary). (See also the excellent blog of the same name.)

A Meal Observed, by Andrew Todhunter (a study of the former three-star restaurant, Taillevent).

Burgundy Stars, by William Echikson (the story of a the Michelin three-star restaurant, La Cote d’Or).

Families of the Vine, by Michael S. Sanders (seasons among winemakers in the southwest).

The Invention of the Restaurant (Paris and the Modern Gastronomic Culture), by Rebecca L. Spang (reads like a turgid PhD. thesis — but it’s full of esoteric information for those so inclined).

Savoring the Past, by Barbara Ketcham Wheaton ("The French Kitchen and Table from 1300 to 1789").

Remembrance of Things Paris (Sixty Years of Writing From Gourmet), edited by Ruth Reichl.

Plats du Jour, by William Black ("a journey into the heart of French food" by a gastronome who has traveled the length and breadth of France).

I'll Drink to That, by Rudolph Chelminski (Beaujolais and Georges Deboeuf ).

Adventures on the Wine Route, by Kermit Lynch ("a wine buyer's tour through France").

The Widow Clicquot, by Tilar J. Mazzeo ("The story of a Champagne empire and the woman who ruled it").

The Table Comes First, by Adam Gopnik ("Family, France, and the meaning of food").

Paris & France History

► Is Paris Burning?, by Larry Collins & Dominique Lapierre (how Paris escaped detonation at the close of WWII).

► The Road from the Past, by Ina Caro (travel-related history essays).

► The Greater Journey, by David McCullough (the story of Americans who learned from Paris in the 19th Century).

The Paris Métro: A Ticket to French History, by Susan L. Plotkin (the story behind each of the hundreds of names given to Métro stations).

Americans in Paris: Life and Death under the Nazi Occupation 1940-1944, by Charles Glass.

The Discovery of France, by Graham Robb (a very readable overview explaining "how the modern nation came to be, and how poorly understood that nation still is today").

Parisians -- An Adventure History of Paris, by Graham Robb (focusing on the trus stories of "the lives of the great, the near-great, and the forgotten" of Paris over the past 300 years).

The Last Duel, by Eric Jager (this short and engrossing book, the true story of the last judicially-ordered duel in France, transports you back to Normandy and Paris in the 1380s; it's a fascinating description of medieval society, law, and combat).

A Traveller’s History of Paris, by Robert Cole.

A Traveller’s History of France, by Robert Cole.

Paris, The Biography of A City, by Colin Jones (well footnoted and indexed, but some may find it dense).

Seven Ages of Paris, by Alistaire Horne (similar to above).

Paris, The Secret History, by Andrew Hussy (again, similar to above).

Literary Paris: A Guide, by Jessica Powell. (This well illustrated book profiles thirty writers — including Albert Camus, Ernest Hemmingway, Gertrude Stein, George Sand, Janet Flanner, and Emile Zola — and the places in the city integral to their daily lives.)

Métro Stop Paris, An Underground History of the City of Light, by Gregor Dallas (exploring history and more by focusing on twelve métro stops).

Paris Between the Wars 1919-1939, Art Life & Culture, by Vincent Bouvet and Gerard Durozi (2010; translated from the French original, 2009). Beautifully illustrated.

French Culture & Society

► Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong, by Jean Benoit Nadeau & Julie Barlow (a sophisticated explanation and critique of French society and ways; the title stems from a Cole Porter musical).

► Savoir Flair! and French or Foe?, both by Polly Platt (easily readable tips on enjoying and understanding France and the French).

When in France, Do as the French Do, by Ross Steele (similar to above).

Paris Inside Out, The Insider’s Handbook to Life in Paris, by David Applefield (loaded with tips, practical and deep).

The French, by Theodore Zeldin (originally published in 1982, but still worth rteading today; this is a classic and intelligent review by a well informed Englishman).

Stuff Parisians Like, by Olivier Magny (as the cover says: "Discovering the quoi in je ne sais quoi" — perceptive and quite funny, although sometimes it feels tediously sarcastic).

Paris Memoirs

► Paris, Paris, by David Downie (the author has lived in Paris for 20-plus — this book is beautifully written). See also the related web site, Paris Paris, the book. (For a mystery/ thriller set in Paris, check out Downie's fast-paced Paris, City of Night.)

► The Collected Traveler — Paris, by Barrie Keeper (a collection of short stories, detailed practical information, and more).

► Paris to the Moon, by Adam Gopnik (five years of Paris experiences, beautifully written).

► A Movable Feast, by Ernest Hemmingway (a gossipy classic). Note: a revised version was re-released in July 2009 with some controversial revisions and additions — see this critical Op-Ed analysis in the New York Times).

► Paris, Traveler’s Tales Guides (a collection of essays).

Into a Paris Quarter, by Diane Johnson (regarding the author’s 6eme apartment and neighborhood).

A Corner in the Marais, by Alex Karmel (regarding the author’s 4th arrondissement and neighborhood).

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, by Thad Carhart (about what it says, an more).

I’ll Always Have Paris, by Art Buchwald.

The First Time I Saw Paris, Photographs and Memories from the City of Light, by Peter Miller.

Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris. (Learning French . . . and more.)

Paris à vue d’oeil, by Henri Cartier-Bresson. (Classic and less known photographs.)

The Flâneur, by Edmund White. (“A stroll through the Paradoxes of Paris.”)

Almost French, by Sarah Turnbull. ("Love and a new life in Paris," by an Austranian journalist.)

Paris was Ours, edited by Penelope Rowlands. ("32 writers reflect on the City of Light.")

Memoirs of France

► From Here, You Can’t See Paris, by Michael S. Sanders (seasons of a small southwestern village and its restaurant).

► France, Traveler’s Tales Guides (collection of essays).

► France, A Love Story (Women Write About the French Experience), edited by Camille Cusumano (a collection of essays).

► Paris in the Fifties, by Stanley Karnow.

► At Home in France, by Ann Barry (the author’s experiences in the southwest).

The Secret Life of the Seine, by Mort Rosenblum (the story of the river and the author’s floating home, a former barge).

French Dirt, by Richard Goodman (story of a garden, village, and neighbors in the south).

French Impressions (The Adventures of an American Family) by John S. Littell (an American Family in 1950-1951 France).

How to Travel Incognito, by Ludwig Bemelmans (1952, republished 2003) (comic post-WWII travelogue).

“Spotted Dick, S’il Vous Plait,” by Tom Higgins (the story of an English restaurant in Lyon — a British perspective is almost always amusing).

Two Towns in Provence, by M.F.K. Fisher. (A loving study of Aix-en-Provence & Marseille.)

Long Ago in France, by M.F.K. Fisher. (Dijon in the late 1920s/ early 1930s.)

Suite Française, by Irène Némirovsky. (Life in France in 1940-1941; a controversial story of survival, compromise, and collaboration.)

I'll Never be French (no matter what I do), by Mark Greenside (a New Yorker/ Californian's warm and playful story about falling in love with a tiny Celtic village in Brittany).

The Oysters of Locmariaquer, by Eleanor Clark (this 1965 classic, winner of the National Book Award, is about more than Brittany's famous Belon oysters).

Portraits of France, by Robert Daley ("So and insightful that it immediately goes beyond the genge of travel writing").

Virgile's Vineyard, by Patrick Moon ("A year in the Languedoc wine country").

Arrazat's Aubergines, by Patrick Moon ("Inside a Languedoc Kitchen").

I'll Drink to That, by Rudolph Chelmiski ("Beaujolais and the French peasant to make it 'the world's most popular wine' " -- the story of Georges Duboeuf).

Adventures on the Wine Route, by Kermit Lynch ("A wine buyer's tour of France" -- and the proprietor of one of our favorite wine shops).

Murder mysteries, etc., set in France

Bruno, Chief of Police; The Dark Vineyard; and Black Diamond, all by Martin Walker. (These are exceptionally well done by someone who clearly knows and appreciates the culture of the French countryside, and the Perigord especially. We love Bruno, and look forward to more!)

Shopping

The Markets of Paris, by Dixon and Ruthanne Long. (Food, antiques, artisnal crafts, books & more, including dining recommendations.)

The Riches of Paris, A Shopping and Touring Guide, by Maribeth Clemente.

France hotel guides

► The Rough Guide to French Hotels & Restaurants 2005 (le Guide du Routard). Very useful.

► Michelin Charming Places to Stay 2004. Again, very useful.

Hotels and Country Inns of Character and Charm in France, by Michelle Gastaut, Jean & Tatiana de Beaumont, Anne Deren, Véroniqie De Andreis, Livia Roubaud, with Jean-Emmanuel Richomme (Fodor’s/ Rivages). Although the essence of this guide (and the following two as well) is now available on line, we still find the hard copy very useful.

Hotels of Character and Charm in Paris, by Jean & Tatiana de Beaumont, and Michelle Gassaut, edited by Véroniqie De Andreis (Hunter/ Rivages).

Bed and Breakfasts of Character and Charm in France, by Jean & Tatiana de Beaumont, Véroniqie De Andreis, Anne Deren, and Jean-Emmanuel Richomme (Hunter/ Rivages).

Karen Brown’s France, Charming Inns & Itineraries. This book (and its sister, below), updated yearly, lists many places that are not available on the free web version of this guide.

Karen Brown’s France, Charming Bed & Breakfasts.

Countryside hotels and restaurants

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Recommended countryside (and non-Paris) hotels (50+) and restaurants (100+), listed by region

(and, at the bottom of this post, some useful Web sites for researching hotels and restaurants)

Near Paris — east, south & north: Seine-et-Marne, Val d’Oise

Hotel le Prieure (Ermenonville, about 25 minutes east of CDG airport, in the Seine-et-Marne). This B & B (***) in Ermenonville is close to CDG, but feels very far away. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) For nearby dining (about five or ten minutes walk) we have enjoyed La Table du Poète, a haute cuisine restaurant in a nearby elegant chateau/hotel (and it's open on Monday!) and La Croix d'Or (fine country dining and service).

Hotel de Londres (Fontainebleau, south of Paris, in the Seine-et-Marne). If you are going to stay in Fountainebleau, you may as well stay at this Napoleon III hotel, in a room (like ours, no. 11) that looks out to the Chateau. There is no restaurant at the hotel. On Sunday (the most difficult dining night outside major cities), we booked at Restaurant L’Angélus, in nearby Barbizon — a 10 minute drive. It was quite nice, with a pleasant atmosphere and fine service. On Monday (also a difficult restaurant night), we dined at Croquembouche, a walk of five minutes from the hotel. It was excellent — contemporary French cuisine at its best. (See our full review of Londres at Tripadvisor.)

La Ramure (Auvers-sur-Oise, where Van Gogh spent his last months, just north of Paris, Val d’Oise). This is (or was?) a simple, authentic & charming B & B. Dining nearby is fairly limited on a Monday night (when we were last there), but we enjoyed Le Troubadour, in L'isle Adam.

Fairly near Paris — east and west: Oren & Eure (southern Normandy, west of Paris), and Picardie (northeast of Paris)

Villa Fol Avril (Moutiers au Perche, near Mortagne-au-Perche, Alencon, Nogent-le-Rotrou, in the Oren (southern Normandy)). This is a delightful and classy inn (***) and restaurant (with a pool) in a tiny village in the little-traveled but beautiful Perche region, about two hours west of Paris. (It's run by a nice young couple; see our full review at Tripadvisor.) For lunch nearby in Le Parc natural regional de Perche, we enjoyed the simple and modern Boutique et Espace Gourmand.

Auberge de la Source (8, Place Saint Barthélémy, 77750 Saint Ouen sur Morin, just west of Meaux, in the Seine-et-Marne). We had a nice dinner and stay in this sleepy village one hour from CDG. At lunch fairly nearby we had, among other things, the very best, and only truly enjoyable, an douillette in many tries over the past many years. We were near Troyes, in Sezanne, at Le Relais Champenois, 57 rue Notre-Dame, and it was indeed “Andouillette de Troyes.”

Hotel du Tribunal (Mortagne-au-Perche, near Alencon, in the Oren). This simple family-run hotel (**) with a good-value restaurant is located in the center of this nice little hilltop town. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) Nearby in Alencon, where pickings were slim on a rainy Monday lunch, we enjoyed grilled meats in what felt like a faux-farmhouse, L'Escargot Dore. On a more interesting day trip to "Suisse Normande," we enjoyed lunch at Hotel Restaurant Au Site Normand, in Clecy. Finally, we must mention the odd town of La Chapelle Montligeon (and its cathedral in the middle of nowhere), where, on a Monday, with everything else closed, at the somewhat shabby Cafe (and Bar) de La Marie, decorated in far-away Provencal yellows but also festooned with strange posters of American Indians, we had a delightful and simple four-course lunch (10 euros each, cheap wine included) along with local workers who barely spoke with each other.

Hotel du Saumon (Verneuil sur Arve, near Dreux, in Eure (southern Normandy). This hotel barely makes it onto our recommended list. The rooms facing the town square are nice enough, and acceptable for a one-night stopover in 1950's fashion (this is especially so regarding the bathrooms), but we can't recommend the hotel's restaurant. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.)

Hotel de L'Abbaye (Longpont, near Soissons, in the Picardie). This 11-room hotel (**) and restaurant is located in a tiny, beautiful and quiet village about one hour northeast of CDG airport. The hotel is not fancy, but very charming, and offers a great demi-pension value (room, breakfast and dinner if you stay 3 nights — see our full review at Tripadvisor). In the general area (within an hour drive), we have enjoyed lunches at Hostellerie le Griffon, in Blerancourt; La Table Kobus, in Epernay; and Auberge du Lion d'Or, in Nanteuil-sur-Marne.

Normandie

Hotel d’Argouges (Bayeux, in Calvados, Basse-Normandie). A very nice hotel (***) sans restaurant; it's been a few years since we were there, but from the Web site it looks even better. For dinner nearby: Le Pommier.

Hotel La Chaîne d’Or (Les Andelys [actually in "Le Petit Andely"], along the Seine, in the Eure, Haute-Normandie). This is a nice riverside hotel (***) and very fine restaurant, run by a helpful and pleasant young couple, Stephanie and Olivier Bicot. Driving between CDG airport and Les Andelys, we had a great lunch at Au Coeur de la Foret, in Montmorency. In nearby Rouen, we enjoyed a rustic lunch at Le Toque d'Or. On the coast in Honfleur, we enjoyed fine seafood on the terrace of La Grenouille.

Hotel de Bretagne (Pontorson, near le Mont-Saint-Michel, in Manche, Basse-Normandie). This is simple hotel (**) with a quite nice restaurant.

Pays de la Loire — Maine et Loire/ Indre-et-Loire

La Croix d’Etain (Grez Neuville, aside the beautiful river Mayenne, near Angers, in the Maine et Loire). A beautiful and quiet little B & B estate run by a delightful older couple. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) For nearby dining (about 15-20 minutes away by car), we enjoyed Auberge de la Diligence (fine country cuisine and service), in Loire; and Chateau de Noirieux (very fancy, haute cuisine), in Briollay.

Manoir les Minimes (Amboise, in the Indre-et-Loire). An elegant mansion (****), sans restaurant. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) For nearby dining we enjoyed Le Pavillon Des Lys (haute cuisine, about five minutes walk from the manoir), and Auberge de Launay (fine country cuisine), about five minutes drive from Amboise, in Limeray Amboise. Farther afield (about 20 minutes drive), we enjoyed more fine county cuisine at Restaurant La Roseraie and Restaurant du Roy, both in Chenonceaux. Finally, near Chateau de Chambord we had a fine lunch at Restaurant Manoir Bel-Air, in Saint-Dye-sur-Loire.

Domaine de Beausejour (Panzoult, just outside Chinon, in the Indre-et-Loire). This elegant B & B (with a pool) is located in the vineyards and produces its own wine. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) For nearby dining (about 5 minutes away by car, in Chinon), we enjoyed Hostellerie Gargantua (in a 15th century building), and Restaurant Les Annees 30. Farther away, while touring the countryside, we enjoyed Restaurant La Tourangelle, in Montlouis-sur-Loire (the best Grand-Marnier soufflé ever!), and La Promenade, in Saint Mathurin.

Loire-Altantique

Hotel Fort de l’Ocean (Le Croisic, near Nantes, in the Loire-Altantique). This is a super-dramatic Relais & Chateau establishment (****), with a fine restaurant, on the windy and “wild” coast. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) For nearby dining (about 15-20 minutes away by car), we enjoyed Le Nezil, in Saint-Lyphard; and fairly nearby, in Nantes, we enjoyed the classic 1900 brasserie, La Cigale.

Centre/ Indre

Manoir de Boisvillers (Argenton-sur-Creuse, south of Châteauroux, north of Limoges). This hotel (***) is an 18th century manor house, set in a private park with a nice pool. (Reasonable rates; no restaurant — but we had a fine dinner on the "agréable terrasse" of the Hotel/Restaurant Le Cheval Noir, an easy walk from the hotel.)

Allier (Auvergne)

Château d'Ygrande (near Moulins and Montlucon, northern Auvergne, in the Allier). This is an elegant chateau hotel (***) and restaurant with pool, horse riding, and walks through chestnut tree forests. (See our two reviews at Tripadvisor.) During our most recent stay we visited the Chateau d’Ainay-Le-Vieil (aka “Petit Carcassone”) and toured its amazing interiors and gardens; visited Abbaye de Noirlac (a well-preserved Cistercian Abbey dating from 1150); and visited the Forrest of Tronçais. For lunch dining, we enjoyed, and recommend, Auberge de l’Abbaye de Noirlac and Le Tronçais — each was “tres agreeable.” On a prior visit we enjoyed lunch at the simple Restaurant Les Trois Puits, in Bourbon l'Archambault; and, about an hour dive from the chateau (in the direction of Roanne), we had a fine lunch at Hotel Restaurant Galland, in Lapalisse.

Haute Savoie

Les Roches Fleuries (Cordon, near Chamonix, in the Haute Savoie). This is a very impressive hotel/chalet (****) with three restaurants. We stopped for a nice lunch about a half hour from Cordon (in the direction of Geneva) at Le Bois du Seigneur, in Les Gets, Morzine. A bit farther in the other direction — just on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc tunnel — we enjoyed lunch at Ristorante Pizzeria La Piazzetta, in Courmayeur.

Coin Savoyard (Combloux, near Chamonix, in the Haute Savoie). A chalet (***) and restaurant, with pool, in a delightful mountain village. On a nearby mountain hike, we enjoyed lunch at La P'tite Ravine, which also serves skiers on the slopes in winter. On a day trip drive to Samoens, we enjoyed lunch at Relais des Vallees, atop the Col de Joux-Plane.

Hotel de Savoie (Annecy, in the Haute Savoie). This little hotel (**), with some rooms more charming than others, is perfectly located in the old town on the canal. We enjoyed dinner in the adjoining restaurant, Auberge de Savoie.

La Vallombreuse (Menthon-St.-Bernard, near Annecy, in the Haute Savoie).
A dramatic B&B in an old country mansion sitting directly below an even more dramatic castle on lake Annecy. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) We enjoyed a nice dinner at the stylish Le Poupeton, less than a ten minute walk away. We also had a good dinner at Hotel Restaurant La Villa des Fleurs, in Talloires — along with lunch at the local hangout, Cafe de La Place, also in Talloires. Note: On our next visit, we plan to dine at the nearby Ferme de la Charbonniere.

Le Vieux Logis (Yvoire, on Lake Geneva, in the Haute Savoie). A hotel (***) and restaurant in a charming (but touristy) medieval lakeside village. Some rooms could use updating, but the views are incredible. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) We had a nice but simple lunch across from the lake at Hotel-Restaurant Le Leman, just outside Saint-Gingolph — about 45 minutes southeast of Yvoire. (And, over the border in Switzerland, across from the incredible Chateau de Chillon, we had a fine lunch at Taverne du Chateau de Chillon, in Veytaux-Montreau.)

Beaujolais

Chez la Rose (Julienas, in the Beaujolais). A nice hotel (**) and restaurant, run by a young couple with plans of expansion and continued improvement (a swimming pool soon?). (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) In the area, we have enjoyed more than one lunch at Le Chiroublon (a simple local gem), in Chiroubles. Also pleasant is La Vieille Auberge d'Oingt, in Le Bourg Oingt; and the simple Restaurant Le Fleurie, near the gare in Villefranche-sur-Saone. Farther away, but "worth the trip" for haute cuisine, is Restaurant Jean Brouilly, about an hour south in Tarare.

Bourgogne

Hotel Clos du Colombier (1 Rue du Colombier, 21630 Pommard, just south of Beaune). This nice (***) hotel is set inside the walls of the Colombier vineyard at the edge of Pommard is run by a husband and wife team, Philippe and Véronique Barthelmebs. Both speak excellent English (she’s a native English speaker). The rooms are comfortable and airy; the village itself is gem — a real working wine town with no glitzy touristy touches to speak of. We walked to dinner at Auprès du Clocher (“Near the Bell-tower”), 1 rue de Nackenheim, in "downtown" Pommard. We still remember the escargot raviolis we had there, and overall, we enjoyed it more than the considerably more expensive dinner at Jardin des Ramparts in Beaune, 10 rue Hôtel-Dieu. For lunch in the heart of Beaune, we enjoyed and would happily return to Le Gourmandin, 8, place Carnot, which also looks to be a promising little hotel if one wants to stay in the city.

Moulin Renaudiots (Chemin du Vieux Moulin, just west of Autun on the D978, in the Saone et Loire). Peter (Danish), a former clothing designer, is a fine cook, and he and Jan (Dutch) are hosts with a great degree of style. Our table d’hote dinner with them (they sat at opposite ends of a beautiful table for 12) stared with Champagne in the garden at 19:30, and the last five of us called it quits after some cognac at about midnight. Unfortunately, the next morning, as we were talking with Peter about the challenges of doing the dinner four times a week, he mentioned that next year they will drop down to two per week — Monday and Friday, I believe he said. Oh well, we also enjoyed Le Chapitre, 11 pl. du Terreau, in Autun. (And after dinner there, the proprietor confirmed our suspicion — that Peter did their interior design.) We stayed in the St Andoche room on the second floor, and having looked at the others, including the two ground floor rooms, this will continue to be our pick when we return, sooner than later, we hope (and including a Monday or Friday).

La Fontaine aux Muses (La Celle Saint-Cyr, 9 km from Joigny in the Yonne, Bourgogne). This charming hotel/restaurant, with a pool, is know for hosting live jazz events.

Hotel les deux Ponts (Pierre-Perthuis, near Vezelay, in the Yonne, Bourgogne). A hotel (**) and fine restaurant in a tiny village run by a young couple — he is the Chef; she, originally from the Netherlands, runs the hotel. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) We enjoyed a nice — albeit quite spartan — lunch of cider, cheese and hot broth by the fire at Ancienne Hostellerie de l'Abbaye XIIeme, in Vezelay, and about an hour away, we enjoyed a great lunch at the stylish Wine Bar Laroche/ Hotel Restaurant du Vieux Moulin, in Chablis.

Château de Messey (Ozenay, near Tournus, in the Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne). This great B & B (a Karen Brown favorite) offers fun and lively “table d’hôte” dining and a nice swimming pool on an ancient estate that produces, bien sur, its own wine. We also enjoyed a great dinner on the terrace of the stylish Le Saint Martin, run by two Swiss fellows, a 10-15 minute drive from the chateau, in Chapaize.

Gite No. 473 (Hauteroche, near Dijon, in the Cote d’Or, Bourgogne). The hamlet in which this country house rental (gite) is located is so small, it lacks any commerce — not even a boulangerie. (But a grocery/ bread van serves it daily.) We enjoyed dinners nearby at Auberge du Cheval Blanc, in Alesia, and Hotel Restaurant Le Relais de Flavigny, in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, and lunch at Restaurant de l'Auxois, in Vandenesse en Auxois. In Dijon — a 40 minute drive — we had a good lunch at Le Spice (international cuisine).

Auberge La Musardiere (Chagny, in the Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne). This is a simple and inexpensive hotel (**) and restaurant; we enjoyed dinner on the shaded tarrasse.

Hotel Restaurant de Bourgogne (Cluny, in the Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne). This is a nice hotel (***) with a very fine restaurant.

Alsace, Haut-Rhin

Hotel Schwendi (2 Place Schwendi, Kientzheim, near Colmar). We love family run hotel-restaurants in the French countryside, and this certainly is one (three generations are in place here), but despite our stay for four days, and although we loved the Swiss-like feel of the rooms (great down comforters, etc.), we will not return because the establishment and personnel did not exactly exude warmth, our one dinner there was OK, but not memorable, and we were not very impressed with their wines (like some other small places in Alsace, they serve only the wines from their own winery). Our best dining in the general area was, in order of pure enjoyment:

Le Pressoir de Bacchus, 50 route des Vins, 67650 Blienschwiller. (No Web site that I can find.) Fittingly, we were here at harvest time, and we had fun dodging the slender tractor trailers of grapes fresh from the vineyards. As Michelin says, “Regional fare with a hint of originality and a wine list featuring all of the village’s 27 winegrowers” (plus they get a bib). And as the sign outside the door says, “Ni Bistrot, Ni Gastro . . . C’est la cuisine de Sylvie!” We quickly learned to love Sylvie (whom we could glimpse in the kitchen) and her husband (who runs the room), and still think about an amazing mushroom dish. We split a great “mushroom bouillabaisse” dish as a mini entrée for the four of us, and then we ordered one plat each: Ravioli of carp — very nice; pork cheeks — dandy!; the local fish of the day (forgot its name) was super; and one of us got choucroute garni that was so much better than other versions we’ve had (including two days prior at Schwendi) — the choucroute itself was light, thin, and delicate; the meats were high quality, altogether yum. At that end of our lunch, one of our companions said to the husband, “tell your wife she’s good” — to which he responded, with a slightly raised eyebrow, “How do you know”? We want to return to good Sylvie, and the serious and non-touristy village of Blienschwiller. Other nearby dining:

A l’Agneau, Katzenthal. This is a traditional hotel restaurant, and we may stay here on our next visit to this area. It’s a typical-style regional house next to a family-run winery, with two small, pretty, and packed, Alsatian dining rooms.

Le Chambard, Kaysersberg. This hotel/restaurant on the quite touristy main street has a cookbook-author chef and one Michelin star. The carte is surprisingly limited. The options were five savory dishes, from which you order a la carte or as one of two menus: either three plus cheese or dessert, for 80 euros, or all five savories plus dessert(s) and cheese, for about 120(?) or so. We went with the smaller option. The food was very good, but at this price it did not send us, and although we like and want small portions, some of these were surprisingly small indeed, especially the “ombre chevalier” (a deep lake fish similar to trout, we were told), on the carte for about 45 Euros. Local sparking water was charged at 10 Euros per bottle, yikes. We had a very good Riesling (“Schlossberg Grand Cru Cuvee Ste Catherine Colette Faller et ses filles”), and quite decent local pinot (A. Boxler, but expensive for what it was).

Aux Armes de France, Ammerschwihr. This is an “interesting” place. We suddenly needed dinner on a Monday night, when we decided not to dine a second time at our hotel restaurant. The lobby of Aux Armes present a wall of framed newspaper articles from around the western world reporting about how the chef, Philippe Gaertner, “gave up” his Michelin star, in order to cook the way he wants and preserve his restaurant’s economic viability. (Still, Michelin gives him three forks and spoons, and a bib.) And yet, in the curved stairway leading up to the restaurant, there were photos of Gaertner standing among the other 21 or so Michelin “stars of Alsace.”

The room generally looked and felt good to us, and so we reserved for later that night. But during our dinner we were not very pleased, and the feeling came over us that it had lost, or not yet found, its way. Two of us split a house specialty — poulet facon “Francis Staub” for two ” — but it was not very special. The carte offered a simple Weisswurst entre (a chef friend in Munich has instructed us that it is to be eaten only before noon, but anyway), which I happily got and liked (passing on the odd offering of something like “American BBQ’d ribs,” hmmm — maybe his was better than my own, but I doubt it, and I was not in Alsace to have that). The entrecote ordered by another at our table was dry, tough, and apparently lousy as well. I can’t recall the other plat or entrees, but overall, the place just felt tired and searching. Being only half-full on a Monday night probably added to that sense. True to the bib, tho, it was not terribly expensive (210 for four, including two bottles of wine, one sparkling water, two desserts, and a tea).

Other culinary excursions in the general area: In Ampfersbach, near Munster, we returned after a few years to have lunch at Restaurant des Cascades, an end-of the valley place where the wind is sure to kick up at about 14:00, and it did, blowing in a little storm as we watched from the cozy interior. Unfortunately, we could not enjoy the oven-fired tartes flambees, which are offered only at night, but we still like this very local place.

Over the river and border in Freibourg, on a coldish Sunday, we stumbled upon Englers Weinkrugle, Konviktstrasse 12, nicht schlecht at all, and I got to have some schnitzel and a very good beer.

Finally, we have to mention Bernard Antony. When driving from Burgundy (Pommard) to the Colmar area, we detoured for a cheese tasting lunch at the “Sundgauer Käs Kaller,” which we know from trusted friends is the home of “probably the most famous affineur in France.” It was great, and Monsieur Antony, alone with the four of us on a lazy Friday at noon (until his son joined us at the end), was charming, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes, and gamely went along with my bad German and worse French. As I’d arranged with him by email, we opted for the 8-cheese “Assiette de fromages” (he actually gave us 9, and we had two aged demis of Riesling) rather than the daunting “Cérémonie des fromages,” and when we mentioned that we are going to le Chambard that evening, he packaged a special aged cheese to deliver on his behalf. The folks at Chambard later told us they could not figure out what it was and would have to call him. Which may have been Monsieur Antony’s intent, since they are apparently not yet clients. What a great stop that was.

Oh, one more note: We had a great terroirist wine tasting at Marcel Deiss in Bergheim — highly recommended.

Hotel le Marechal (Colmar, in the Haut-Rhin). This beautiful hotel (****) with a nice restaurant is perfectly located on the romantic canal, from which you can take a boat ride, as in Venice (very nice, but not quite the same). Nearby (a 5-10 minute walk), we enjoyed dinner at La Maison des Têtes (great ambiance, but beware, service can be problematic), and Au Fer Rouge (we've heard it's closed? — tant pis).

Hotel Villa Rosa (Trois Epis, near Colmar, in the Haut-Rhin). This lively hotel (**) set in an old family home in the hills above Colmar has a restaurant and pool. (The owner, Anne-Rose, is surprisingly and refreshingly outgoing, and may address the assembled guests during dinner!) We also had fine dinners at La Grangeliere, in Eguisheim, and at Auberge du Brand, in Turckheim; and we had good lunches at Taverne Medieval, in Gueberschwihr, Restaurant des Cascades, near Munster in Stosswihr (where we were driven inside from our terrace table by a dramatic summer storm that blew down the valley), and Maison Zimmer, Winstub Au Tire-Bouchon, in the quaint walled village of Riquewihr.

Hotel de la Tour (Ribeauville, in the Haut-Rhin). This fine establishment (***) and restaurant is located in the middle of this charming town, a major wine producing center. We splurged and also dined at the famous, three-starred Auberge de l'Ill, in Illhaeusern — but this was in the days before the smoking ban of January 2008, and the oblivious people next to us, who puffed constantly for three-plus hours, ruined our dinner. We had a much more enjoyable dinner at Le Auberge du Schoenenbourg, in the beautiful nearby village of Riquewihr, and we had a good dinner at Restaurant du Haut Ribeaupierre, a short walk from Hotel de la Tour.

Hostellerie da Diligence (Obernai, southwest of Strassbourg, in the Bas-Rhin). This is a pleasant little hotel (**) in a pretty town.

Lorraine/ Meurthe-et-Moselle

Maison de Myon (7 rue Mably, Nancy). Take a look at the web site and you will get a small feeling for it. Martine Quenot, the proprietor, is an amazing woman of great taste and apparently boundless energy and enthusiasm, and she is a fine hostess. She offers a table d’hote sometimes — but there are nice restaurants nearby in any event, including, our favorite on our short visit, “la Poule Ange.” We also has a good lunch at Vins et Tartines, 25 bis rue des Ponts, and we pretty much enjoyed dinner at La Maison dans le Parc, 3 r. Ste-Catherine, a very stylish and place, but for the first time in the last 12 years of dining in France, the waiter flatly refused the request of one of our party of five for a not-on-the-carte “salade vert” — that was odd and off-putting, especially when we saw from later courses that they must have had the basic greens to do it.

Franche-Compté/ Doubs

Hotel Taillard (Goumois, on the Swiss border, in the Franche-Compté/ Doubs). This fine hotel (***) with a charming restaurant and pool sits above a village on the river Doubs, dividing France and Switzerland. Dinner was excellent each night in the main dining room — a classy and elegant site with old oak woodwork and beautiful high windows. (See our full review at Tripadvisor.) Nearby, we enjoyed visiting and hiking at Saut du Doubs (an impressive waterfall); lunch a few km from the Saut at Restaurant-Bar-Pizzeria Du Port, near Viller-Le-Lac, on the Doubs; and hiking the “Échelles de la Mort” (the ladders of death) — really they are steep stairs, and not nearly as dangerous as it sounds — offering a nice view of the valley.

Rhône-Alps (Isère/ Rhône/ Savoie)

Chateau de la Commanderie (Eybens-Grenoble). This striking hotel (***) with a fine restaurant and pool is set in a garden-park just outside Grenoble. We also enjoyed, for dinner, La Table d'Ernest, in Grenoble.

La Gabetière (Estrablin, near Vienne, south of Lyon). This hotel (***) is a 16th century manor house, set in a private park with a nice pool. (Reasonable rates; no restaurant — and we cannot recommend one, because we happily dined with relatives.)

Hotel Million (Albertville, site of the 1992 winter Olympics). This elegant and traditional hotel (***) with a fine restaurant (and a cooking school, 6-day courses) is located in the center of town. We had a nice, simple lunch at Pub au Bureau.

Provence: Vacluse /Alpes-Maritimes/ Alpes de Haute Provence

Auberge du Presbytere (Saignon, near Apt, in the Vacluse). This highly regarded “hotel de charm” (**) with restaurant, is located in an ancient hilltop village.

Auberge des Seigneurs (Vence, near Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes). For more than 80 years this has been a family-run hotel (**) and restaurant in the old town of Vence.

Hostellerie des deux Lions (Forcalquier, south of Sisteron, in the Alpes de Haute Provence). This is a simple but pleasant hotel (***) with restaurant in a former 17th century postal building on the center square of a nice little town. Reasonable rates; parking is nearby in an old garage cave.

Mas de Cornud (Saint-Remy de Provence). This cooking school/ B & B (with a pool) is run by an an expat American (David) and his wife (and Chef) Nito. We had a fine dinner nearby at Le Bistro des Alpilles.

Bristol Hotel (Avignon). Why did we stay at the Bristol in Avignon — a "Best Western" hotel (***) with little charm? Because the hotel for which we had booked (Hotel du Palais des Papes) decided that it needed to bump us to make way for another client. Tant pis, the Bristol was not too bad (it was hot outside, and at least it had air conditioning), and a good friend whom we met in town (during the crazy summer festival) took us to dinner at the Restaurant of the Hotel Mirande, and for that we here happy.

Aquitaine/ Dordogne

Hotel de la Madeleine, Sarlat-La-Caneda. This is a stately hotel (***) and restaurant in the center of a beautiful regional town. We also enjoyed, for dinner, La Couleuvrine.

Property No. 473, Urval, near Bergerac and Sarlat-La-Caneda. This charming house inside a country mansion estate sleeps 6. The pool is quite necessary in the hot summer. When not cooking "chez nous," we enjoyed dinner on the terrace of La Salvetat, near Cadouin, up a long and winding road (Route de Belvès), but worth the drive. We also enjoyed lunch at Hotel de la Terrasse, in Salignac en Perigord.

Midi-Pyrenees/ Averon

Hostellerie de Fontanges (Onet-le-Chateau, just north of Rodez, in the Averon). This impressive 16th /17th century Chateau on the “route de Conques” has a very nice restaurant and pool. On a day trip drive though the Gorges du Lot, we enjoyed a nice terrace terrace lunch at Hotel Restaurant Les Deux Vallees, in Entraygues-sur-Truyere, before heading on to Laguiole and then back to the hostellerie.

Midi- Pyrénées / Haute-Garonne

Les Logis de St.-Sernin, 12 rue de St.-Bernard, Toulouse. This is a delightful family-run four-room bed and breakfast (the large variety of house-made preserves was a special treat), perfectly located for strolling around the city. The rooms are generous, bright, and very comfortable. Within a few minutes’ walk, we enjoyed dinners at hopping Restaurant J’Go, 15 Place Victor Hugo (it serves until 23:30, which was useful after our long-strike-delayed flight), and somewhat touristy but very pleasant Emile, 13 pl. St-Georges (the cassoulet lived up to its billing).

Midi- Pyrénées / Ariège

Auberge les Myrtilles, Salau d’en Haut, Couflens-Salau. We were looking for a remote, quiet, and simple pension that served dinner, located at the end of a valley road, and this is it. It may be too remote and simple for some. Very nearby, for lunch we enjoyed Auberge des Deux Rivieres, Pont de la Taule, and would be happy to stay there when next in this area.

Midi- Pyrénées / Hautes-Pyrénées

Hotel le Viscos (***) , 1, rue Lamarque, Saint Savin. We dined here two nights, enjoying first the menu découverte, and then the menu dégustation. Chef Jean-Pierre St. Martin came to the table each night and proudly described each dish in beautifully accented English, and he gave us a kitchen tour and a bottle of local wine when we departed. What a classy and delightful place. Nearby, we had a great lunch beside a roaring cascade at the stylish L’Abre du Benques, in La Raillère, Cauterets. Two hours away, in Saint-Mamet de Luchon (southern Haute-Garonne), we had a nice lunch at Hotel Restaurant La Rencluse.

Aquitaine/ Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Hotel Arcé (***), St. Etienne de Baigorry (near St. Jean Pied de Port). We can’t wait to return to this beautiful and classy riverside hotel with an excellent restaurant. We ate one night in the interior dining room, and one night beside the flowing river, under the pollarded 100-year old plane trees. Nearby for lunch in Bidarray we enjoyed the small terrace at the small and simple, Hotel Restaurant Barberaenea. Two hours away, we hade a nice lunch in Bielle, at L’ayguelade.

Hotel Ithurria (***), Ainhoa. This is, so far, our favorite Hotel/Restaurant in the Basque Pyrénées; we dined here two nights, demi-pension — and when we mentioned to the proprietor that the second night’s main course was similar to what we’d had elsewhere for lunch, he quickly said, “no problem, we’ll change that for you, what would your like?” On the morning we departed, we had a nice tour of the kitchen and the 10,000-bottle wine cellar. Nearby for lunch, we enjoyed Le Kaiku, 17 rue de la République, 64500 Saint Jean de Luz, 05 59 26 13 20; and in the midst of a severe storm, we had a great lunch in Biarritz, at the Rotonde, Hotel du Palais — directly overlooking the raging Gulf of Gascone.

Languedoc-Roussillon/ Pyrénées Orientales

Hotel Madeloc, 24 rue Romain Rolland, Collioure, a nice place with a rooftop pool, is a five minute walk from the touristy center of the town. We had fine dinners at Le 5ème Péché, 18, rue de la Fraternité, tel. 04.68.98.09.76 (French-Japanese fusion by a Japanese chef), and at La Casa Leon, 2 rue Riere (a fresh seafood specialist — we had excellent turbot), tel. 04.68.82.10.74. Note: On our drive from Toulouse to Collioure, we had an excellent seafood lunch near Narbonne, in Bages, at Le Portanel, Passage du Portanel, la Placette, tel. 04 68 42 81 66 (this place is an eel specialist). Farther west, in the direction of Foix, we stopped in Quillan (Aude) to have great wild cèpes and local trout for lunch at Hotel Restaurant Cartier, 31 Boulevard Charles de Gaulle.

Books

(See the “France hotel guides” section, at the end of our “Recommended books” listing.)

Web sites

We use the following web sites to find hotels, B&Bs, “gites” (short term rental home, typically in the countryside), and restaurants throughout France. Most of our favorite countryside hotels also have restaurants. Just click on the interactive maps on each of these sites, and you will pull up information and often a link to the establishment’s official web site.

ViaMichelin. This is our favorite and most useful planning site — although some "improvements" have made it more difficult to use. (In the “maps” box, enter “France” and a town name, click on the “proximity search” option for Michelin Hotels & Restaurants — and then get easy access to the entire Red Guide, and other guides, for free; also use the directions features to estimate driving times.)

Tripadvisor. This is our second-most-useful planning site. We often check to see if there are reviews of hotels or restaurants that we have identified, and sometimes we have changed plans based on the reviews we have read.

Guides de Charme. This site provides links to about 2,000 hotels and B&Bs, and specializes in establishments of special “charm.”

Logis de France. This site provides links to about 2,000 mostly countryside hotels and restaurants that specialize on regional cooking.

Gites de France. This site provides links to many thousands of privately-owned gites; the entire transaction can be done on line.

Karen Brown. We have stayed in at least 20 of the recommended places in these guides — there are two guides for France, one for hotels, and the other B&Bs — and the recommendations for both have been consistently very good.

Chowhound (France forum) and EGullet Society (France dining page). These are both excellent sources for dining recommendations offered by serious eaters — covering Paris, and beyond, in France (and, indeed, the rest of the fine dining world).

12 (“Une douzaine”) restaurant tips . . .

2007-08-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

on how to blend in and
not to appear too much like a tourist
in a Paris restaurant . . .
(or at least how to be a good one)

The following is based on a book chapter that we prepared back in 2002-2003 with a Paris friend, Barbara Pasquet-James, and continually updated since then. (The book was designed to list non-smoking restaurants in Paris; it was going to be a thin book. But then the national smoking ban went into effect in 2008, happily making such lists obsolete.) We and others have shown this section to French friends, and many have reported back to the effect that “all visitors to France should read this.” That may be a bit much, but here goes:

We are tourists when we visit Paris/ France, and we don't pretend otherwise. But, like most other tourists, we try to respect the local culture, and not stand out too much. At the risk of sounding a bit preachy, we’ve set out, like a good plateau of oysters or escargots, a dozen tips and observations collected from numerous sources and from personal experience — tips that may make Parisians more likely to appreciate you, and you them.

First — And especially for dinner in a restaurant or serious bistro: Make a reservation

Reservations are not necessary (or even customary) for cafés, or for many brasseries (except at peak hours), but may be necessary for many “serious” restaurants and bistros. Moreover, making a reservation exhibits respect, and ensures that you won't be disappointed if your chosen restaurant or bistro is overbooked. When you don’t reserve by phone (see accompanying box), you might do what we often do: walk around during the day to scope out a place where you’d like to dine. Enter, deliver a solid “bonjour monsieur” (or madame), take a look around, shake hands/ introduce yourselves, and then make a reservation for that evening or the next. As you leave, take the restaurant’s business card, and write the reservation date and time on it. When you later return to the restaurant, you will do so with the authority of someone who at least knows where he or she is going.

[Reserving by phone: If your French is poor, ask your hotel receptionist to reserve for you. More challenging and more fun, if your French is passable, telephone and make the reservation yourself. But don’t be too surprised when, after your carefully planned but bumbling phone request, questions are thrown back at you in a rapid-fire fashion that would confuse even a visiting French tourist from the countryside. Parisians speak quickly.]

Second — Saying “bonjour monsieur” or “bonjour madame” to all restaurant personnel you meet will ease your way considerably

This was mentioned before, and cannot be stressed enough. At first it may feel a bit odd, but it’s a deeply ingrained social custom, and if you don’t do it, you stand out, and worse, appear to be rude. Don’t hesitate to say “bonjour” 24 hours a day; it translates as “hello,” not “good day.” You can, if you wish, substitute “bonsoir” if it’s after 6:00 p.m. (Do not say “bonne nuit” unless you are in your nightgown and are immediately about to hit the sack.)

[A Theory of Relative Rudeness: The commonly held belief of some tourists — that the French in general, or Parisians in particular, are rude — often stems from the failure to utter the simple greeting, “bonjour madam/ monsieur” or to observe other similar social customs (such as remembering to use the expressions, pardon, excusez-moi, and s’il vous plaît). These utterances are a reflex for the French, and if you fail to do the same you may quite unintentionally trigger a less than cordial response. So, “bonjour” and “s’il vous plaît” your hotel receptionist, bus driver, and ticket taker, as well as your waiter. And please make sure to include the word “monsieur” or “madame” after your bonjours and other similar expressions.]

On the whole, the French are formal and polite, but don’t confuse that sing-songy, ubiquitous little “bonjour” as a sign of genuine friendliness. It may be — but more often than not, it’s just part of the expected way of acknowledging the presence of another. So jump in and do the same; give your waiter a healthy “bonjour.” He’ll respond in kind, delivered with a courteous and professional air, and rarely with a smile. The absence of ready smiles must not be taken personally — most local customers don’t receive (or give) them either. The French (except, perhaps, those in the south) ration their smiles carefully. What you are more likely to get from your waiter is good-natured guff. He may test your mettle to see what you can take. Push back in a friendly and confident manner, and you will gain his respect, thus creating an experience that will be all the more enjoyable.

[A waiter is not “garçon”: If, during your meal, you want to attract the waiter’s attention, do so by subtle eye contact, or say “monsieur, s’il vous plaît” as he passes. Despite what you may have seen in old films, or heard from your great-uncle Bob, who was stationed in Paris and recounts many fine restaurant experiences from the 1950s-1960s (probably dives), never call a waiter “garçon” (boy). In France, many waiters are serious professionals. Some locals may get away with “garçon,” but not us, and not you.]

Third — Dress and speak so as not stand out; and don’t gawk (yes, that is a Breton spaniel at the table to your left)

Except if you are in a simple bar/cafe, folks attired in swooshy athletic shoes, baseball hats, gaudy tee-shirts, or shorts of any kind are not apt to warm a waiter’s or le patron’s heart, and they will (whether they notice or not) cause at least some local customers to roll their eyes. When in a nicer bistro or restaurant, you will almost always "blend in" if you happend to be wearing neutral tones, beiges, dark colors, or simple black. Women would do well to learn the French technique of tying a scarf just so, and leave gaudy jewelry in the hotel. You will know that you’ve succeeded in blending in when, on your way to dinner, a Parisian stops you on the street to ask you directions, or for the time — possibly the only two permissible questions to ask strangers in public places, by the way.

[Cameras, guidebooks and cell phones: Hide away your camera and large guidebooks, and avoid using a fanny-pack. (Side benefit: this decreases your chances of being pick pocketed on or near the Métro.) Your cell phone, discreetly placed to the side, on the table, is one accessory that will make you appear Parisian. For better or worse, cell phones are everywhere. But for some non-European travelers it may be an empty prop — many U.S. cell phones don’t work in Europe, although that is changing. (We often use an international phone with an inexpensive SIM card from Telestial, although lately we've just been using iPhones — but beware of huge roaming charges.)]

Even properly attired patrons may draw unsolicited attention to themselves if they use their normal speaking volume. Notice that the pleasant ambient murmur of local voices in a Paris restaurant is considerably lower in volume than in most American restaurants. The French easily achieve privacy and intimacy in crowded restaurants, many of which have very closely placed tables, by speaking softly. Speaking or laughing too loudly is viewed as an intrusion on other patrons’ dining pleasure — and even vulgar.

Although the sight of a dog at the table next to you may trigger an urge to gawk or point, take it in stride. Dogs are welcome in many restaurants and besides, the French love them: there are more canines in Paris than children. The pooch sitting quietly on the society matron’s lap, or snoozing at the foot of a laborer, or poking his nose out discreetly from the tablecloth of the family beside you, is just another family member that goes everywhere they do. The good news: you can assume that at least the dog won’t smoke! (Although one can never be too sure: a well-known brasserie in the 1rst arrondissement is named Au Chien qui Fume — “The Dog That Smokes.”) Speaking of smoking — the smoking ban that commenced January 2008 is widely successful and compliance is excellent; but the downside is that it's often smoky outside, at sidewalk and open air tables.

Fourth — Expect to stay a while

A typical restaurant lunch or dinner is three courses: an entrée (that’s a starter, not the main course), a plat principal (that's the main dish), and a dessert. One of the beautiful things about traditional French dining is that it is a leisurely ritual, a time for conversation and reflection, and not just a fueling stop. On top of that, realize that food and dining is a well-known French obsession. Mealtime is often the most important, and enjoyable, part of the day, and the French have no desire to truncate the experience. So count on approximately one and-a-half to two hours for lunch, and two-and-a half to three hours for dinner. (Café or brasserie dining is less structured — see accompanying box.)

[Cafés and brasseries: These less formal establishments are especially handy for off-hours dining. One is not expected to order the traditional three-course menu. A coffee or snack consumed standing at le zinc (a.k.a. le comptoir — the counter) of a café/bar will cost less than if you order the same at an interior table. The cost is highest if your table is in the café’s prime territoire, the terrace. It’s perfectly acceptable to nurse your coffee or beer for hours as you watch the world go by and read your folded Le Monde or International Herald Tribune — or, perhaps less elegantly, as you peruse either on your iPhone.]

Although the dining experience is destined to be leisurely and drawn out, the ordering process is not. The establishment’s carte, listing its offerings, is, by law, posted outside the front door. This provides time to preview the menu and take out your Marling Menu Master in order to translate unfamiliar terms. (Most recently we've downloaded Patricia Wells' excellent Glossary onto our iPhone, where we now have it available, without needing access to the internet, on our "favorites" on dropbox.com — all of this is free.) Parisians usually don’t take a long time to order after being seated — they’ve probably eaten there before, several times, and know exactly what they want — and your waiter may become frustrated if you have to keep asking for multiple translations of items or yet another “deux minutes, s’il vous plaît.” On the other hand, if you’re really having difficulty (either deciphering the carte, or simply deciding), you can buy time by ordering an apéritif, or some wine.

Fifth — Forge ahead and speak your faulty French, and be careful with your hands

More often than not, waiters appreciate the fact that you’re making an effort. Whatever you do, never begin by speaking English first. (The same applies at hotel reception desks and shops.) If necessary, follow your “bonjour” or “bonsoir madame/monsieur” with a hopeful look and slightly apologetic, “Parlez-vous anglais?” The answer probably will be “Yes”; if not, the waiter likely will try to fetch someone who does; and if that fails, well, you are in France after all — wing it.

Be careful with sign language. If you attempt to underscore your order of “deux” glasses of vin blanc by the typical American convention of making a “V” with your middle and index fingers, you may well get three glasses instead of two: the French count on their hands starting with the thumb, not with the index finger. So for the sign for “two,” hold up only your thumb and index finger. While on the subject of hands, we've been advised to keep them on the table at all times — and not allow them to slip onto your lap, or anyone else’s.

Sixth — Order wine and a bottled water, or a carafe of tap water

In 1825, Brillat-Savarin (in La physiologie du goût — The Physiology of Taste), asserted, “Un bon repas favorise la conversation; un bon vin lui donne l’esprit”: A good meal encourages conversation; a good wine makes it spirited. In Paris today, this generally remains as true and guiding a principle as it was 175 years ago.

Normalement, the house rouge or blanc (both widely served by the glass, or in various-sized carafes) is just fine, and usually a bargain. Otherwise, order from the carte de vins (wine list). Except for swish upper range restaurants with extensive caves and sometimes sommeliers (that’s him in the black coat with tails), most restaurants offer a range of bottled wines at prices substantially lower than the often outrageous prices found on most American restaurant lists. Impress your waiter, and benefit your pocketbook, by staying away from the easy selections like Bordeaux (made from cabernet sauvignon and merlot) and white Bourgogne blanc (chardonnay) or rouge (pinot noir, which can be otherworldly, but is much more often expensive and disappointing). Instead, order the lesser-known and more characteristic regional wines. (See accompanying box.)

[Red wines: Try a Chinon or Bourgeuil (made from cabernet franc, in the Loire Valley); a côtes-du-Rhône (made from grenache, syrah, carignon, cinsaut, and mourvèdre, in the southern Rhône valley); a dark and cool Cahors (made from malbec, a.k.a Auxerrois, near the river Lot in the southwest); a Gaillac (made from rare indigenous varietals such as duras and brocol, and other more common varietals such as cabernet franc and merlot, in the southwest’s Tarn département); an appellation-designated Beaujolais (made from gamay, in southern Bourgogne (Burgundy), just above Lyon); or a pleasant and light pinot noir from the Sancerre region.
White and rosé wines: Try a true dry riesling or pinot blanc from Alsace; a chasselas from the high alps of the Haute-Savoie near Lake Geneva; or a Sancerre (made from sauvignon blanc) or bone-dry muscadet (perfect with fresh shellfish), both from the Loire. A dry Bandol rosé from Provence is always a beautiful and reliable choice.]

Bottled waters — eau minérale — present a choice between eau avec gaz (a.k.a. gazeuse, carbonated water) and eau nature (or “sans gaz,” “non-gazeuse,” or plate i.e., “flat” or still water). In the first category, a good choice is the French brand Badoit — its green labeled offering has light bubbles that go well with food, it’s easy to pronounce (“bad-wah”), and ordering it makes you look like you know what you’re doing. Similar to Badoit, and perhaps a bit finer, is Chateldon, from the Auvergne region. (You may, however, be offered instead an Italian water, San Pelegrino, the gazeuse that’s showing up in many Paris restaurants.) For non-carbonated bottled water, order Vittel, Contrex, or Evian. It’s perfectly acceptable, and safe, alternatively or additionally, to order tap water (eau du robinet), which will come in a carafe (ask for “une carafe d’eau” or if you want it cold, “bien fraîche”). Ice water is rarely served, but if you need it, ask for eau glacée, or glaçons (ice cubes).

Asking for “une bière” gets you bottled beer; requesting “un demi-bière” is tap beer. Neither is traditionally served at dinner, except in brasseries. It is not customary to order a soft or cola drink with dinner, and we advise against it. Such sweet tastes generally do not go well with foods on offer. If a table companion nevertheless orders a Coke, observe your waiter’s expression . . . .

Seventh — Understand the difference between “le menu” and “la carte,” and be careful about splitting

La carte is the written listing of what the establishment serves. Le menu, by contrast, which may be called the formule, is a combo meal: first course (entrée), second course (plat principal) and sometimes dessert, offered as a package for a set price (le menu fixe), and often the best deal in the house (although the mode now in Paris is a choice between entrée and plat principal or a plat principal and dessert, for one price). In Paris, or a city, le menu may offer a couple choices for each course. But in the countryside, le menu might be a fixed deal with no choices for each course. So, if you are asked if you want “le menu,” and you answer “oui,” you have just ordered the two or three-course offering of the day! Unless you want to do that, make sure you get, and order from, the carte. (Substitutions are seldom allowed when ordering le menu, unless, of course, the menu offers options in the first place.)

In nicer places, more than one menu will be offered — there may be a tasting menu (menu de dégustation) or a gourmet menu (menu gastronomique), or both. These menus, designed to show off the chef’s specialties and creative powers, may be more pricey. When dining as a couple, it’s fun to order one regular menu and one of the specialty menus, so as to sample a broader range of the establishment’s offerings.

Finally, regarding splitting dishes: If you order from the carte, splitting a starter (entrée), cheese, or dessert is usually quite acceptable. Ask for "deux cuillères" — two spoons. Splitting a plat (main course) can be quite problematic, but an appropriate smile and a good attitude will take you far. You can usually split a plat (or even an entire single "menu") with no worry when sitting at the bar — if the place has one; that can come in handy if you’ve had a huge lunch earlier in the day.

[It's also difficult to split a bill: When the tab arrives, your waiter may refuse to make out “separate checks.” Not a happy development for business diners.]

Eighth — Sit back and let your taste buds be “amused” — and don’t expect salad with, or before, your main course

If you are in an upscale place that has (or has sights on) a Michelin star, you’ll likely be started with a complimentary gift from the kitchen, an amuse-bouche or an amuse-gueule — a bite-sized savory, a canapé, designed to whet the appetite or “amuse” your mouth and taste buds.

In lesser places (for us, most of the time), you’ll be quite content with the basket of freshly cut bread, often a baguette, but sometimes a specialty loaf or combination of breads. Beurre (butter) is not commonly served except on request. Often (and always, in a café or brasserie), a strong Dijon mustard will be on the table. If it isn’t, ask for it. A nice dab is meant to be spooned onto the side of the plate to be eaten with meats.

[Salads: If a salade verte (green salad) is desired, order it when you receive your plat principal, and it will be served after completion of that course. (Note that a simple green salad is almost always available, even though not listed on the carte. Just ask for it.) Other, more substantial salads that include meats, cheeses, and nuts, etc., will be listed on the carte, as entrées or as complete meals. Small green salads are served along with quiche, or fish, but only as an accompaniment, not a separate course, and never as a first course.]

Finally, look at the entire experience as an opportunity to be adventurous. The French have learned to make good use of many animal parts that, in other countries, are consumed unknowingly and only in sausages and other lesser forms of tubular foods. Sometimes it’s best not to use a menu translator, and just enjoy what you are offered, knowing that if it’s being served, you can rest assured that millions of Frenchmen have given it their blessing. Sorry Mr. Ed, but we’ve found that cheval (horse), served very rare, is both pleasant and sweet.

[“Doggy bags”: The French love their dogs, but they don’t ask to take home left-over portions of meals, either for their pooches or for themselves. If you ask to pack up part of your meal, you’ll probably cause a scene, and may be told you are not in a take-away establishment.]

Ninth — Did someone say cheese?

Just when you think you’ve done well and have earned your dessert, you learn that, for the real heroes at your table, there’s an optional additional course: le fromage. Some regard this part of the meal as a reward. The cheese cart or plateau (tray) will be brought to your table. “Would you like some regional cheeses?” Although the cart may have twenty offerings, you are expected to select only three, possibly four. Depending on the establishment and your waiter, the portions that will be cut for you after you point out your choices may be enormous or they may be minuscule. Monitor and adjust your order accordingly. At this stage of the meal, we typically order only one serving, which we split between us.

If the cheese that you select is presented to you in a wedge, eat it by cutting along the side of the wedge — don’t chop off the “nose.” (This convention applies when you are sharing a single wedge with others; because the cheese is best at that center area, it's considered rude to hog that part.) More bread will be brought for the cheese course (and sometimes butter as well), but make sure that you have sufficient wine to drink with the cheese. If you’ve miscalculated and have run out of wine at this point, don’t be surprised if (as once happened to friends we were dining with) a nearby customer intervenes and tells you that you cannot possibly enjoy the cheese without wine. And he will be correct: wine, at this stage, is essential: it cuts the richness of the fromage and, aficionados point out, must be sipped while the cheese is in the mouth. So order another glass, and, as you enjoy your vacherin des bauges, bleu de termignon, or cantal, consider skipping the dessert.

[Fruit course: Sometimes a fresh fruit course (complete with cutlery for peeling, etc.) will be offered after, or in lieu of, the cheese course.]

Tenth — Dessert, and, finally . . . le café

If you’ve taken the cheese course, and now feel that you should pass on dessert, you will be excused. But if you’ve ordered a menu that provides a dessert with your meal, you might as well partake. Standards to look for are babas au rhum (small leavened dough cakes soaked in rum-flavored syrup), crème brulée, various crêpes, and profiteroles au chocolat (small custard-filled cream puffs with chocolate sauce). Keep an eye out for the house chocolate cake — a sinful dark concoction often served with a vanilla-y crème anglaise.

Not until (or in some cases after) the dessert course (or, after the cheese course, if you skip dessert) are you allowed to have coffee. If you ask for coffee before dessert, your waiter likely will hold the order until you have finished the main part of your meal. And even then, if you order the wrong style of coffee for the time of day, your waiter may not bring it at all: cappuccino and other any coffees with milk or cream (like café au lait) are reserved for breakfast or served only in the afternoon. Not only will asking for one after dinner blow your cover, but the creaminess of the coffee will mask and spoil everything that went before.

Whether labeled café, café espresso, or café express, these terms all mean one thing: strong espresso, served in a small saucered cup with a tiny spoon for stirring in sugar. If you want something like “American” coffee, ask for café allongé — and you will be brought a large cup of lighter coffee elongated with water. (The other, less traditional, and more patronizing term for this is “café américan.”) Black coffee is café nature. Coffee with cream is café crème. Decaffeinated coffee is a “déca,” or café sans caféine, and is widely available. In upscale places, chocolate truffles, mini-madeleines or other sweets may appear when the coffee is brought out, and are a complimentary, elegant touch.

[The noisette: If you’re dying for an after-dinner café crème fix no matter what, try a café noisette (simply “une noisette” to locals and those in the know). It’s an espresso served in a small cup with a dash of cream added. Sometimes the cream is served on the side. Those familiar with Spain will instantly recognize it as a café cortado.]

Eleventh — The digestif

After a three hour meal, you may find yourself a bit overly sated. When a waiter overheard us discussing this condition one evening, he advised us to have a digestif, one of France’s most noble inventions. These after-dinner liqueurs — Cognac, Armagnac (brandy), Calvados (made from apples from Normandy), Porto, or an eau-de-vie (various clear fruit spirits), among many others — are said to stimulate digestion. “Oh sure,” we thought, just what we need after a substantial dinner and numerous glasses of wine. But he was right. We don’t do it often but every once-in-a-while, a good digestif is just the ticket.

Twelfth — Pay, tip (or not), and depart in style

In some places, if you don’t ask for the bill (“l’addition, s’il vous plaît”), you may sit there for an hour before it finally arrives. It is considered rude to present the tab without being requested to do so. (In fact, the table will not even be cleared of your empty glasses; to do so would suggest that you should leave.)

When your accounting finally is presented, know that unlike in some countries, (including the United States), where waiters depend on tips, in France, the waiter’s payment for “service” is almost always incorporated into the grand total. (The bottom of the carte will state “service compris” — service included.) Does this mean you shouldn’t tip? Not necessarily. . . . (See accompanying box.)

[Tipping: Most Parisians don’t leave a tip on top of the grand total. Others insist it’s customary — but only "pièces jaunes," small change. Still, some guidebooks authoritatively recommend leaving an additional five to ten percent. From our experience, this simply is not done. We leave just a euro or two if the service was especially good. (Doing so can be — but is not always — in your best interest if there’s a chance you’ll soon return soon.) Also, or alternatively, you might ask your waiter to convey to the Chef that you enjoyed the meal. (If you pay by credit card, always provide any tip in cash — but just leave it, don’t hand it to your waiter).]

Finally, if you’ve enjoyed your dining experience, let the waiter and host know, and when you stand to depart, take the restaurant’s business card, shake hands, and say “au revoir” (followed, of course, by “monsieur” or “madame”). If you return within a few days, your follow-up visit may be even better.

If you happen to be staying in a hotel or apartment in the vicinity of the restaurant, you may, as we do, prefer to walk back “home.” The amble aids digestion as we discuss the evening, observe the city at night, and prepare for the next day — when it’s time to start over.

[The long walk home: After a long, late dinner, we find a kinship with the observation of A.J. Liebling, who wrote: “Pedestrianism was always my balance for voracity; they were countervailing joys. Walking, I consumed what I had eaten, built up an appetite for more, had noble thoughts, and spotted likely-looking restaurants.” (Between Meals — An Appetite for Paris (1959).)]

Breakfast, lunch and dinner: Dining in Paris

2007-08-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

First: Breakfast

If you have an apartment, you may wish to just shop locally for breakfast “in house.” If you stay in a hotel, you can opt for the standard croissant, jam and coffee — but at 8-20€, that’s not a bargain, and can be tiring. Much more interesting than a typical hotel breakfast, and a better deal, will be found in almost any local cafe, salon de thé (tea room), or patisserie — or even a chain like Boulangerie Paul, with numerous locations. (Not to be confused with Restaurant Paul, on Place Dauphine, mentioned in the dinner section below.) Although we'd normally be reluctant to recommend a chain, we must admit that we have enjoyed the Paul site at 77 rue de Seine in the 6th arrondissement. People are lined up out the door to buy bread and pastries (always the sign of a fine boulangerie). Paul provides a great breakfast deal that includes fresh orange juice, fried eggs, bread, croissant, and coffee or chocolat chaud (amazingly thick and rich hot chocolate).
77 rue de Seine (at corner of rue Buci, 6th arrondissement). Métro: Odéon. Tel. 01.55.42.02.23.

(Another chain that we've enjoyed for breakfast is Le Pain Quotidien, with four locations in Paris.)

We also like La Patisserie Viennoise. We’d heard about the hot chocolate served at this little salon de thé near the medical school, and we were not disappointed. Great pastries, too.
8 rue de l’Ecole de Medecine (6th arrondissement). Métro: Odéon or cluny la Sorbonne. Tel. 01.43.26.60.48.

Then: Lunch

First, we will mention our approach to the idea of lunch. Generally, whether we are in Paris or the countryside, we try to find a place that will be interesting, "local," and satisfying — but that will not take more than about 90 minutes or two hours, and also will not make us too full. After all, we want to have dinner. Our lunch recommendations are set out below with this concept in mind. (A good alternative approach is to go all out and have a substantial lunch — maybe at a fine multi-starred restaurant, where the lunch tab often will be half to one-third of dinner — and then have a smaller dinner . . . .)

(Note: We don't generally focus upon vegetarian restaurants per se, although we do often have a vegetarian lunch. When friends have asked for specific vegetarian recommendations, we have referred them to the Paris page of Richard Gillmann's helpful lists of such places — see Vegetarian Restaurants in Paris.)

Mamie Gateaux. This delightful tea room and lunch location in the 6th arrondissement, usually filled 90 percent with women, has become our favorite lunch place. It's perfect for quiches and other savories, tartes and cakes before or after shopping at Au Bon Marché, a short walk away. If Mamie Gateaux is full (if you want a table for lunch you must arrive at least before 12:30; it closes at 18:00), another good place nearby — stylish, and with a wholly different atmosphere — is Cuisine de Bar (see below).

66 rue du Cherche-Midi (6th arrondissement). Métro: Rennes or Vanneau. Tel. 01.42.22.32.15.

Cuisine de Bar. Stylish and hip; we had a fine light lunch of tartines (open-faced toasted sandwiches) on great Poîlane bread from next door. (Open 8:30 to 19:00.)

8 rue du Cherche-Midi (6th arrondissement). Métro: Sevres-Babylon. Tel. 01.45.48.45.69.

Brasserie de l’Ile St. Louis. This hundred-year old brasserie, overflowing with character, is one of our favorite “first-lunch-back-in town” places. Usually we split an omelet, salad, and the house Alsatian riesling. The brasserie’s terrace has a great view of the back of Notre Dame. The Ile St. Louis is a gem to stroll, especially late at night.
55, quai de Bourbon (4th arrondissement). Métro: Pont Marie (or walk from Notre Dame). Tel. 01.43.54.02.59. Open 12:00 noon-2:30 (lunch), 6:30-2:00 (dinner), closed Thurs. lunch, Wed., and Aug.

Le Baron Rouge. This is a hopping and crowded wine bar (formerly named "rouge," but now maybe it's "bouge"? — see one version of the story here), just down the street from the Marche d'Aligre. On weekends the crowd spills over the sidewalk and into the street. Excellent charcuterie; oysters are served on Sunday.
1 rue Théophile-Roussel (12th arrondissement). Métro: Ledru-Rollin. Tél: 01.43.43.14.32.

Other recommended places for lunch or afternoon “tea”:

Florence Finkelsztajn. This traditional Jewish boulangerie and traiteur (deli/caterer) is one of two shops, only doors away from each other in the charming rue des Rosiers area of the Marais, on the opposite side of the street from l’as du Fallafel. The Florence storefront is blue, the other, and family rival, Sacha Finkelsztajn, is yellow. We like them both for Polish almond babkes, blini, and borscht. If there’s no place to sit, you can take your orders to go, and picnic in the nearby Place des Vosges.
24 rue des Ècouffes (4th arrondissement). Métro: St.-Paul. Tel. 01.48.87.92.85. Open 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (lunch), 3:00-7:00 p.m. (tea/early dinner), closed Wed. & Aug.

Mariage Frères. The firm is more than 140 years old, and offers more than three hundred kinds of tea served at lunch, brunch, and in the late afternoon. Tea bags are made by hand, the water is filtered, and tea is removed from the pot after it’s brewed, to avoid stewing. There’s a slightly snooty, albeit très elegante colonial France ambiance in the small dining room, which is decorated with original tea-related posters from 1930s. Numerous menu options are offered, including foie gras, small cut sandwiches on green bread, and salads. Make sure to visit the Musée de thé, up the narrow stairs.

30-32 rue du Bourg-Tibourg (4th arrondissement). Métro: Hôtel-de-Ville. Tel. 01.42.72.28.11. Open daily 11:30-4:00 (brunch/lunch), 3:00-7:00 (tea).

There are two other similar Mariage Frères locations in the 6th and 8th:

12 rue des Grandes-Augustins (entrance on rue de Savoie) (6th arrondissement). Métro: St.-Michel. Tel. 01.40.51.82.50. Open daily, 11:30-4:00 p.m. (brunch/lunch), 3:00-7:00 p.m. (tea).

260 rue du Faubourg St.-Honoré (8th arrondissement). Métro: Ternes. Tel. 01.46.22.18.54. Open daily 11:30-4:00 p.m. (brunch/lunch), 3:00-7:00 p.m. (tea).

Café Jacquemart-André. This is a beautiful café in a private museum housing a collection of Flemish, Italian Renaissance, and 18th-century French paintings. The café, once a formal dining room, is grandly decorated with tapestries, and a trompe l’oeil ceiling by Giambattista Tiepolo. Enjoy a brunch of smoked salmon, lentil salad, and various tarts.
158 boul. Haussmann (8th arrondissement). Métro: Miromesnil or St. Philippe du Roule. Tel. 01.42.89.04.91. Open daily, 11:30-5:30 p.m.

le 7 bis. Quite near the Jacquemart-André and Parc Monceau, we had a nice traditional lunch surrounded — elbow-to-elbow — by chatty local office workers.

7 bis Monceau (8th arrondissement). Métro: St. Philippe du Roule. Tel. 01.45.63.33.37.

Ladurée. This is one of the best tearooms in Paris. It was established in 1862. Arrive early and secure one of the two upstairs window seats overlooking the intersection of rue Royal and place de la Madeleine — or, as we did, settle for the middle small banquette table, from which two persons sit side by side looking out over the quaint room. This is also an excellent spot for Sunday brunch — you will notice multigenerational families having a good time out. If you return later at teatime you can try various pastries, superb chocolates, ice creams and sorbets, and almond macaroons or an assortment of four mini-macaroons. Ladurée also is known for its excellent bread, including elegant flûtes.
16 rue Royale (8th arrondissement). Métro: Madeleine or Concorde. Tel. 01.42.60.21.79. Open 8:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Mon.-Sat. (lunch/ brunch is served 11:30-3:30), Sun. 10:00-7:00 p.m.; closed Aug.

(There are a couple additional Ladurée locations, one in the 6th arrondissement, down the street from the Hotel du Danube.)

Finally: Dinner

(But what kind? Restaurant? Bistro? Brasserie?)

Although Paris has many excellent restaurants serving non-French fare, our list focuses on two main types of French cooking: (1) Restaurants and Bistros, and (2) Brasseries. What’s the difference between a restaurant and a bistro? More and more, less and less.

A restaurant traditionally is thought of as a full service establishment; a bistro is thought of as being smaller, faster, and less grand than a restaurant. And yet some restaurants are small in scale and scope, and some bistros seem quite grand in both respects. To some extent the difference is a state of mind, and neither is better than the other.

A brasserie is, traditionally, a beer hall, and it usually has a Alsatian connection. Brasseries often offer not only beer, but also white wines based on the Riesling and Gewurztraminer grapes, along with a full carte of other wine and spirits. Brasseries are often bright, vibrant, and loud, and they usually open earlier than restaurants and bistros. It is quite easy, and very enjoyable, to have a serious and full dinner at a brasserie, and many are fine places to enjoy large seafood platters on ice. The brasseries that we list below (separate from and after our listing of restaurants and bistros) are all traditional ones with stunning décor. Don't expect great cooking, but it should be fun.

Restaurants and Bistros
(listed by arrondissement; our “top three favorites” are marked “►”)

1st Arrondissement

Chez Denise/ A la Tour de Monthéry. Here is a traditional Les Halles place in which to enjoy old fashioned food with good Beaujolais in house bottles while jammed in at large red and white checkered tables. I could barely dent the huge pot of tripes that was placed before me (I hope and assume they throw it back into a larger communal vat). It’s open seemingly all hours (well, until 5:00 in the morning anyway), but for “normal hours” one must reserve. We will return. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
5 rue des Prouvaires (1st arrondissement). Métro: Chatelet or Louvre-Rivoli. Tel. 01.42.36.21.82.

Restaurant Paul. It feels like the 1940s in this traditional establishment looking out to Place Dauphine, where you are likely to be dining next to lawyers and judges at lunch (the courts are nearby).
15 Place Dauphine (1rst arrondissement). Métro: Pont-Neuf. Tel. 01.43.54.21.48.

La Rose de France. This small and welcoming bistro offers sidewalk seating looking out to the quiet and beautiful place Dauphine, near the downstream tip of the ile de la Cite, and far from the noisy tourist crowds. (Also excellent for lunch.)
24, place Dauphine (1rst arrondissement). Métro: Pont Neuf/ Cite. Tel. 01.43.54.10.12.

Lescure. Although this cramped traditional bistro serves merely good but not great fare, the country ambiance and friendliness of the place (especially if you are seated at the back communal table) and the reasonably prices make it very enjoyable.
7, rue de Mondovi (1rst arrondissement). Métro: Concorde. Tel. 01.42.60.18.91.

Le Soufflé. As the name suggests, this place serves all species of soufflé. Rounding out the carte are numerous non-soufflé items, including beef and fish dishes, and seasonal appetizers such as white asparagus. For dessert, try the tarte fine aux pommes chaudes (a hot apple tart).
36 rue du Mont-Thabor (1st arrondissement). Métro: Concorde or Tuileries. Tel. 01.42.60.27.19. Open 12:00 noon-2:30 (lunch), 7:00-10:30 (dinner), closed Sun. & holidays.

► Au Gourmand. We enjoyed contemporary and inventive dining in a convivial setting. The manager and the waiter were friendly, appropriately chatty and professional, and both spoke perfect English. (See our full review on Tripadvisor.)
17, rue Molière (1rst arrondissement). Métro: Pyramides. Tel. 01.42.96.22.19.

► Hidden Kitchen. The ten-course candlelit tasting menu for 16 persons, hosted in the beautiful Paris apartment of this American foodie couple from Seattle, was perfectly conceived and executed. Dinner starts at 8:00 and ends at 11:30, but it seems that we left a bit later. He cooks; she matches and serves the accompanying wines, which were perfectly chosen for each dish. (The wines, by the way, are from the wine shop, La Dernière Goutte.) Prior to each course, the hosts take turns describing what we are about to taste. In addition to the excellent cooking and wine, we very much enjoyed the social aspect of the evening — it was a welcome change from the formality of restaurant dining. (It’s not called “hidden” for nothing — you are given the address only after they confirm that they have a seat for you . . . . )

Update: As of Fall 2011, HK is no more. But Braden and Laura have opened Verjus, a promising new wine bar and restaurant.

Spring. We found that it lived up to its hype. We had fall mushrooms in a foam with pomegranate seeds; a large shrimp in a tempura batter served above a carpaccio of fish; veal sweetbreads and tete de veau with radishes and parsnips in a fine sauce; and then (skipping the optional cheese course because we could not go there after the prior night's dinner at Chez L'Ami Jean), three desserts — apple with thyme ice cream, chocolate quenelle with salted caramel, and an olive oil ganache atop a reduction of berries. It's pretty expensive at dinner (and it would be nice to see some lower-priced wines on the list), but as with many fine Paris restauarnts, the fare is much less costly at lunch.
6 Rue Bailleul, tel. 01.45.96.05.72. Métro: Louvre Rivoli.

2nd Arrondissement

Frenchie. We enjoyed this “difficult reservation” place, where memorable parts of our meal were nicely smoked — trout, etc. But it was a hot September night, and with the doors open, we also got a lot of the cigarette smoke from those waiting to enter the Frenchie wine bar on the other side of the tiny street. Oh well, it’s still a lot better than it used to be before the indoor smoking ban. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
5 rue du Nil (2nd arrondissement). Métro: Sentier. Tel. 01.40.39.96.19

Saturne. Like at Spring, Chateaubriand, Les Papilles and other newish Paris restaurants, the day’s menu at this cave à manger is all that’s offered; there is no choice. Fine with us, sometimes we get tired of making decisions. The food (60 Euros menu) has a light and elegant Nodic influence, and we took the wine paring (also 60 Euros), one for each of the six courses. We like the place, but can understand that some find the service and feel a bit cold. The room itself certainly was not; on a warm September evening, we had to wonder why such a new and stylish place had no air conditioning. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
17, rue Notre-Dames des Victoires (2nd arrondissement). Métro: Bourse or Sentier. Tel. 01.42.60.31.90.

3rd Arrondissement

Ambassade d’Auvergne. Here you will find hearty Auvergne fare, including of course aligot (potatoes whipped with cheese and served with flourish). We prefer the cozy downstairs room, at the large table, instead of the more austere upstairs rooms.
22, rue de Grenier St-Lazare (3rd arrondissement). Métro: Rambuteau. Tel. 01.42.72.31.22.

Café des Musées. We’ve heard it’s become frequented by tourists, and this was so when we were there on a Sunday afternoon (it’s open seven days, which is nice). But what do you expect in the middle of the Marias? The traditional French food, prepared by an Asian chef and team, was excellent. Charming; we will return. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
49, rue de Turenne (3rd arrondissement). Métro: Chemin Vert. Tel.01.42.72.96.17.

Le Pamphlet. This is (was) stylish and friendly place for contemporary Basque-inspired dining. But we've heard it's closing as of Decmber 2010?
38, rue Debelleyme (3rd arrondissement). Métro: Filles-du-Calvaire. Tel. 01.42.72.39.24.

4th Arrondissement

Benoit. Classic Lyonaise bistro cuisine is served in an elegant 1912 setting. Expensive, and when we were there, full of Americans enjoying business dinner tax write-offs.
20, rue St-Martin (4th arrondissement). Métro: Chatelet-Les-Halles/Hotel de Ville. Tel. 01.42.72.25.76.

Restaurant Louis Philippe. There is a traditional and cozy, cafe/wine bar on ground floor, with a nice enclosed sidewalk terrace. The restaurant dining room, up the narrow curled iron stairs, offers nice views of the bookinists on the Seine. 66, quai de l’hôtel de ville (4th arrondissement). Métro: Pont Marie. Tel. 01.42.72.29.42.

Mon Vieil Ami. Modern Alsatian cooking in a small room on the beautiful Ile. (We've recently heard reports about less-than excellent service.)
69 rue Saint Louis en l’Ile (4th arrondissement). Métro: Pont-Marie. Tel. 01.40.46.01.35.

► Le Gaigne. Mickaël Gaignon, the young chef with an impressive cooking resume (see the restaurant’s web site), produces edgy and contemporary dishes in this tiny bistro (some might call it a "Bistronomique"). The titles for each dish are simple — for example, to start, “Le Petit Pois” turned out to be a chilled sweet pea velouté (a velvety cream sauce made with stock, flour and butter), mackerel tartar and chorizo chips — wow! We loved this place, and we are not alone. Soon after we posted a favorable review on Tripadvisor, Mark Bittman of the New York Times followed our lead(!) and listed it as his favorite of four highlighted "evolving style" bistros. This will make it important to reserve in advance for the next few months . . . . And let's see if the spotlight helps, or hurts.
12, rue Pecquay (4th arrondissement). Métro: Rambuteau. Tel. 01.44.59.96.72.

5th Arrondissement

Chez René. This place feels like 1957 — the year it opened. The cooking is similar to that offered by Au Petit Marguery, 13eme. We had beet salad, oeufs mayonnaise, excellent boeuf bourguignon, and warm Saucisson de Lyon, all with a nice Lyonnaise rouge, and finally tarte orange.
14 Boul. St Germain (5th arrondissement). Métro: Maubert Mutualité. Tel. 01.43.54.30.23. Closed Sun & Mon.

Rotisserie de Beaujolais. This is a good place for dinner on a cold winter Sunday evening. We’ve heard that it's usually best to stick to the rotisseried items — we had the chicken and the pheasant. As one would expect, there’s a good selection of Beaujolais. (Speaking of which, that’s the name of the friendly house cat, which patrols the room.)
19 quai de la Tournelle (5th arrondissement). Métro: Maubert Mutualité. Tel. 01.43.54.17.47. (Closed Mon.)

Les Papilles. This wine store/ cave à manger offers no carte or choices — a single nightly menu is all you get — and often that’s all we want. Dinner started, as it usually does, with at fine soup (the liquid poured over fixins in the bowl at table). The plat was braised beef cheeks, followed by cheese and dessert. You pick a wine (or two) from off the store’s walls; they add seven euros to the listed retail price. When we dined there on a warm night in September, we were lucky to get an outside table for four, but we’d love to be there in the winter, and ask for a table for two at the front window. One drawback: We’ve since seen that it’s very highly rated on TripAdvisor; this probably accounts for much of the English spoken by many customers. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
30 rue Gay Lussac (5th arrondissement). Métro: RER Luxembourg. Tel. 01.43.25.20.79.

Le Petit Prince de Paris. This lively bistro on a charming pedestrian street near the Sorbonne stays open very late to serve a mixed gay/straight customer base.
12 rue de Lanneau (5th arrondissement). Métro: Maubert-Mutualite. Tel. 01.43.54.77.26.

► Ribouldingue. Since dining here, we’ve joked about “that awful food” — but we do so with tongue in cheek. Actually, we devoured offal — tongue and cheek — (beef and veal, respectively), as well as lightly sautéed lamb’s brains — creamy and fantastic! Ribouldingue (we’re told the name translates to “binge”) caters to a certain crowd, but for the less adventurous at your table there are a few non-offal items on the menu, including a fairly regular-sounding fish dish. (See our full review on Tripadvisor.)
10, rue St-Julien le Pauvre (5th arrondissement). Métro: St-Michel. Tel. 01.46.33.98.80.

► Le Languedoc. This is our favorite neighborhood spot, the kind that many tourists may not find. We’ve had diner here many times since 2001. It’s off the track, but worth it. Start with the herring in olive oil. Then try the confit de canard, which must be ordered for two. The Dubois family has run this place for more than 30 years — you will see mother, father and son (always in a blue shirt), helped by a burgundy-vested waiter who looks like Sidney Greenstreet.

64, Boul. de Port Royale (5th arrondissement). Métro: Le Gobelins. Tel. 01.47.07.24.47. Open 12:00 noon-2:30 (lunch), 7:00-10:30 (dinner), Note: Closed Tues. & Wed.

6th Arrondissement

Le Timbre. We so enjoyed the feel and the welcome at this tiny postage-stamp size place owned and run by the incredibly organized and hard-working English chef, Chris Wright. When he saw us waiting on the sidewalk for our table, he left his diminutive kitchen station and brought out two glasses of a crisp white wine. The fresh market-driven menu was excellent. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
3 rue St-Beuve 6th arrondissement). Métro: Notre-Dame des Champs. Tel. 0145491040.

Moustache. After days and days of traditional and modern French food, it’s refreshing to go to a little place like this, which offers both traditional and contemporary French fare along with dishes showing some strong Asian influences. We will return. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
3, rue Sainte-Beuve (6th arrondissement). Métro: Notre-Dame des Champs. Tel. 01.42.22.56.65

L’ Epi Dupin. A servicable bistro — but this one is far from our favorite. If you don't book the later of the two seatings, you will hear many American accents.
11, rue Dupin (6th arrondissement). Métro: Sevres-Babylone. Tel. 01 42 22 64 56.

La Ferrandaise. This contemporary place named after a cow from the Auvergne/ Puy de Dôme is deceptive — it keeps on going, with lots of rooms other than the one into which you enter. We had creamy spaghetti squash “soup” with raifort and garlic bread; “Tartar of sea bass with grapefruit, cream of watercress”; scallops with dried fruits; and red scorpion fish in a pot with saffron potatoes. For dessert, we had apple and quince compote with ice cream, and clementine with bread pudding. All very nice.
8 rue de Vaugirard (6th arrondissement). Métro: Odéon or Luxembourg. Tel. 01.43.26.36.36.

Fish La Boissonnerie. One of this things that we like about this lively place with good wines (it’s associated with the wine shop La Dernière Goutte, which is nearby) is that if you dine at the bar, you can split each course — useful if you’ve had a big lunch.
69 rue de Seine (6th arrondissement). Métro: Mabillon. Tel. 01 43 54 34 69. (Closed Mon.)

Au Bon Saint- Pourçain. It feels like a simple countryside café inside this tiny place. We enjoyed marinated leeks, rabbit with tarragon in aspic, chicken in a tarragon cream sauce, blanquette de veau, and a pretty good tarte tatin (it leaned too much toward applesauce), all washed down with a reasonably priced Irancy. Overall, very good value. (Note: Cash only.)
10 bis, rue Servandoni (6th arrondissement). Métro: Mabillon. Tel. 01.43.54.93.63.

Le Procope. We found this venerable establishment serving traditional fare, which claims to be Paris’ first restaurant, to be over-the-top touristy, and a bit cheesy. Arguably, it's worth a visit, however, especially if, as with us, someone else is paying.
13, rue de l’Ancienne Comedie (6th arrondissement). Métro: Odeon. Tel. 01.40.46.79.00.

Chez Dumonet (Josephine). It feels like old Paris in this classic bistro, and yet, in a nod to modernity, one can order half dishes. 117 rue De Cherche-Midi (6th arrondissement). Métro: Duroc/ Falguiere. Tel. 01.45.48.52.40.

Ze Kitchen Galerie. Stylish, with a price to match. (Lunch is a better deal, we've heard.)
4, rue des Grands-Augustins (6th arrondissement). Métro: St.-Michel. Tel. 01.44.32.00.32.

Allard. Step back to the 1930s. The lamb shoulder, and duck with olives, are signature dishes. Both rooms are traditional and cozy, but we prefer the smaller “front” room to the left as you enter — in the middle of the kitchen. The ambiance is truly "old Paris," but lately we've seen and heard that's become rather expensive and overcrowed with American and Japanese tourists.
41, rue St-Andre-des-Arts (6th arrondissement). Métro: Odeon. Tel. 01.43.26.48.23.

7th Arrondissement

Chez L’Ami Jean. This place is loud and brash, with food to match. We (a table for 10) had: three kinds of sausage, thinly slice Basque ham with butter, game terrine, pate de campagne, and a fresh cheese spread with baskets of country bread; cream of parmesan soup poured over sliced chestnuts, lardon, finely chopped scallion, and crispy croutons; wild boar and foie gras over a winter squash and carrot puree with carrot foam; a whole roasted sea bass, deboned and served tableside with a sauce of rich veal stock and little cubes of calves foot; perfectly succulent and crispy roasted Basque pig, presented tableside in a large copper pan, served with a sauté of cepes and girolles, and creamy mashed potatoes; and finally, among other desserts, the famous rice pudding with caramel sauce. Wow . . . .
27 rue Malar, tel. 01.47.05.86.89. Métro: Invalides or La Tour Maubourg.

L’Auberge Bressane. We went to this traditional Burgundy/Lyon restaurant looking for tripe, but darn, it was not on the carte in late September. Instead we had quenelles (not quite light enough), an OK oeff Beaujolais, a fine veal chop, good coq-au-vin, and really good cuisse de grenouille (frog’s legs). For dessert, the soufflé caramel fell a bit when the waiter punctured it to pour in the sauce; we told him don’t worry, and devoured it. Ten minutes later, he showed up with another, which we happily dispatched. That’s professional service — he just wanted to make sure we had it the correct way.
16, avenue de la Motte-Picquet (7th arrondissement). Métro: Ecole Militaire. Tel. 01.47.05.98.37.

Restaurant Chez Germaine. This is a tiny and very simple neighborhood restaurant. There are seven tables, and you may have to/get to share yours with others (who, in this area, seem to include a fair number of Americans residing nearby). The menu includes roast beef, salmon, kidneys in cream, celery rémoulade, eggs with house-made mayonnaise, salt pork with carrots or lentils, beef tongue in tomato sauce (just like Mo’s French grandmother’s), and a great chocolate cake.
30 rue Pierre-Leroux (7th arrondissement). Métro: Vaneau. Tel. 01.42.73.28.34. Open 12:00 noon-2:30 (lunch), 7:00-9:30 (dinner); closed Sat. & Sun. and Aug.

8th Arrondissement

Ledoyen. This was an amazing three-star experience, made considerably more affordable because we went for lunch, at which time an 85 Euro menu (with choices) is offered. You start out with a tray of four amuses (the most amazing of which was a translucent bubble of ginger in water that you down in one gulp); then a single amuse (poached egg); then the entrée (one of us had poached bulots; the other had pâté de ris de veau); then the plat (one of us had succulent porc with a bodin sauce; the other a small vertical round of “macaroni” surrounded by seafood); then four pre-dessert tastes; and finally, dessert (one of us had poached pear; the other an elegant ice-cream-like log); followed of course by coffee and yet more dessert bites . . . . It was too much. Also: Notice the pointy shoes worn by the younger staff members . . . .
8 ave. Dutuit (carré Champs-Élysées, 8th arrondissement). Métro: Champs-Élysées Clemenceau. Tel. 01.53.05.10.01.

Les Ambassadeurs. Very expensive haute cuisine, but what an elegant room. (As at many super-starred establishments, the lunch menu is a relatively good deal.)
10, place de la Concorde (in the Hotel de Crillon, 8th arrondissement). Métro: Concorde. Tel. 01.44.71.16.16.

9th Arrondissement

Chez Grenouille. We enjoyed a gratin of macaroni pasta perfumed with truffles, foie de veau Lyonnaise (served hot from the oven under a puffed pastry crown), a nice Bordeaux, and a fine chocolate soufflé. After the meal, we had a delightful conversation and business card exchange with the nearby diners, one of whom seemed impressed (or was that amused?) to learn that my dining companion was my wife and not a mistress. No English to be heard, although Madame apparently speaks some.
52 rue Blanche (9th arrondissement). Métro: Blanche or Trinité. Tel. 01.42.81.34.07.

Chartier. This impressively large and quite beautiful classic dining hall with rushed waiters serving inexpensive food is listed in many guide books and attracts a lot of traffic. We've not been for many years, but during that time we've heard many negative reviews, and so we are wary. Plus: There have recently been media reports about using what amounts to frozen dinners there! Some say, what do you expect for the price? We say: Beware.
7, rue Faubourg Montmartre (9th arrondissement). Métro: Grandes Boulevards. Tel. 01.48.24.14.68.

10th Arrondissement

Café Panique. After many days of traditional restaurants, bistros and brasseries, we were looking for a clean and slightly edgy change of pace — and we were not disappointed by this smart and classy neighborhood place in a contemporary art setting. (See our full review on Tripadvisor.)
12, rue des Messageries (10th arrondissement). Métro: Poissenniere. Tel. 01.47.70.06.84.

Chez Michel. After reading reviews from various trustworthy sources, we had high expectations for Chez Michel, but we were slightly disappointed. Part of that had to do with the service, which was a bit too fast for us, although we did not get the impression that they needed or expected to turn our table. Still, it was a friendly and convivial place, and our selections from the Breton-leaning 32 euro menu all were delicious. (See our full review on Tripadvisor.)

10, rue Belzunce (10th arrondissement). Métro: Poissenniere or Gare du Nord. Tel. 01.44.53.06.20.

11th Arrondissement

Septime. We dined here the night after Frenchie, and preferred it. The six course menu included octopus, eggs with vegetables, red mullet, wasabi beef, cheese plate, and figs with lavender. We’ll happily return. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
80 rue de Charonne (11th arrondissement). Métro: Charonne. Tel. 01.43.67.38.29.

Rino. Hopping, noisy, super-cramped, tiny, not much physical charm, especially deep in the back part of the place. But great, fresh, vibrant cooking, focusing on fish, by an Italian chef who offers two menus nightly. We will happily return. But: It’s been written up in the NYTimes, darn. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
46 rue Trousseau (11th arrondissement). Métro: Ledru Rollin. Tel. 01.48.06.95.85.

L’Écailler du Bistrot. We had excellent but expensive oysters and sea fish — the Turbot was great, but at 45 Euros, ouch. Beware: On a hot September night, without (apparently) air conditioning, the back room gets uncomfortably warm. And too long: a simple dinner of entre, plat & dessert for four took 3 hrs 45 min. Our pleasant overworked waitress, realizing these problems, gave us comps of Champagne — that was a nice touch. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
22 rue Paul-Bert (11th arrondissement). Métro: Faidherbe Chaligny. Tel. 01.43.72.76.77.

Bistrot Paul Bert. Because it’s associated with the place next door, L’Écailler du Bistrot, and we were in the mood something light and fishy, we thought it would be a good place to order fish. And it was: We had fine salmon and dos lieu, and shoulder of cod. Next time, we will order meat dishes, which looked great as they wafted past our table. For reviews, see Paris by Mouth.
18 rue Paul-Bert (11th arrondissement). Métro: Faidherbe Chaligny. Tel. 01 43 72 24 01.

Le Chateaubriand. This is a happening place with minimalist décor and thin bearded waiters who serve edgy food. The five course dinner comes with no choices, although our waiter explained that accommodations could be made for allergies, etc. We had raw oyster (cut in half) served in a small white bowl, with thinly sliced yellow radishes, micro-chopped green onion, with a golden broth poured over; five small raw scallops in a cucumber broth with a pureed garnish (seaweed?), under what appeared to be a large (4 by 7 inches) translucent thin slice of some sort of root vegetable; sea bass with razor thin cauliflower & puree of same, with herbs (very Japanese-like, served on a dark gray plate); extremely delicate blanquette de veau with three slices of black truffle in a light brothy cream sauce, served in a dark grey bowl; we then split a small plate of gruyere, chevre, and brie; finally we split a dessert of poached pear (retaining some nice firmness) in cream, with an ice-cream like side dish (what was that?); and one coffee. All of this was washed down with a large Badoit and two demis of bourgogne blanc and rouge (18 Euro each, ordered, not from the extensive carte des vins — presented as three separate photocopied pages — but from the chalk board above the bar). They needed our table for the twenty or so folks waiting at the bar when we finished at about 22:30, and so we did not linger, but we did not feel rushed.
129 ave. Parmentier (11th arrondissement). Métro: Goncourt. Tel. 01.43.57.45.95

Astier. The prix fixe dinner has been one of the best bargains in the city. There is no “carte," but there are many selections for each course. This crowded place is quite plain, with a 1930s-1950s feel. You will be surrounded by locals and savvy tourists who have read reviews in the New York Times, etc., and are searching for something off the beaten track. After dinner an enormous tray of cheeses is left at your table long enough for you to take three to four ample samples. (But note: On more recent visit it was not quite as good as before; but since then we've seen a glowing review by Patricia Wells, and we trust her . . . .)
44, rue J.P. Timbaud (11th arrondissement). Métro: Oberkampf or Parmentier. Tel. 01.43.57.16.25. Open 12:00 noon-2:00 (lunch), 8:00-10:15 (dinner), closed Sat. & Sun. & last week of July and all of Aug.

Le Villaret. We had the 20 Euro lunch menus, and a nice wine; we will return for dinner. The place is known for its list, which was very extensive; we had to hunt for, and found, a good Croze Hermitage at the lower end, 30 Euro. We started with a little amuse of cauliflower soup. Mo, ordered what turned out to be one of our favorite lunch dishes of our trip: “tarte” lapin with aubergines -- properly caramelized, with nicely shredded rabbit. We would go back to just to have that. I had fromage de tete (it was good, but not nearly as good as at Au Petit Marguery, 13eme – that was great), and daube de biche in a little staub (nice, but a bit too dry as usual for that meat, in my experience). For dessert we split fromage blanc with plum compote. With coffee came home-made chocolates and macaroons.
13, rue Ternaux, tel. 01.43.57.75.56. Métro: Parmentier.

Le Repaire de Cartouche. We had lunch in the upstairs bistro. I was apprehensive, given poor reviews I’d read of the service, but it was fine. (The two Japanese/Americans struggling to understand the carte on the on other side of the room were not treated as gently as they needed, however.) We had boules mayonnaise, an omelet with cepes, lamb shoulder, a fairly nice red Corbieres, and then split a nice clafoutis aux poires. In all it was quite good, but we agreed that when we return at night, we’ll try the restaurant downstairs, with a slightly more interesting menu.
8 Boul. Des Filles-du-Calvaire, tel. 10.47.00.25.86. Métro: Filles-du-Calvaire.

Le Temps au Temps. We enjoyed comfort food in this tiny bistro down the steet from two other good looking places, Le Bistrot Paul Bert, and L'Ecailler du Bistro.
13 rue Paul Bert, tel. 01.43.79.63.40. Métro: Faidherbe-Chaligny.

12th Arrondissement

Le Square Trousseau. Hmmm, the place has movie charm and was fun, but it seems to be doing too many things. In addition to traditional bistro fare, it offers a cheeseburger and an Asian shrimp & peanut dish. The cuisse de grenouille, frog’s legs, looked good, but were surprisingly under seasoned. The foie gras was OK, not great. The veal chop saved the day at our table for four.
1 Rue Antoine Vollon (12th arrondissement). Métro: Ledru Rollin.

Le Quincy. We’ve known about and walked by this place for years, and finally dined there. Jovial (and controlling) Bobose and his dour wife indeed put on a show, and some of the hearty dishes were quite good, but as we figured out later (we are a table for 7, including two Paris natives, and I did not see the bill), we were grossly overcharged on wine and bottled water, and this leaves a bad taste in our mouths. Return? Non, once is enough.
28 ave Ledru-Rolin (12th arrondissement). Métro: Ledru Rollin. Tel. 01.46.28.46.76.

► Le Train Bleu. This is the most impressive train station restaurant we ever expect to see! It’s a sumptuous Belle Époque historic monument with very high ceiling murals depicting the southern destinations of trains that depart from the tracks below and behind the front door of the restaurant. Even if by some accounts the classic fare does not quite measure up, the setting and ambiance is not to be missed. Nor is the baba rhum for dessert (the bottle will be left at your table).
Gare de Lyon (12th arrondissement). Métro: Gare de Lyon. Tel. 01.43.43.09.06.

Les Zygomates. This charming Lyonnais bistro, far from the city center in a former 1930s butcher shop, serves classic fare such as foie gras with pine nuts, prawn raviolis, and rascasse (scorpion fish).
7 rue de Capri (12th arrondissement). Métro: Daumesnil or Michel Bizot. Tel. 01.40.19.93.04. Closed Mon. & Sat (lunch), Sun.

Cartouche Café. At this very local café/bar/bistro far from tourist sites you are unlikely to hear English spoken. Although the menu and carte was quite broad, we opted for simple fare: a fine vegetable soup in cream, and a great pork cutlet with mashed potatoes, washed down with a nice Bourgogne. (Oddly, jelly beans and “Good and Plenty” candies were served with the bill.)
4 rue de Bercy (12th arrondissement). Métro: Cour St Emilion. Tel. 01.40.19.09.95. (Closed Sat. noon and Sun.)

13th Arrondissement

Au Petit Marguery. We loved the bright and welcome feel of this venerable place. We had, among other things, terrine of pigeon with foie gras, tête de veau, and perfectly cooked bar with pork, washed down with a nice Beaujolais — and followed by a very good Grand Marnier soufflé.
9 boul. de Port Royal (13th arrondissement). Métro: Gobelins. Tel. 01.43.31.58.59.

14th Arrondissement

La Cerisaie. A young chef and his wife cook and serve in this tiny and plain place with a southwest influence. Expect foie gras, pork from Gascony, and an excellent variation on “baba au rhum” — made with Armagnac. (Reservations required; if you reserve for an early seating, that is, before 8:30 p.m., you may be surrounded by Americans.)
70, Boul. Edgar-Quinet (14th arrondissement). Métro: Edgar-Quinet or Montparnasse Beinvenüe. Tel. 01.43.20.98.98. Closed weekends and Aug.

Régalade. This is a classic, crowded and cramped bistro. When we departed dinner, tres content, at about 11:30 p.m., there were many lined up and standing over us, waiting for our table.
49 avenue Jean-Moulin (14th arrondissement). Métro: Alesia. Tel . 01.45.45.68.58.

Le Dome. This traditional and expensive seafood restaurant/ brasserie has a clubby atmosphere.
108, boul. du Montparnasse (14th arrondissement). Métro: Vavin. Tel. 01.43.35.25.81.

15th Arrondissement

Le Grand Pan. We had excellent cote de boeuf, and even better cote de porc, along with very good and inexpensive wines by carafe, drawn from barrels in the basement.
20 rue Rosenwald, tel. 01.42.50.02.50. Métro: Plaisance.

Le Cave à vin de l'os à Moëlle. Some friends who live in the area took us to their local wine store & bar for dinner. It’s a great deal for 22 Euros: We started with artichokes in lemon butter; separate beet, carrot & celery salads; porc rillettes; pate de campagne & three mustards; and boulots with mayonnaise, all left at the communal table. Then you get up to serve yourself soup (we had squash/ pumpkin); and then a plat (we had ham hocks and/or tripes with cabbage); and then goat cheeses; finally, there’s a selection of 8 desserts. Wine is retail (I think — we did not pay so I did not see bill) — pulled from the shelves of the wine store that surounds you. The water is bottled “in house.” The experience was far from high end, but it was fun and very satisfying on a Saturday night, and the place was hopping. (The Restaurant l’Os l'Os à Moëlle is across the street at 3, rue Vasco de Gama.)
181 rue de Lourmel, 01.45.57.28.28. Métro: Lourmel.

Bistrot d’Andre. This was the canteen of the former Citroen automobile plant that was located nearby until a few decades ago. The offerings, and the prices, still respect the long-departed local workers’ tastes, and budgets. The two friendly rooms overflow with Citroen mementos. 232, rue St-Charles (15th arrondissement). Métro: Ballard. Tel. 01.45.57.89.14.

16th Arrondissement

Challet des Iles. Getting there is half the fun: one takes a small boat to the island in the middle of this small lake in the Bois de Boulogne. Some complain that the classic French fare is costly and not up to the magical setting, but we loved it nonetheless.
Lac Inferieur du Bois de Boulogne (16th arrondissement). Métro: La Muette/ La Pompe. Tel.01.42.88.04.69.

18th Arrondissement

Au Poulbot Gourmet. This versatile neighborhood restaurant run by a woman chef offers two completely different menus: southern (country), and city. 39, rue Lamarck (18th arrondissement). Lamarck Caulaincourt. Tel. 01.46.06.86.00.

La Baignoire. This comfortable and hip neighborhood restaurant (“the bathtub”) is a close walk from the rue du Square Carpeaux apartment. We found it good, but not great.
151, bis rue Marcadet (18th arrondissement). Métro: Lamarck Caulaincourt. Tel. 01.53.41.63.04.

Le Diapson. Many laud the rooftop alfresco dining (and views) offered May-September, but we enjoyed the stylish street level dining room on a chilly fall evening. Modern and expensive Southwestern fare.
12-14, rue Joseph de Maistre (18th arrondissement). Métro: Abbesses/ Place de Clichy. Tel. 01.44.92.34.00.

Le Bouclard. A real neighborhood & local place focusing on great-grandmother's cooking. (Also offers a good-deal 20 Euro lunch menu.)
1 rue Cavallotti (18th arrondissement). Métro: Place de Clichy. Tel. 01.45.22.60.01.

Brasseries
(listed by arrondissement)

2nd Arrondissement

Le Vaudeville. This stylish art deco establishment, located near the stock exchange, is part of the “Grope Flo” chain of traditional brasseries, and is noted for its seafood platters.
29, rue Vivienne (2nd arrondissement). Métro: Bourse. Tel. 01.40.20.04.62.

4th Arrondissement

Bofinger. This bustling and glamorous Belle-Époque brasserie (essentially, a very fancy beer hall) near the Place de la Bastille has been around, in one form or other, for about 150 years. Enjoy platters of oysters or choucroute (Alsatian specials — excellent sauerkraut, sausages and grilled meats), washed down with the house Riesling and good red Rhônes brought by traditionally attired waiters. For dessert, try the crème brûlée made with Bourbon Vanilla. Note: This is not to be confused with the eight or so Le Petit Bofinger restaurants, which are smaller versions of this, the mother ship, located throughout the city. (Ask to be seated under the historic “coupole” — an interior and high stained-glass dome — but it’s a highly prized location, and you’ll have to reserve well in advance, unless you want to arrive around midnight, at which time you will probably be able to secure a seat there.) Note: Although we've enjoyed this place many times in the past, we've not been for a few years . . . .
5-7 rue de la Bastille (4th arrondissement). Métro: Bastille. Tel. 01.42.72.87.82. Open daily, 12:00 noon-3:00 (lunch), 6:30-1:00 a.m. (dinner).

Brasserie de l’Ile St. Louis. (See listing above, under lunch; but the last time we had lunch here, we were thinking that it would make a good choice for a brasserie dinner . . . .)

55, quai de Bourbon (4th arrondissement). Métro: Pont Marie (or walk from Notre Dame). Tel. 01.43.54.02.59. Open 12:00 noon-2:30 (lunch), 6:30-2:00 (dinner), closed Thurs. lunch, Wed., and Aug.

5th Arrondissement

Brasserie Balzar. This brasserie, subject of a chapter in Adam Gopnik's Paris to the Moon, seems not to have suffered from transfer to management under the “Groupe Flo.”
49, rue des Ecoles (5th arrondissement). Métro: Cluny La Sorbone/ St-Michel). Tel. 01.43.54.13.67.

Marty. We’d walked past Marty a few times in years past, and we knew that it’s one of the few independent brasseries that has not been overtaken by the Groupe Flo. The airy rooms of this two-storey art deco hall with open staircases are indeed stylish and beautiful. The service, however, was spotty, and some of the items on the shellfish platter struck us perhaps not quite a fresh as we’d hope — but maybe that’s because it was a Sunday? (See our full review on Tripadvisor.)

20, ave. les Gobelins (5th arrondissement). Métro: Les Gobelins. Tel. 01.43.31.39.51.

6th Arrondissement

Bouillon Racine. The ground floor room of this Belgian-influened brasserie (with great beer) is beautifully mirrored in the art nouveau style.
3, rue Racine (6th arrondissement). Métro: Cluny La Sorbone/ Odeon). Tel. 01.44.32.15.60.

Brasserie Lipp. Most reviews of this classic brasserie with a political pedigree stress the importance of being seated on the first floor, and not upstairs, in order to see and be seen. From our fine perch on the ground floor (but in the back) we were amused by the wall signs, possibly aimed at American women, advising that a “salad is not a meal.”
151, boul. St-Germain (6th arrondissement). Métro: St-Germain-des-Pres.) Tel. 01.45.48.53.91.

10th Arrondissement

Brasserie Flo. This classic brasserie, the namesake (if not flagship) of the “Groupe Flo” of historic brasseries, is located in a not-so-nice neighborhood.
7, cour des Petites-Ecuries (10th arrondissement). Métro: Chateau d’Eau. Tel. 01.47.70.13.59.

Terminus Nord. This classic brasserie, serving a traditional seafood platter among other dishes, is located across the street from the Gare du Nord.
23 rue de Dunkerque (10th arrondissement). Métro: Gare du Nord. Tel. 01.42.85.05.15.

Brasserie Julien. This is another art nouveau masterpiece, now run by the “Groupe Flo.” The neighborhood is not the best, but in a way that’s part of the magic of this place.
16, rue du Faubourg St-Denis (10th arrondissement). Métro: Strasbourg-St-Denis. Tel. 01.47.70.12.06.

14th Arrondissement

La Coupole. This huge, stylish, loud and festive brasserie still has a 1920s feel. Service can range from attentive and professional, to quite diffident. Great and fresh seafood platter; touristy, but fun.
102, bd. du Montparnasse (14th arrondissement). Métro: Vavin. Tel. 01.43.20.14.20 102.

Hotels and apartments in Paris

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Which is best — hotel or apartment?

We often are asked this question. Our answer: It depends.

For most of our first visits to Paris, we stayed in hotels. Among the advantages: The hotel’s receptionist/ front desk will gladly make restaurant reservations for you, and arrange for your taxi back to the airport or train station, etc. — these kinds of things are very useful if your French is poor or rusty.

Most of our recent stays have been in apartments. Apartments will give you more space for the cost, but even more important to us, we find the overall apartment experience to be culturally richer. We get to know the neighborhood merchants — especially the people at the morning boulangerie, but also those at the fromagerie, and the weekly market, and flower stand, etc. We’ve discovered that we really miss these kinds of interactions when staying in a Paris hotel. And frankly, we’ve grown to like the process of daily taking down to the ground floor our own garbage and recycling — it reminds us (or at least makes us believe) that we’re living in another culture — not “just” visiting.

Hotels (and one B & B)

We've usually used the Guides de Charme Web site to find Paris hotels. On our little list below, the St. Beuve is by far the most elegant and stylish. We've recently been using the Paris pages of Escapio.com to locate our next hotel in Paris . . . .

We have stayed at, and generally recommend, the following Paris hotels and apartments:

Hotel St.-Beuve (***) — 6th arrondissement, near the Luxembourg gardens/ boul. Montparnasse. This is a classy and stylish place, with a couple very nice restaurants just steps from the front door (Le Timbre and Moustache). We've stayed here twice. Both times the receptionist/ front desk woman insisted on testing or poor French with rapid fire bursts, but we hang in there, and she's very helpful.

Hotel Pavillon St Louis Bastille (***) — 12th arrondissement. We were looking for a place in the less-touristy 12eme, and for this it fit the bill for a four-night stay in mid-September. It was OK (we had a “superior” room, and as usual, the web site photos made it appear much bigger than it was), but we do not plan to return.

B & B 127 rue Notre-Dame des Champs (Gilles et Cecile Darmois) — 6th arrondissement. We really enjoyed this place for the location, quality of accommodation, and most impressively, the delightful proprietors, Gilles & Cecile Darmois. As they explained to us in perfect English, after their sons left home, and Mayor Bertrand Delanoë asked those with ability to open their homes as B&Bs, they complied. We will happily return.

Hotel Familia (**) — 5th arrondissement. This is the next-to-least expensive hotel on our list. The location is good, especially for first-time visitors. It’s quite nice, not at all fancy, but the owners are friendly and have been in the business for many decades. Expect lots of American tourists. We also expect small hotel rooms in Paris, but this one — a top floor room for three, overlooking the street, with a cot bed for our son — was one of the most cramped we've ever experienced. At least we had a small balcony, and a nice bathroom. We've been in other rooms in the same hotel, and they too are very small. Note: The owners have a second hotel (***), right next door; it looks a bit more upscale than the Famalia.

Hotel Leveque (**) — 7th arrondissement. This is similar to the Familia, described above, but in our opinion it is not as nice; we don't plan to stay here again. The Leveque is on a pedestrian food-shopping street, rue Cler — but it's not our favorite area of Paris, and because the street is highly touted by Rick Steves, expect many Americans carrying his book.

Hotel de Lutece (***) and the Hotel deux Iles (***) — 4th arrondissement, both on the Ile St. Louis. The rooms are fairly small, but we've enjoyed room 662, on the top floor, with lots of light and a rooftop view. The main reason to stay here is to enjoy this little island, upstream from the Ile de la Cite, and providing a great view of the backside of Notre Dame. The Ile St. Louis is especially beautiful at night when the crowds leave and the island is bathed in incandescent light. Note: In the summer, the island can be overcrowded with tourists; we enjoy it most in the late fall and winter, when it's a bit less populated.

Hotel du Danube (***) — 6th arrondissement, near the Seine. This is a nice (but not great) hotel at very fine location for exploring the St. Germain area. The Musee d'Orsay is near, as is the great bistro, Allard. Our room, looking into an interior courtyard, was small, and yet very clean and comfortable. (The shower, in the tiny bathroom, was one of those module contraptions, but at least it had a door!) The various persons at the front desk were very helpful in making our requested restaurant recommendations. There's a nice sitting room near the lobby, and a rather austere narrow breakfast room in the back. We have since recommended the Danube to friends and family, and all have been pleased.

Hotel L’Arve (**) — 15th arrondissement, somewhat near the Tour Eiffel, and close to a number of useful Métro lines. This is our least expensive listing. It’s a bit more out of the way, and it's certainly not the place for a special occasion. But it's clean, has character, and is a very good value. We normally don't take breakfast in Paris hotels (we prefer to go to a local boulangerie or patisserie), but we needed to take a taxi to CDG, and we found the early morning breakfast on the patio pleasant.

The best general resource for Paris apartments is the excellent list set out in the Paris Notes Web site.

Apartments

We have stayed in seven apartments, but recommend only five:

1 rue Maitre Albert (5th arrondissement). For staying in the center of the city, this is our favorite. It’s part of the Roth/Ray collection. The location, only about 50 steps from the Seine (and very close the back left side of Notre Dame) is very quiet and sufficiently removed from the nearby and cheesy part of the 5th. The apartment is spacious, well furnished, and very beautiful. As a bonus, the Eric Kayser boulangerie, and the Fromagerie Laurent Dubois, are both within a couple minutes walk.

14 rue Francaise (2nd arrondissement). This well appointed studio, also part of the Roth/Ray collection, is located on a pedestrian street near the rue Montorgueil shopping area, making for convenient "at home" breakfasts and lunches. It's generally very quiet, but on warm Friday and Saturday nights you can expect some street noise emanating from a couple nearby night clubs.

9 Rue de Square Carpeaux (18th arrondissement). This charming "room with a view" apartment offers a "Mary Poppins" rooftop expanse of Montmartre. It is near a convenient bus line (and metro stops), and it's not too far from the center of the city, but it feels far away from most tourists. The neighborhood is very enjoyable and real, with fine market streets and local restaurants. (And it's very easy to communicate and make arrangements with the owners, who live in Los Angeles but have a local contact to greet and present keys, etc.)

9 Quai d'Anjou (4th arrondissement, Ile St. Louis). This 4th floor location (no elevator) — one of about 200 offerings by Paris Address — is located in the middle of the river, on our favorite island. It's about as central as one can hope for, making it easy to walk to and from dinner at many left and right bank restaurants. The apartment feels far away from the tourist crowds that parade up and down the main street of the island eating their Berthillon ice cream, and it's very quiet. Entry is through one of those huge and heavy carriage doors, next to a plaque noting that Honore Daumier lived in the building between 1846-1863. The light and airy (but rather spartanly furnished) apartment looks out to a courtyard — for a river view, one would have to pay at least three times the rate charged for this place. Notes: (1) The Paris Address Web site is very easy to use. (2) For "lunch in," try the atmospheric and tiny butcher shop around the corner (Jean Paul Gardil, 44 rue St. Louis en l'Ile) for some great ready-made items — a slice of the burgundy terrine, etc. (3) The Eric Kayser boulangerie over on rue Monge in the 5eme is worth the short walk for the best baguette (and much more).

2 rue de Grand-Prieure, 11th, near Oberkampf. We enjoyed exploring this area, somewhat near the Canal St. Martin. The apartment is smaller than the web photos may suggest, but it's well appointed and was very comfortable.

Notes:

The Roth/Ray Web site offers approximately 10 nice apartments. Ray, who is British, meets you at the apartment, and is quite helpful. Each Roth/Ray apartment comes with a metered phone, making international calls (including to the U.S.) easy and quite inexpensive. But beware of the Rue des Lombards apartment (4th arrondissement) — it’s a beautiful two-bedroom place, and yet as we learned in April 2005, there is a very loud gay Cuban/Brazilian bar directly below that bumps, grinds, and vibrates the 17th century building framing until 2:30 a.m. nightly.

General notes, recommended Web sites, tips, and observations

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Traveling to Paris: From central Europe, we prefer to travel to Paris by train or ferry. For ferries to France, we like to use AFerry.co.uk, which offers bookings for more than 15 ferry companies to France — providing departures from Cork to Algiers and many ports between. For general train schedules and planning, see the German railway site, which despite its name provides schedules for all of Europe. For booking high speed (TGV) trains to and within France, use TGV-Europe.com (and see notes below about "Being British" in order to save money on fares). From the United States, we prefer to fly nonstop on Air France. British Airways offers better summer prices, but typically requires a connection in London, adding about four-plus hours to your trip. For travel to Paris by Eurostar — and for all modes of rail travel within and near Paris, see Paris by Train

When: We like Paris in the spring or fall, but winter can be great as well — the barren trees open views not seen at other times. Summer can be hot, and beware: beginning in early June tourist crowds are thick. In July-August, about one-third of the good Paris restaurants are closed for vacation and general repairs.

Sleeping in Paris — Hotel or Apartment? It depends. For most of our first visits to Paris, we stayed in hotels. Among the advantages: The hotel’s receptionist/ front desk will gladly make restaurant reservations for you, and arrange for your taxi back to the airport or train station, etc. — these kinds of things are very useful if your French is poor or rusty. Most of our recent stays have been in apartments. You get more space for the cost, but even more important to us, we find the overall apartment experience to be culturally richer. We use many Paris apartment web sites, but the one we are looking at for our next trip is FeelsLikeHomeInParis, an agency that specializes in the 18th arrondissement (Montmartre) and some less touristy, but still central, locations on the right bank. For more about Paris hotels and apartments, click here.

Making dining reservations — phone, fax, email, and “La Fourchette.com”: For some sought-after Paris restaurants, we make reservations weeks in advance. Few Paris restaurants have Web sites, although the number is growing, and many of them are very basic and will not accommodate reservations. (Les Papilles, a wine shop/ restaurant in the 5eme, is an exception, allowing reservations by email.) We usually reserve by fax or by phone. If by phone, be prepared to give a confirmation cell/ mobile telephone number, in French — I make sure I have it written out in front of me, to minimize stumbling over French numbers, especially those extra-difficult ones past seventy. Finally, in Paris and in some of the newer countryside places, we’ve had success using La Fourchette/ The Fork (similar to OpenTable in the United States), although the number of participating restaurants is limited.

Food shops/ foods we bring home: To each his or her own, but in recent trips to Paris, we usually bring home some or all of this: From G. Detou, 58 rue Tiquetonne, 2eme, various salts, peppers and vanilla beans; from the La Grande Epicerie at Le Bon Marché, 38, rue de Sevres, 7eme: Four or five varieties of Bordier butter (we freeze them in a Tupperware container and bring them home in the middle of our checked luggage); from Laurent Dubois, 47 Ter Boulevard Saint-Germain, 5eme, four-year old Comte and five-year old Gruyere (individually vacuum sealed); from Maille, 6, place de la Madeleine, 8eme, unpasteurized mustard on tap (three verities); and from Jacques Genin, 133 Rue de Turenne, 3eme, chocolates and caramels. Oh, and a few blocks closer to the river on that same street, we often pick up some silver cutlery at Argenterie de Turenne, 19 rue de Turenne, 4eme. And then we usually buy some more chocolates and dessert wines at the duty-free shops in CGD . . . .

Live music in Paris: We love classical music concerts at Sainte Chapelle or Saint Ephrem — find schedules and get on line tickets Classixtic.com. For piano bar/ live jazz, drop by Cafe Laurent in the Hotel d’Aubusson, 33, Rue Dauphine, 6eme (Thurs-Sat, 18:30-20:00 piano solo; 21:-24:00 jazz (10 Euro drink charge).

Our preferred French-English “Menu translator” — and using “Dropbox” for off-line access, anywhere, anytime: We gave up on the oddly organized “Marling Menu Master” (a French-English dining translation booklet) a few years ago, in favor of the excellent French-English food glossary by Patricia Wells. Patricia now dines with us frequently, and she comes through about 93.78 percent of the time. The key is that we have downloaded her glossary to our iPhones via Dropbox.com (it’s free). Then we added her glossary to our “favorites” in our Dropbox account. To do that: Once you have your document or file uploaded to dropbox and bring it up on your screen — whether on a smartphone, iPad, home computer etc. — you then need to designate it as a “favorite” by clicking on the star in the upper right corner. Presto, we have Patricia’s glossary even without access to the Internet.

Using “Dropbox” for copies of passports, documents, rental vouchers, etc.: We also use Dropbox.com for more of our travel needs. We post to our dropbox account pdfs and Word docs of our car rental vouchers, TGV (high speed train) tickets, itinerary, lists of restaurants we may visit, credit card terms & conditions re rental car damage waiver, etc. We can pick this up not only from our own iPhones but also from any computer in the world. And because our iPhones are password protected (easy to do), we feel pretty safe putting on other sensitive stuff that we would need in an emergency: copies of our passports, credit cards, driver’s license, etc.

Web sites and blogs (Paris, France and the French): There are many Paris Web sites and blogs, but for general information and getting started we have liked Paris Notes. It contains numerous well-written articles, tips, and usefully-categorized links to about 500 other Paris-related sites (including excellent listings of hotel and apartment Web sites). First-time visitors will especially appreciate an excellent overview, “Paris for Beginners.” Unfortunately, Paris Notes has been discontinued, but so far the Web site still exists. For a good substitute in the future, see the Paris page of France Today — also a fine magazine, and a good Web site covering the rest of France.

Other similar and very useful "all around" Paris Web sites include Paris-Insider, by Beth Marlin — a great source for tips and articles that go far beyond the guide books; Secrets of Paris, by Heather Stimmler Hall, an American writer, publisher, and tour guide who has lived in France since 1995 (you can sign up, as we did years ago, for her free monthly emails), and Colleen's Paris, by a flight attendant who's lived in the city since 1992. Many of the other sites listed below also contain practical and useful Paris information and tips. Also not to be missed is Eye Prefer Paris, a blog by a transplanted New Yorker, Richard Nahem, who now lives in the Marais and provides tours and cooking classes. Also: We have long enjoyed Paris Daily Photo, which is just what it says — along with perceptive and amusing commentary by Eric Tenin ("a friendly Parisian"). We have frequently consulted the France and Paris hotel reviews posted on Tripadvisor (together with the Tripadvisor France/ Paris forums), and recently we also have started to use the "eating and drinking" section of QYPE France (similar to Yelp in the United States).

Of the many other Paris / France-and-the-French-related Web sites and blogs, there are a few speciality sites that we highly recommend:

Paris dining Web sites: We have enjoyed the launch (in June 2010) of Paris by Mouth, a website featuring some of our favorite Paris food writers: Meg Zimbeck, Barbra Austin, Alec Lobrano, Clotilde Dusoulier, Dorie Greenspan, John Talbott, Julot, Phyllis Flick, Patricia Wells, and Wendy Lyn.

More specifically, we'll mention: John Talbott's Paris. We wish we'd discovered this highly individualistic site years ago; it reflects the views of an obviously wise and experienced observer who clearly would make a great dinner companion. (Talbott's site also includes social/cultural/art/ and literary musings.) Addressing Paris "and Beyond," we've recently discovered, and enjoy, Mortstiff's Paris Restaurant Reviews and Beyond. We also find very useful the Paris dining forums, France: Dining page of the EGullet Society, and especially, Chowhound (France forum) — both are fine sources for dining recommendations, offered by serious eaters, covering Paris and beyond in France (and, indeed, on other parts of those sites, the rest of the fine dining world). Another excellent Paris dining blog is Rosa Jackson's Edible Adventures (Paris, Nice and Beyond). Jackson is Canadian, lives in Nice, and she writes frequently about dining in Paris, where she also has lived and often visits. In fact, she’s the dining reviewer for (now defunct) Paris Notes, among many other publishing responsibilities. Jackson’s writing is lively and we’ve found her recommendations to be very reliable. We enjoy the Diner's Journal section of Alexander Lobrano's blog (as well as his book, Hungry For Paris — a dining guide, and more). Finally, when friends have asked us for vegetarian recommendations, we have referred them to the Paris page of Richard Gillmann's helpful lists of such places — see Vegetarian Restaurants in Paris.

"Foodie" Web sites with a Parisian flavor: Among our favorites is David Lebovitz's Living the sweet life in Paris — a one-stop shopping site with everything we need to know about chocolate and ice cream, and much more. The writing is lively and authoritative, as one might expect from a former pastry chef of Chez Panisse who has lived in Paris since 2002. (The photographs alone are worth a visit.) Another great foodie site is Chocolate & Zucchini, by Clotilde Dusoulier, a young Parisian who was inspired to cook and love fresh produce while living in the San Francisco Bay area. Her main site is in English, with a version in French. See especially her helpful listing of marchés volants — neighborhood markets for which vendors set up on specific days for a few hours, usually in the morning. (These markets are our favorite sources for lunches when we stay in a Paris apartment. Here's another Paris street market site that helpfully shows metro stops and map links; but beware, the listed closing times are later than the actual closings.) Finally, we enjoy our friend Julien Tort's Julot: Ze blog — "A site for analysing in depth fine dining, culinary techniques, American and French politics, music, opera, and the rest," written in both English and French.

Web sites addressing French social and cultural iss ues: We've enjoyed Polly-Vous Francais?, a smart and intelligent blog. The writing is clear, amusing, and confident — and yet gentle at the same time. Also excellent and sometimes rather edgy is Ask a Frenchman. It is was it says — and his responses are opinionated, informed, and witty. Finally, we enjoy Stuff Parisians like — satiric and insightful observations by Olivier Magny of the Paris wine-tasting enterprise, O Chateau.

Web sites addressing political and cultural issues and news from France: For a range of serious to light "French News," we read France Today. When we are feeling more serious we turn to news and analysis presented by Arthur Goldhammer in his site, French Politics. Lately we've also enjoyed France 24.

Web sites addressing the "expat experience" — and Paris travel journals: There are a number of blogs and sites that provide an interesting window into the "expat experience," generally from an American-in-France perspective. Among the best, we think, is La Mom (An American Mom in Paris), the lively and well written chronicles of an American who has lived in Paris for a decade. Most recently we’ve discovered, and very much enjoy, Southern Fried French, by Lynn McBride (formerly of Charleston, South Carolina) — a magazine editor and writer for France Magazine, among others, who has lived in the French countryside since 2003. We've also liked Halfway to France (la "Framéricitteaine's" intelligent and quirky mix of Americana and Central France) — but unfortunately, the site presently is "on hold." Finally, we like Gitte K's "My Paris Adventures" — a Paris travel journal, with photos, written by a Danish woman who has a good sense of adventure and humor.

And then there are a number of sites geared toward those lucky enough to be considering moving to, and perhaps purchasing a home in, France. Among the best of these is Craig McGinty's This French Life, a British-based publication that provides a wealth of practical information, ranging from tips concerning taxes, to keeping gun-toting hunters from crossing your property.

Even more Web sites and blogs: Finally, the most amazingly comprehensive collection of Paris- and France-related Web sites and blogs can be found at Quasi French — another blog by "la Framéricaine."

Paris guidebooks: We prefer the Michelin Green Guide for Paris. Carrying it, you don’t immediately stand out as an American (or Brit, or a German, etc.) because Michelin guides also are published in French, Italian, German, and other languages — and so they are frequently seen in the hands of European tourists. The Eyewitness and Access guides also are very good.

Arrondissements & pocketbook map: Paris is divided into 20 districts — called “arrondissements” — starting with the 1rst, in the center (where the Louvre is located), and circling in the pattern of an escargot shell to the 20th, far from the center. (See a map and brief description of each arrondissement here.) If you stay in the city for more than a few days, you’ll want a map that shows all of the streets, not only the main rues as the free tourist maps do. You can buy a map, in small pocketbook form, at most “Tabacs” or newspaper stands. (We use "L'Indispensable" — "Plan de Paris par arrondissement," which privides an index of all street names.) If you are considering the location of a hotel, apartment or restaurant, you can click on Google maps, and enter the address; then use the yellow icon of a person above the zoom feature and drag it onto a location, and you'll be able to take a virtual walk up and down the street and throughout the neighborhood.

Métro tickets, public buses, and public bikes: Paris is a walking city. But when your feet wear out or it’s just too far, the Métro is great and very easy to use. We like Ben Lam's comprehensive Web site, Paris by Train. This intelligently organized and well written site addresses most questions one might have about using the Métro, RER, TVG, and Eurostar — including how to get to and from the airports (on the Air France bus or RER), weekly and monthy Métro passes, etc. See also the official RATP site in English. Métro trains arrive at two-minute intervals during rush hour and run until about 1:30 a.m. A few main parts of the bus system run all night. Purchase Métro tickets at most (underground) Métro stations in groups of 10 — that’s called a “carnet” (pronounced “car-nay”). The price is 11,60 € for 10, which is discounted over the single ticket price. Even at the full rate it’s quite a deal, and reflects a 60 percent public subsidy. The tickets are good for both the Métro and the “RER” (the regional commuter trains), as well as all public buses. Keep the ticket with you — you may be asked to show it by the Métro police, and if you don’t produce, there can be a big fine. If you stay for a week or longer, you can save further by purchasing a weekly or monthly pass, a carte orange (or Pass Navigo Découverte), for which you’ll need a passport-size photo. See Paris by Train. You see more of the city by using the public bus system (see map), but although buses often use dedicated lanes they still get bogged down in traffic. And figuring out how to get from point A to B is not quite as easy as with the Métro, but it's pretty easy if you get the booklet, "L'Indispensable" — "Le Bus, Repetoire des 99 linges," which provides easy-to-comprehend maps of each of the city's lines. And note: Instead of paying at least 25€ for a two-day pass on a private tour bus (with those almost unintelligible recordings in four languages), just hop on a city bus line such as the number 72, which runs from Hotel de Ville in central Paris to the western suburbs. Much of the route is along the Seine and passes many of the major sites. There are 1,000 “Velib” public bicycle rental stations (the word comes from “velo,” bicycle, and “liberté,” freedom) where you can rent one of 20,000 bikes for very low cost (the site is mostly in French, but it's fairly easy enough to figure out. Also note: American Visa or Mastercard credit cards won't work for Velib, but according to this article in the NYTimes, American Express cards will work.

Car rental: The last thing we want in Paris is a car. But for exploring the countryside, a car is very useful, and often necessary. You will save considerably by booking before you arrive in France. When arranging from the United States, we usually use the services of a broker, Gemut.com (talk to a real person by calling 800-521-6722) who works with several major agencies to find the best rate. Note: You will be charged substantial extra fees (35 Euro) if you pick up your car from a rental office that's located in an airport or rail station; there’s no extra charge for returning the car to the airport or rail station.

Walking tours: We have often enjoyed “Paris Walking Tours” — two-hour tours in English, 12€ per person. The schedule for the current and following month can be found on line. For most walks you simply meet at a designated Métro stop at a certain time of day (usually 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m.) and join a group of others who show up, with no need to reserve. The operation is run by an English couple, Peter and Oriel Caine, and when they do not conduct tours themselves they employ exceptionally qualified Americans and Brits who have studied art or history or both while living in Paris for many years. (They also have a London Walks site, linked at the Paris web site.) We also have heard good things about “New Paris Tours,” which offers a free 3.5 hour tour (but the guide will expect a tip).

Museums and passes: Museum passes, good for two, four, or six days, can be purchased at most underground Métro windows. Pass holders are permitted to avoid the entry lines and jump in front of all those poor folks queued up to purchase tickets. At some locations, including the Louvre, pass holders are provided a special entry. One of our favorite museums, Carnavalet (in the 4th arrondissement, the Marais), is free. It covers the history of Paris, all in a huge 17th century mansion. Our newest "favorite" museum is the Cite de la Music (the history of musical instruments). For a list and description of the approximately 120 Paris museums (with hyperlinks), click here. Finally, for an excellent and thoughtful piece touching on how to, and how not to, experience a museum such as the Louvre, see this, by Michael Kimmelman. (Caveat/admission: To some extent, I've been guilty of some of the things he describes . . . .)

Two of our favorite places in Paris are islands: In the deep of winter, we enjoy the Ile St. Louis, especially at night — stroll around it, and/or view it from the right or left banks. But during the days of the spring, summer and fall months, the Ile can be unpleasantly overcrowded. We also enjoy the Place Dauphine (near the tip of Ile de la Cite). Speaking of the river’s “banks”: the river Seine, of course, bisects the city; the right side of the river’s flow is the “right” bank; the left is the “left.”

ATMs and credit cards: Throughout Europe, one gets the best exchange rate by using ATMs. All U.S.-issued credit cards charge one percent for the foreign currency transaction, and most also add — for no good reason except that they can — another two percent, for a total of three percent on each transaction. So everything you put on the credit card is the opposite of “on sale,” and costs three percent more. Very few credit cards today don’t charge this unnecessary additional two percent. You can ask your credit card company whether they charge the extra two percent, but be sure to speak with a supervisor because most telephone clerks won’t really know the answer. One card that does not charge the extra 2 percent is issued by CapitalOne. Travelers checks are unnecessary and a hindrance. Regarding probems using American-based credit cards in some automated terminals, see this article from the New York Times. (We've successfully used our American credit cards in many automated terminals, but every once in a while we've experienced the problem described in this article.)

Ubiquitous odd sights — rolled carpet and green plastic: You will see quite strange rolled-up pieces of carpet in the gutters, near the drains at street corners. Contrary to the assumptions of some, these are not left so that strollers may wipe sidewalk dog deposits from their shoes; they are instead used by the “green men” (the garbage collectors and street cleaners) to divert flows of storm drain water in order to flush paper and cigarette butts the gutters. And why are the street garbage receptacles (those bags hanging from hoops) clear green plastic? Because the former and more traditional metal mesh garbage receptacles proved too dangerous when terrorist bombs exploded inside them.

“City of light” (not lights) — Yes, Paris looks great at night, and many of its monuments, major and minor, are indeed beautifully lighted. But the city’s most used moniker — “ville lumière”— captures the idea of intellectual light — not artificial illumination devices. It’s a “metaphor for political, spiritual, cultural and intellectual energy.” And so although you may often see Paris referred to in articles and some guidebooks as the “City of Lights,” it’s probably more accurate to drop the “s” — “City of Light.” For more, see this fine article by David Downie.

Money saving tips: Be British (or at least avoid some American web sites): If you can book by using a non-American web site you might save substantially. For one example, we saved more than $500 on a one-week chateau rental in the Dordogne by booking through a British Web site instead of an American one for the exact same property, terms and dates. Another very useful French/European site for finding relatively inexpensive vacation homes in France is Gites de France (part of the site is in English). As a second example, for booking high speed (TGV) trains to and within France, use TGV-Europe.com — and when asked to state your country of residence, just use Britain, not the US or Canada, or else you will be redirected to RailEurope.com, where you can often expect to pay much more for the exact same ticket. Also, check out "The Frugal Traveler."

Day trips: Many first time visitors — especially Americans, who have to fly over a lot of earth to get to Paris — want to “make the most of it,” and so they plan to combine a week in Paris with "day trips" to one or more of the cathedral at Chartres, Louis XIV’s chateau at Versailles, Monet’s garden in Giverny, Fountainebleu, Chantilly, Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Loire Valley, or Normandy (the WWII landing beaches), etc.

We'll say the same thing that we candidly tell friends: This is rather like going to a museum and rushing through every room in order to check off all the high points from a checklist. You can do it — and pure adrenalin probably will propel you through. But unless you can slow down a bit and really try to absorb, will it be a worthwhile experience to you? Maybe so, but we can’t recommend it.

We recall a sage teacher who advised us not to “overload” our days. And so we suggest staying in, and trying to get to know, Paris. Venture out to Versailles or Chartres or Giverny if you must, but try to leave other areas off your list. (On the other hand, if you ignore this advice — and in our experience many do! — we still bet that you’ll be pleased with your own choice; traveling in France, even in an overly ambitious way, is usually quite fun.)

If you are staying in a Paris for more than a week, and/or if you've been there at least once before, it can be worthwhile to take a day trip outside the city. To plan your trip by train, consult Paris by Train. (For train transportation to Giverny, see this useful post on Tripadvisor.) In addition to the standard options listed above, one of our our favorites is the unassuming town of Auvers-sur-Oise (reachable by train), where Vincent Van Gogh spent the last, and very productive, months of his life — and where he now lies next to his brother, Theo, about 100 feet from where Vincent painted crows over the wheat fields. (Throughout the town and surrounding fields are reproductions of Vincent’s paintings at, or relating to, the spot depicted; see them at Musee d’Orsay before you travel to Auvers.) For more options, check out the book, An Hour From Paris, by Annabel Simms (descriptions of 20 destinations in the Ile de France).

Driving in the countryside/ Maps and GPS: We use both a GPS device (a Garmin 270) and Michelin maps. But note: One cannot rely on the GPS alone. If you don’t study the map first, and orient yourself to the area and surrounding main towns, your GPS (we call ours Madame) may take you, from, let’s say, Roanne to Julienas in the Beaujolais, on extremely narrow one-lane back-country mountain logging roads, at night, in the fog, with no other light or sign of civilization in evidence for 45 minutes of tense white-knuckle and stomach-churning driving, with my wife grimly offering muted sighs and suggestions, while we fully expected the tin man (and flying monkeys) to jump out from behind the black trees and wave us down. And yes, we were quite late to dinner. So, GPS, good. But know your hard copy map as well.

For route and time planning, we use a combination of Google maps, Michelin hard copy maps (1:200,000, which helpfully show especially scenic roads with a green border, and also show various monuments -- chateaux, ruins, churches, etc.), and viamichelin.com (free -- it helpfully allows you to find Michelin-recommended hotels and restaurants in any area).

Speaking English in France; Magic French words; and learning French on line: Despite years of study and many visits to France, our French still is quite poor — and yet we try, and it is almost always appreciated. Here are two quick tips that will smooth your way: First, at a minimum, learn and use constantly the “magic words,” which are very easy to say: “Bonjour Monsieur” and “Bonjour Madame.” Utter either of these two simple phrases as soon as you make eye contact with your hotel receptionist, store clerk, waiter, taxi or bus driver, newspaper vendor, etc. This will start you off on the right foot, and you are likely to be just fine, even if you can speak no (or few) additional words of French. Second, never speak English without asking first, “Excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais?” (“Excuse me, you do speak English?”) Doing otherwise, and blaring ahead with questions in English (or German or Japanese, etc.) is just plain rude, and may quite understandably trigger a less-than-warm response. On a related point: Notice that French people in public places (especially in restaurants) speak considerably more quietly than, for example, most people in the United States. Once you become aware of this, and “turn down the volume,” you will be treated better by staff and fellow patrons. (These and more specific etiquette tips can be found in our section, How to blend in: 12 ("Une douzaine") tips on how not to appear too much like a tourist in a Paris restaurant . . . (or at least how to be a good one).) Finally, there are a number of free Web sites that will allow you learn French, or at least allow you to master basic pronunciation of key words and phrases. Many of these web sites are designed to try to convince you to “upgrade” to a paid subscription, and the free parts of the sites can be a bit clunky — but still useful. Among many available, you might try: French Tutorial.Com, Speak French.Com, Learn French On Line, Bonjour.com, or even this: Tex’s Tech Grammar — a French language site associated Texas Tech University.