Paris for 5 days and then 5 days in Bordeaux to run in the Marathon du Medoc. It is known as the world's longest marathon ..... the course runs through 59 Grand Cru Bordeaux vineyards with 22 wine tastings as well as booths on the course for oysters, ham, pate, cheeses, etc., to say nothing of the 8000 runners all in wild costumes, trolleys, bicycles or carts. In Paris we have rented an apartment on Ile Saint Louis. Looking for recommendations for restaurants (both cheap and not so cheap, and yes I know I can get a baguette at the local boulangerie), off the beaten path things to do, and great places for romantic picnics. Same thing for Bordeaux where we (along with 10 other runners from Houston) have rented a chateau near the town center. Merci beaucoup.
That reads like a really run vacation. I'm of no help other than I like poker, so the Aviation Club on the Champs Elysees is free entree...you just have to sign up for a membership and dress nice (fancy steakhouse attire). It has the best free bathrooms in that area.
last time I was in Bordeaux I hired a winemaker to drive me and the wife around to tour wineries. It was amazing. Mostly visited the left bank (Medoc) but also went to a lot of wineries in Pomerol (St Emilion is awesome). I didn't really like the city of Bordeaux that much. Wasn't that interesting to us.
in paris i like septime http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...5868-Reviews-Septime-Paris_Ile_de_France.html not a fan of bordeaux the wine (which is part merlot grapes) or the region (dull and nearby sea is cold).....prefer burgundy..
Le chateaubriand in Paris - reservations needed until 9pm when they open the doors to walk-ins... Nice combo of avant garde and classic cuisine
Awesome! I wish you would have gone sooner to get me some information on Bordeaux. I am doing a PowerPoint presentation for my French class on Aquitaine cuisine.
i like this one too, but the portions were a bit small for my appetite...what i like to call 'negative space plating'......chairs were uncomfortable too.....menu very unique though and worth a visit
"Le Relais de Venise" aka "L'entrecote @ Porte Mailllot" No menu. They only serve one dish. Do not be discouraged by the line (they don;t take reservations. If i were on death row, this would be my meal request.
My favourite Louis de Funes film. Here is Septime undercover to see how service functions when he;s not around
Wow, that sounds like an awesome vacation. I've never been to France, so I'm only in this thread to follow developments and see some wild costume pictures, later.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SLtwFugudZE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Ask for one of these lol
Thanks for the suggestions .... keep em coming. Not sure how much my girlfriend would be in to me hitting up the French ladies. Maybe I'll inquire. Heyp - I wlll do my best to document all the bad behavior. :grin:
Two places or types of places that you can do. There are so many fine dining and nicer restaurants that I can't begin to list them. There are two cheaper options that you can take advantage of should you need to or desire to. One is just off the Place de la Bastille. There's a street that is just lined with restaurants. One of them is a place I saw a lot of locals go into and come out with these cone shaped containers of pasta. I don't remember the name. I went in and you choose your pasta type, cheese type, and sauce type. They put it in a cone, and give it to you to go. It cost me 5 Euros. It was much better than any fast food you get in the U.S. and the cheapest meal I had while I was there. It was a break from the rich fine dining I'd been eating, and because we had to eat in a hurry it was perfect. The other place is in a neighborhood that isn't the greatest, so go during the day if you're worried about it. It isn't an awful neighborhood, just not the best. Anyway there were a ton of places that had the rotisserie chickens cooking. There were potatoes in the bottom collecting the juices dripping from the chicken. It was also cheap, quick and far different from any rotisserie chicken you'll get in the U.S. There are dozens of these places in Porte Saint-Denis. These are if you want kind of working man's quick dinner, and not your must have nice meals.
So here's a sample of restaurants that I'd recommend (among many): 1st Arrondissement aki – Located in an unexpectedly densely-populated area full of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and noodle shops, Aki offers Japanese flavors you’ve never had before. Their Katsu Don (teriayaki) is divine; known for their okonomikayi “pancake”. May be a line, but the food is exceptional. Joe Allen – Classic upscale American fare. Best burger, best wings, and best overall menu in Paris. Try their sweet potato fries with a side of Caesar dressing (you might have to beg for it though). Open all day from noon til 12:30 (and 1:00AM on the weekends). No reservation needed. Very reasonably priced. Pied du Couchon – One of the few 24 hour restaurants in Paris (right near the only 24-hour post office in Europe). As the name suggests, there’s plenty of pork products available. L’escure – Delightful place to stop for lunch after a morning walk through the Tuileries garden. Classic French fare. Le Soufflé – Truly and unmatched gastronomic experience; 3-course meal for ~50 €. Truffle soufflé was incredibly rich. Or just grab one of their dessert soufflés. Great for a date. 3rd Arrondissement Chez Janou - Provencal French (2 rue Roger Verlomme, 75003) 4th Arrondissement Le Dindon en Laisse – Local restaurant; welcoming atmosphere; main courses ~20 € L'as du Fallafel – The falafel place everyone knows about. They say it’s the best falafel in Europe – and they may be right. Great deal at 5 €. Be sure to ask for the spicy harissa sauce. Closed on Friday night and all day Saturday. Dans le noir – No lights in this restaurant; your waiters are blind and guide you through your meal La Caféothèque – Might be the best, most-comfortable coffee house in the city. Bofinger – Nice spot for lunch and less-stuffy than the classic Bofinger across the street. Best salmon and haricots verts in town. Try their soupe de poisson. -- But just about any corner bakery will satisfy your cravings for breads and pastries...in fact I'd recommend heading over to one of the best in Paris, Fromagerie Quatrehomme (62 Rue de Sèvres, metro stop Vaneau (line 10) or Duroc (lines 10 or 13)), and asking for their Roquefort Papillon, then enjoying the sun at either the park in front of the Eiffel Tower or in front of the Invalides (gold dome). -- Need to watch football? If you happen to get a craving to watch American football, there's a couple spots I'd suggest: the Great Canadian (right by Notre Dame) and Wide Open Spaces (WOS) near the Pantheon (Pierre, the French owner, is a HUGE Packers fan). -- Other stuff Also, depending on how much time you'll have, some other "less-touristy" things I'd recommend: Probably Paris' best kept secret: Jardin des Plantes. Very nice park with a handful of mini museums and botanical gardens (including the first metal-and-glass greenhouses in the world). My favorite park: Buttes Chaumont in the 13th Musée Jacquemart-André: Former private residence in the 8th arrondissement. Phenomenal collection of Italian and Dutch art (including some Rembrandts)...though you should definitely hit the main museums first. Harry's New York Bar (near Opera). This place just turned 101 years old last November. The Bloody Mary was invented here (as well as a few other drinks) and there's usually jazz playing downstairs on Friday and Saturday nights (they're open until 2AM). Bizz'art (near Canal St. Martin). It's a great place for live music, the funkiest place in Paris (go on Thursday evenings...the live band plays until 11PM (DJ after) and it's free to get in on Thursdays). For some really informative tours, I'd recommend Paris Walks (their chocolate tour is phenomenal): www.paris-walks.com Best view: I'd have to say the top of Notre Dame since it's centrally located. Another place you can go is the rooftop of the department store Printemps (for free).
Went a couple of years back, and aside from above suggestions and the usual/obvious there's a great little bar that has some really talented local music acts that get together for like an open mic jam night, Caveau De Obliettes, and it's not far off the beaten path. I want to say it's in the Latin Quarter (Quartier latin).
What an awesome list. I've only been to a couple of these places, and the next time I go, I will check out some others.
