Academia 1rst person

Paris is a (the) most attractive place in the world and there are many things to enjoy in the City: visiting incredible historical sites, boating on the Seine, going to small theaters where they show independent movies, relish Paris by night, dream in the parks, or simply have a good walk in the streets of a city which is at any rate one of the most charming places in the world in the safe context of Europe.

Among these many activities, one is special to the heart of French people. Eating. In more than a quarter of century spent in Paris, I have accumulated places where I like to go, of different sorts. These are my very special places, not always the most famous, not the most expensive, but places I like to stop by and meet friends or have lunch. Since I assume that you will check these places when you are in France, phone numbers are written the way they should be dialled in France.

Sweets and beyond

In the Latin Quarter try Dalloyau for pastries on the first floor (2nd American) 2, Place Edmond Rostand, 75006 Paris. Expensive, but nice and good. Just behind, you have one of my favourite cafés, “Le Rostand”. Nice to enjoy a coffee (if you want something that resembles an American Coffee ask for “café allongé” ie expresso with more water). Not very far from there, there is La Pâtisserie Viennoise 8, Rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, 75006 Paris for Vienna’s pastry. It’s a little place, crowded most of the time but decently priced and extremely good… and people are nice (a too rare quality in Paris). For a taste of the Champs Elysées with far less nice people, far more pricey prices but outstanding quality try the “macarons” of Ladurée 75 av Champs Elysées 75008 PARIS (also in Saint Germain 21 r Bonaparte 75006 PARIS). Gérard Mulot has also a very good reputation for these typical French Pastries, and all sorts of cakes, but really NOT NICE [Gérard Mulot, 76 rue de Seine, Paris VIe]: go there if your stomach (and wallet) is bigger than your pride. For food the grocery store of “Le Bon Marché” is quite extraordinary. Macarons are less special than in the above places though. While on the Champs Elysées, if you feel like a French president celebrating his victory after his election  check Le Fouquet’s, (99 av Champs Elysées 75008 PARIS).

Ice creams

If you like Ice creams, yes we have the regular American load— Ben & Jerry (for instance on the champs élysées) Haagen Dasz (96 bd St Germain 75005 PARIS or 49 av Champs Elysées 75008 PARIS) or Ben & Jerry’s (1 r du Four 75006 PARIS or 44 r Rivoli 75004 PARIS for central locations) but the most famous ice-cream maker of Paris is Berthillon (31 r St Louis en l’Ile 75004 PARIS) where lines in front of the store can be rather impressive. I also like the Italian style chain, Amorino (22 r Soufflot 75005 PARIS in the Latin quarter or 4 r Vavin 75006 PARIS in Saint Germain or even 47 r St Louis en l’Ile 75004 PARIS by Berthillon).

Rereading this, I realize that I like Ben and Jerry’s, since I quoted it twice. I am somewhat of a true Vermonter…

Wine

What about some Wine? you never lose your time with checking a Nicolas, a very well known chain of Wine stores (for instance 13 r Buci 75006 PARIS). And of course Le Bon Marché has a remarkable cellar.

American food

Feel nostalgic? you always can check a Mac Donald’s, (and you get free wifi). The nicest is 65 bd St Michel 75005 PARIS just across the Luxembourg park (where the Senate is) and—so—my favorite Le Rostand.

For a “French Mac Donald’s” experience, I would recommend you ordering a Mac Bacon (you do not get these in the US Mac Donald’s, it is a regular bacon burger) with a side of salads (instead of fries) and a yogurt as a desert with a beer as a drink. You will get something that is rather original for an American in the most American world food chain.

There is a Parisian chain, the Indiana Café which specializes in American food, not always with unanimous success; let us say that Hamburgers are safe over there. Attendants are often not very nice and efficient. The best choice, honestly, if you want US food, is The Frog and Princess 9, Rue Princesse 75006 Paris. In a pub style, the bar is mostly a British dominion, hence very decent beer. All right, you want to go 100% US? TGI Friday is located 8, boulevard Montmartre / 75009 Paris. And you’ll get to see Montmartre, always a nice place… And a Parisian must.

Stoppin’ by

To stop by, have tea, pastries or meal, check the chic Angelina 226 r Rivoli 75001 PARIS. Their specialty is a pastry, Montblanc, made with a French delight, the chestnut cream (or crème de marron, you should try to buy some at any supermarket, it’s… good) Less chic but so nice La fourmi ailée (the winged ant) 8 r Fouarre 75005 PARIS. No specialty, but good food and nice people.

Flammenkushe

If you have never tasted a flammenkushe try Flam’s 62, rue des Lombards 75001. inexpensive, and good. But my favorite is a microbrewery, O’Neil, 20, rue des Canettes 75006. By Saint-Sulpice, for the Da Vinci Code fans.

French, French

My inexpensive favorite is Les Galopins 24, rue des Taillandiers 75011 Paris. (for the expensive places, just read the guide, you have tons of them). You can also go to the Saint Germain des Prés restaurant Chez Papa 3 r St Benoît 75006 PARIS, a nice place, with a terrace opening on the street when the season is nice and where they open the roof when it gets hot. In the evening they have good music, jazz style. The lunch menu includes an “all you can eat” buffet. Another worthy of praise place is La Maison de la Lozère, 1bis & 4, rue Hautefeuille 75 006 PARIS 01 43 54 26 64 good South West food, with a three courses plus wine lunch menu, 17.80 €. Attendance is nice and efficient. It is a small joint, so it is always better to make a reservation. La Maison de la Lozère is a also a cultural center for the “Lozère” region in France, and you can buy products from there at the store next door.

Cheap, and also ethnic (includes French ethnic)

Inexpensive restaurants: in the rue Grégoire de Tours, many little places. Around Saint Michel, too. Greek restaurants are usually the less expensive. The Chinese area in Paris is around the 13rd arrondissement, avenue de Choisy et avenue d’Ivry. Usually eating (and certainly: drinking) at the bar of cafés is less expensive than seating. At the bar you can order the great French classic sandwiches. Croque-Monsieur (toast, cheese, ham) or Madame (same with an egg) or a jambon beurre (butter, ham, baguette—yes we put butter in our ham). There is no really good Mexican restaurant in Paris, but the small Fajitas (15 rue Dauphine 75 006 Paris, 01 46 34 44 69) is a decent and rather reasonably priced place. In the Marais, a central, beautiful place in Paris, Le Studio  41 rue du Temple 75004 PARIS -01 42 74 10 38- has a wide court where  they set long rows of tables in the summer. Patrons are not always warmly welcomed and it is less good than Fajitas, but it is a decent place to enjoy a warm summer night dinner. It is often crowded, though.

One great culinary specialty in France is North African food—Couscous is to French people what Curry is to British: not native, for sure, but obviously completely embedded into the local taste. By reputation, Moroccan places are the best ones (even my Friend B* a native of Algeria, says so). To enjoy a couscous a well-known place is Chez Bebert (http://www.chezbebert.com/ —if you check that link, do not worry: the food is better than the website). Chez Bébert is located 71 Boulevard Du Montparnasse Paris 14 (08 99 69 79 54). But my definite favourite is a tiny place near Nation (the Nation plaza or the Nation station, or the Nation area, as you wish) Le Marrakech. They have inexpensive menus (11 €) for lunch. Couscous meals as well as tajines (Moroccan stews) are simply excellent and patrons are warmly welcomed. Le Marrackech is located 7 avenue Philippe Auguste (43 79 54 13).

Bars

On top of the Tour Montparnasse, there is a restaurant and a bar. Worth checking in the night (you have to enter the Tour, take the elevator to the last floor, it is virtually a secret place with no indication). You can check the famous “Café de Flore” or “Les Deux maggots” (place saint-germain-des prés) where Sartre and Beauvoir used to meet and write. If going to Le Flore, prefer the first floor (2nd Américan) nice and calm. I like “les éditeurs” also 4 carrefour Odéon 75006 PARIS, a charming little café / restaurant without bar, though.

Read

No city is worth being seen without a good book to read. If you need to reload in English, Shakespeare Company 37 r Bûcherie 75005 PARIS is an extraordinary bookstore, where English speaking backpackers can stay for free as interns if they have a creative project. WHSmith is located 248 rue de Rivoli, not far from the US embassy and not far from Angelina.

A place to check if you miss cultural America, and want to be tuned on current events in the US:  The American Library in Paris, 10 rue du Général Camou, 75007 Paris (Metro : Ecole Militaire), a few blocks away from the Eiffel Tower