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The France Thread


sidis

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Was there for a day and a half a few weeks ago, before flying back. HI St Germain was a great location. Easy walk to Notre Dame, Louvre, etc  Wasn’t long enough to see much, but will be back in December for two 3-day shots on each end of a UK run.

 Louvre: book your tickets online, and early. I fucked that one up, and the main line was over 6 hours long. Considring that would have made it about 45 minutes after they start closing up shop, it was skipped. Walked to the Arc, St Chappelle, back to the hotel to drop some stuff off, then back over to Notre Dame. Go figure it was a Wednesday in the late afternoon, so that wasn’t great. 

Hit the Crypte de Archeological, and it was awesome. How many people walk right over it and never know it’s there?

Decmber will go a little better.

 

 

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Just now, utee94 said:

penelope is a SPLITTER!!!!!

 

indeed...her confederacy will not be tolerated.  rebel scum.

actually headed to france next week.  going to ryder cup over the weekend and then paris for a few days to chill.  going to train out to dijon and rent a car to spend the day in burgundy since it is the end of harvest.  dinner at ma cuisine in beaune which i am really looking forward to as i haven't been yet.

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Ever been in the area  around Burgundy/Beaujolais when they release the Beaujolais Nouveau?   It's in mid/late November, third Thursday of the month.  They go crazy, work shuts down, festivals, etc.  I was working there one year and I came out of my hotel room at 7:30 AM, and they had this big party set up in the lobby with scores of bottles of the Nouveau on the table.  They were already open and people were already drinking.  They asked me if I was going to enjoy the party and I said, "I'd love to, but I really have to go in to work."  They looked very confused, and then said simply, "But why?  No one else will be at work?"

They were right, and so I returned to my hotel and pounded Beaujolais Nouveau all day.

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11 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Ever been in the area  around Burgundy/Beaujolais when they release the Beaujolais Nouveau?   It's in mid/late November, third Thursday of the month.  They go crazy, work shuts down, festivals, etc.  I was working there one year and I came out of my hotel room at 7:30 AM, and they had this big party set up in the lobby with scores of bottles of the Nouveau on the table.  They were already open and people were already drinking.  They asked me if I was going to enjoy the party and I said, "I'd love to, but I really have to go in to work."  They looked very confused, and then said simply, "But why?  No one else will be at work?"

They were right, and so I returned to my hotel and pounded Beaujolais Nouveau all day.

That may actually line up well with my trip to the UK either this year or next.  Definitely next year.  :D

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I never had the strong desire to go to France, and went for a good friend's 50th birthday.  I really wanted Paris to be overrated.  It wasn't.  I loved Paris, and can't wait to go back.


I went to France for the first time last year. I had some exposure to French culture from my trips to St. Barth, but I didn’t know what to expect from visiting actual France.

I enjoyed the trip overall but Paris was the highlight and I loved it far more than I expected to. Perhaps my favorite city I’ve ever been to. I’m not huge on museums or tourism attractions so we did some of the high points but not nearly to the extent some people try to. My favorite part was just hanging out, enjoying the culture, the food and wine, the natural beauty of the city and the people that live there, the weather, walking around and looking in random shops, did I mention the food and wine? It was a great time and I can’t wait to go back.
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2 hours ago, utee94 said:

Ever been in the area  around Burgundy/Beaujolais when they release the Beaujolais Nouveau?   It's in mid/late November, third Thursday of the month.  They go crazy, work shuts down, festivals, etc.  I was working there one year and I came out of my hotel room at 7:30 AM, and they had this big party set up in the lobby with scores of bottles of the Nouveau on the table.  They were already open and people were already drinking.  They asked me if I was going to enjoy the party and I said, "I'd love to, but I really have to go in to work."  They looked very confused, and then said simply, "But why?  No one else will be at work?"

They were right, and so I returned to my hotel and pounded Beaujolais Nouveau all day.

I was in Paris during the Beaujolais Nouveau release.  We didn't come across any particularly crazy celebrations, and maybe you get that more in the sticks.  But it was enthusiastically consumed in all the bars and restaurants that day.  I've never seen an entire country rally around a mediocre wine like that.

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3 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I was in Paris during the Beaujolais Nouveau release.  We didn't come across any particularly crazy celebrations, and maybe you get that more in the sticks.  But it was enthusiastically consumed in all the bars and restaurants that day.  I've never seen an entire country rally around a mediocre wine like that.

It's that or a day that celebrates all their military victories the past 150 years or so.... you do the math..

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22 minutes ago, utee94 said:

I tend to drink Left Bank Bordeux, but when they're practically making me wine-bong the Nouveau, well, I'll go with the flow.

 

I drank almost only Bordeaux for quite some time, but as I've gotten older I drink almost all red or white burgundy now. There's a lot more value to be had in chablis and beaujolais as well.

 

I did just score some '89 Chateau Palmer at a wine auction last week, which is a Christmas gift for my mom. We have a bit of sentimental attachment to the house.

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25 minutes ago, G650 said:

I drank almost only Bordeaux for quite some time, but as I've gotten older I drink almost all red or white burgundy now. There's a lot more value to be had in chablis and beaujolais as well.

 

I did just score some '89 Chateau Palmer at a wine auction last week, which is a Christmas gift for my mom. We have a bit of sentimental attachment to the house.

I drank plenty of Burgundy while I was living and working in France, but as I've gotten older, I've shifted mostly to Left Bank Bordeaux.  I'm not too worried about value, I simply love the flavors of what I consider to be the best wines in the world.  Obviously opinions differ and YMMV.

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1 minute ago, utee94 said:

I drank plenty of Burgundy while I was living and working in France, but as I've gotten older, I've shifted mostly to Left Bank Bordeaux.  I'm not too worried about value, I simply love the flavors of what I consider to be the best wines in the world.  Obviously opinions differ and YMMV.

Yeah, I've gone the other way for whatever reason.

I have to say that while there are a still a few Bordeaux and Red Burgundy that are probably my top choices, I have gravitated to Lombardy as an equal favorite region. The nebbiolo there I think blows away the fruity Barolos and Barbarescos.

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France has some amazing wines in all its regions.  I find that Bordeaux is a bit easier, the wines less varied amongst the major production areas.  Burgundy is complicated AF, but worth the effort to learn.  

I have personally really started to enjoy Chinon, Gigondas, Tavel Rose, and Jura wines.  I am also a fan of Bandol.  It is amazing how many different wine production areas there are in France.

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1 minute ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

  Burgundy is complicated AF, but worth the effort to learn.  

 

Find a plot and vinter you like and stick to it is always my advice with Burgundy when buying decent amounts. There's so many variations and combinations you can really chase your tail. But you can always take a flyer on one offs.

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1 hour ago, G650 said:

I drank almost only Bordeaux for quite some time, but as I've gotten older I drink almost all red or white burgundy now. There's a lot more value to be had in chablis and beaujolais as well.

 

I did just score some '89 Chateau Palmer at a wine auction last week, which is a Christmas gift for my mom. We have a bit of sentimental attachment to the house.

+1 for chablis.  nothing like a chilled one with some oysters

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On 3/28/2018 at 10:22 AM, Teddyballgame said:

We are going in November, Daughter will be studying abroad in Reims for the semester.   We are probably going to spend a couple of days there and then Paris for 4-5 days.   We have been to Paris but not Reims.   Any Recommendations for Reims? 

Our oldest son is doing the same thing in the Spring 18. We will be heading to Paris and Reims in March 18 for our anniversary. Looking for tips on air travel. We are mainly Delta. Is there a way a "better" way to book to make the most of our Delta miles?

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Gigondas, man. That's my jam. Not only have I always loved Chateau St. Cosme, but on my first trip ended up staying at this amazing place which is right around the corner. The restaurant is not to be missed. Of course, the best wine was from the proprietor's family vineyard, which is not available here unfortunately. That said, frankly anything I've had from Vacqueyras has been outstanding. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/19/2018 at 7:47 PM, Txzen said:

Gigondas, man. That's my jam. Not only have I always loved Chateau St. Cosme, but on my first trip ended up staying at this amazing place which is right around the corner. The restaurant is not to be missed. Of course, the best wine was from the proprietor's family vineyard, which is not available here unfortunately. That said, frankly anything I've had from Vacqueyras has been outstanding. 

I am also a fan of Gigondas.  Have not had a bad one yet.

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  • 4 months later...

So the fiancee and I are doing the honeymoon in France. Flights on Norwegian Air were just too cheap to pass up from where we live, and she's always wanted to visit Paris. I said fuck it, because there will be great food/wine and ALL the g'dam cheese. 

Staying 10 nights total from May 23 - June 1. 4 nights in Paris. Two nights in Dijon and 4 nights in Cote D'Azure. I'll be honest, besides Paris, I have no idea what the fuck we're doing in wine country and the beach. And even in Paris we only have a few things mapped out. Dinner at Frenchie and Candelaria, drinks at Experimental Cocktail...that's about it on the food scene RN. Also checking out some of the architecture as my my bride to be was an art history major in college. 

Any recs would be much appreciated!

p.s. Sidis, thos pics looked amazing.

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1 minute ago, ramirezut said:

So the fiancee and I are doing the honeymoon in France. Flights on Norwegian Air were just too cheap to pass up from where we live, and she's always wanted to visit Paris. I said fuck it, because there will be great food/wine and ALL the g'dam cheese. 

Staying 10 nights total from May 23 - June 1. 4 nights in Paris. Two nights in Dijon and 4 nights in Cote D'Azure. I'll be honest, besides Paris, I have no idea what the fuck we're doing in wine country and the beach. And even in Paris we only have a few things mapped out. Dinner at Frenchie and Candelaria, drinks at Experimental Cocktail...that's about it on the food scene RN. Also checking out some of the architecture as my my bride to be was an art history major in college. 

Any recs would be much appreciated!

p.s. Sidis, thos pics looked amazing.

Where along the Cote D'Azure ?  Which town(s) ??

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2 minutes ago, ramirezut said:

Juan Les Pins

Haven't been there. Been to Nice and Cannes a few times.  The train along the coast takes you from Spain to Italy . Lots of easy days trips with just a little bit of planning. If you plan do Nice I can offer suggestions.

 

You can't help but see architecture in France... It's everywhere, and in abundance. The wife to be will be in heaven, I'm an architect, and France is like a candy store.

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28 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Haven't been there. Been to Nice and Cannes a few times.  The train along the coast takes you from Spain to Italy . Lots of easy days trips with just a little bit of planning. If you plan do Nice I can offer suggestions.

 

You can't help but see architecture in France... It's everywhere, and in abundance. The wife to be will be in heaven, I'm an architect, and France is like a candy store.

Actually we'd like to do a day trip to Nice and possibly hit up a beach there, grab a good meal.

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16 minutes ago, ramirezut said:

Actually we'd like to do a day trip to Nice and possibly hit up a beach there, grab a good meal.

The Cours Saleya (one block off the beach road)  at the end of the beach next to the Hotel Suisse is the farmers market, and the flower market. Several blocks of a wide pedestrian  boulevard with tented vendors selling everything from flowers to hogs heads, vegetables, fruits, candies, spices its worth an hours visit.

All along the edges of the market are indoor-outdoor restaurants along both sides of the boulevard.  We ate there 3 nights at different places each night. All great places. We'd just look at the menus on the street and pick the one that ad what we were looking for each night.  Sit outside for sure at all of them instead of sitting inside. 

The Jewish cemetery is on a huge hill right there behind the Hotel Suisse with amazing views of the city and the architecture in the cemetery is world class marble structures.   The hill is a city park that's worth the walk up. The hill separates the port/old city from the new city. I'd do that any day over hanging out at the beach. Beaches are beaches unless you're in Tahiti and have to all to yourself IMO.

We stay at the Hotel Suisse because it's got the absolute best views looking all the way back up the beach road to the far end of Nice.  It sits almost perpendicular to the beach because of its location at the base of the park on the mount.

 

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Paris Metro Schedules.

The Paris Metro runs from

roughly 05:30 till 00:40 (5:30am – 12:40am) Sunday thru Thursday

and 05:30 – 01:40 on Fridays, Saturdays and on days before a holiday.

Last trip was in October of '99.

As shown above, the metro shuts down early on weeknights so plan accordingly if you use it to go out.  Uber is available now at least.

Musee d'Orsay was best master painting for the time spent IMHO, awesome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musée_d'Orsay

Walk the Avenue des Champs-Elysées.  See the Arch de Triomphe.  The parks/grounds around the Eiffel Tower were great to get perspective, people watch, etc.

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11 hours ago, ramirezut said:

So the fiancee and I are doing the honeymoon in France. Flights on Norwegian Air were just too cheap to pass up from where we live, and she's always wanted to visit Paris. I said fuck it, because there will be great food/wine and ALL the g'dam cheese. 

Staying 10 nights total from May 23 - June 1. 4 nights in Paris. Two nights in Dijon and 4 nights in Cote D'Azure. I'll be honest, besides Paris, I have no idea what the fuck we're doing in wine country and the beach. And even in Paris we only have a few things mapped out. Dinner at Frenchie and Candelaria, drinks at Experimental Cocktail...that's about it on the food scene RN. Also checking out some of the architecture as my my bride to be was an art history major in college. 

Any recs would be much appreciated!

p.s. Sidis, thos pics looked amazing.

 

11 hours ago, ramirezut said:

Juan Les Pins

 

so paris can meet any and all travel desires.  it just depends on what you guys are into.  there are a billion travel resources on paris that you can use to figure out what you want to do.  by then, summer tourism will be in full effect so just be prepared.  two practical recommendations...if you are going to do a lot of the typical sights and sounds of paris (which are totally worth it if you haven't previously), i strongly recommend grabbing a carte musee (http://www.parismuseumpass.com/) for easing the entry process and cost.  makes things a bit cheaper and quicker.  i would also encourage you to embrace the metro there.  it is one of my favorites in the world and it is really all you need to get around basically anywhere in the city and region.  just grab a paris visite pass (https://en.parisinfo.com/what-to-see-in-paris/paris-pass/transport-travel-card-paris-visite) for five days and you can take an unlimited number of metro rides.  extremely convenient.  if you are looking for any insights into anything in particular in paris, let me know and i will give whatever feedback i can.  i lived in the 5th for a year so am very partial to it...as am i going to au bon marche the day i arrive and stocking up on buerre bordier for the time i am there. ;)

burgundy - dijon is a good launching point for burgundy (though i would strongly recommend that you consider beaune or one of the villages if you're comfortable finding places there. if it were me, i would stay in meursault. there is really just one road to drive up and down through the burgundian grand crus.  the montrachet villages and meursalt are not to be missed.  beautiful places.  but it will be an entirely different feel from paris obviously (though likely welcome).  fair warning, if you are going to try and do napa-like wine tasting tours, that works a very different way there and requires substantial planning and lead time.  get a reservation now at ma cuisine in beaune and then you can send me a thank you package when you get back.  if you are staying in dijon to have equal access north to champagne, i would steer you away from visiting there unless you have a reason to. 

cote d'azur - juan les pins is more like a neighborhood than a town...it is a very vibrant spot and adjacent to cap d'antibes.  the evenings have a lot going on and lots of restaurants serving the apres les plages crowd.  very walkable and lots of fun with endless restaurant and entertainment options.  i stayed at the hotel du cap-eden-roc in cap d'antibes in 2016 and it was magnificent.  even if you don't stay there, get brunch at the restaurant there.  outstanding setting and great food.  antibes also has a pretty unique picasso museum that's fairly different than all the others that is worth a stop for sure.  just a reminder that the beaches there are very beautiful but also very rocky.  definitely worth renting a boat if you can pull it off.  quick train to monte carlo if you're into that kind of thing...playing james bond at the grand casino.

sounds like a great trip.  bon voyage.  if you're looking for anything specific, let me know.

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i will jump in as well with requests for recommendations. i am taking my wife to paris in mid-March for 7 days with a day trip to Reims for champagne tasting. any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. we are staying at Hotel St James. and other than the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, i have no idea what else we should do. So for a first time, please give me your must do and see lists! thanks

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If you want to see the Louvre while in Paris, get your tickets online, and get them as soon as possible. Get them for as early in the day as possible. During summer it will be packed. Outside for those wanting tickets, the line will be hours long to get in. 

With summer crowds, the earlier time will let you see more. Off-season, earlier times will let you enjoy the museum with less of a crowd. In December it didn’t get overly crowded, but did pick up quite a bit in the early afternoon.

 

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On 2/22/2019 at 8:55 AM, sidis said:

 

 

  ...i would also encourage you to embrace the metro there.  it is one of my favorites in the world and it is really all you need to get around basically anywhere in the city and region.  just grab a paris visite pass (https://en.parisinfo.com/what-to-see-in-paris/paris-pass/transport-travel-card-paris-visite) for five days and you can take an unlimited number of metro rides.  extremely convenient.

That makes a lot of sense. We lived in the bay area for 7 years and BART was our go to getting in and around, well everywhere. Sounds like the metro it is. 

Quote

fair warning, if you are going to try and do napa-like wine tasting tours, that works a very different way there and requires substantial planning and lead time.  get a reservation now at ma cuisine in beaune and then you can send me a thank you package when you get back.  if you are staying in dijon to have equal access north to champagne, i would steer you away from visiting there unless you have a reason to.

We are staying at Grande Hotel La Cloche because the fiancee fell in love with that hotel through all our searches. Will definitely look at Ma Cuisine as we've heard the restaurants in Beaune and Dijon are amazing. We've looked at guided wine tours that pick you and take your for half day/full day, but are somewhat skeptical. We also thought about renting a car, but it sounds like Napa style is not really what we wanna do.

Quote

 just a reminder that the beaches there are very beautiful but also very rocky.  definitely worth renting a boat if you can pull it off.  quick train to monte carlo if you're into that kind of thing...playing james bond at the grand casino.

Yes we saw some great beaches in the area, one called Beach Salis. About how long is the train to monte carlo?

great recs, i'll probably be DMing you about places to eat in Paris.

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7 hours ago, ramirezut said:

We are staying at Grande Hotel La Cloche because the fiancee fell in love with that hotel through all our searches. Will definitely look at Ma Cuisine as we've heard the restaurants in Beaune and Dijon are amazing. We've looked at guided wine tours that pick you and take your for half day/full day, but are somewhat skeptical. We also thought about renting a car, but it sounds like Napa style is not really what we wanna do.

Yes we saw some great beaches in the area, one called Beach Salis. About how long is the train to monte carlo?

You should definitely get a car for Burgundy.  When I say don't expect a Napa experience on the wine tours, I was talking about the type of bus thing you are alluding to.  You aren't going to be able to go in and taste at most of the vineyards...it will be more of a drive-by and look with probably a stop at clos du vougeot.  Very few vineyards in Burgundy are part of the "tourism industry" there in the same way they are at Napa.  To get in to most of the higher end places, you need to know someone.  However, driving the region is a definite must.  D974 south of Dijon hits all of the Cote d'Or (Nuits and Beaune).

antibes to monte carlo is just over an hour by train (about ten years by car) but it is a beautiful train ride for sure.

happy to help with restuarants in paris.  you're off to a good start with frenchie...no shortage of tourists but good food.  i would just grab a cocktail at candaleria if it were me and hit la colimacon marais for food afterwards.  can't go wrong though.

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In 2009 I had the honor to take a tour of the Vosges region following the line of advance of the 36th ID (Texas NG) during WWII.  Our guide was a polyglot member of our unit whose skill at the local languages got a lot of doors opened for us.

We culminated our 3 day tour of battlegrounds, wineries, restaurants and local sights at the Epinal American Cemetery -  I know it's not mandatory but damn, if you're an American (liberal or conservative) and are visiting foreign soil you really owe it to yourself to go to one of the monuments run by the American Battle Monuments Commission (they're global).

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12 hours ago, sidis said:

 

happy to help with restuarants in paris.  you're off to a good start with frenchie...no shortage of tourists but good food.  i would just grab a cocktail at candaleria if it were me and hit la colimacon marais for food afterwards.  can't go wrong though.

Frenchie is a conundrum IMO.  I have heard good things, but you are right, it is a tourist hotspot.  I for one have never been, so would be interested to hear about the experience.  

Ditto on Candaleria.  The cocktails are good.  I would give the food a miss.  Hard to eat tacos in Paris when you have had outstanding ones in Mexico or even the Southwest US.  

From a Paris restaurant perspective, there are restuarants to fit every budget.  

My top 10 Paris restaurant experiences have been (in no particular order):

Restaurant Montee (in the 14th, but spitting distance from Boulevard du Montparnesse and the 6th)

Le Chateaubriand (and Le Dauphin which is much more casual, but all by the same chef)

Verjus 

Pavillion Ledoyen (Yannick Alleno had just taken over and re-earned the 3rd Michelin Star when I went.  I was there in early November, but I hear in summer, with the trees in the park, it is like eating outside at a super fancy picnic)

Astrance

Chez La Vieille - Blood sausage and apples.  That is what sold it for me.

Josephine Chez Dumonet - Old school Paris.  Hard to beat their Bouef Bourguignon and Grand Marnier Souffle.

Chez Denise - The Cote de Bouef and Chocolate Mousse

Bistrot Paul Bert - The steak au poivre is a thing of beauty

Septime - I went for lunch, which is a great deal.  Would like to do dinner there at some point

Honerable Mention - L'Ami Jean - Would have had a better time if had done this earlier in the trip with my folks and not when everyone was getting tired.  Will give this one another try on another trip.  The Rice Pudding alone is worth inclusion, but there are SO many greats.

Le Baratin in the 20th.  It is a haul, but the wine list is very interesting and the food just really, really good homestyle cooking.  Had the best oysters I have ever had here.

Paris restuarants on my list for next trip (Whenever that is):

Le Papillion (17th)

La Bourse et la Vie (2nd) - I am a fan of Daniel Rose after trips to Spring, Chez La Vieille (on the list above), and Le Coucou.  Will definitely try this at some point.  Definitely gets great reviews and kudos from what I have seen.

Yam'Tcha (1st)

La Condesa (9th)

Arpege (7th)

Guy Savoy (6th)

Les Arlots (10th)

Baieta (5th) - I went here for a light lunch, and it was excellent, but I was distracted, so it is worth a repet visit.

Le Servan (11th)

 

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Frenchie is one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. My overall favorite restaurant is somewhere else, but my one visit to Frenchie was damn near perfect from start to finish.

Not sure where the touristy label comes from, especially from people who haven’t been there. Paris is touristy. The Eiffel Tower and The Louvre and 80% of the other places mentioned in these threads are touristy. Who cares.

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Frenchie is one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. My overall favorite restaurant is somewhere else, but my one visit to Frenchie was damn near perfect from start to finish.

Not sure where the touristy label comes from, especially from people who haven’t been there. Paris is touristy. The Eiffel Tower and The Louvre and 80% of the other places mentioned in these threads are touristy. Who cares.
The touristy label came from friends who have been who said 80% of the tables were filled with Americans. That was my exact experience at Spring. Yes, the food was great, but I could have been in New York rather than Paris. Just not the atmosphere I enjoy. Just thought I'd share what I'd heard when I made my plans for trips in 2017 and 2018.
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