Tourism of France: essential information

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Sunday, April 10, 2016

France Food and Drink

France Food and Drink
Paris is as famous for food as it is for fashion. Gastronomic treats include foie gras, cold meats from the charcuterie, cheese, and wine. Certain streets are so overflowing with food shops that you can put together a picnic for 20 in no time: try the Rue Montorgueil. The Rue Rambuteau, running on each side of the Pompidou Center, has a marvelous row of fish stores, cheese delicatessens, and stores selling prepared foods.

BREAD AND CAKES
There is a huge range of breads and pastries in France’s capital. The baguette is often translated as “French bread”; a bâtard is similar but thicker, while a ficelle is thinner. A fougasse is a crusty, flat loaf made from baguette dough, often filled with onions, cheese, herbs, or spices. Since most French bread contains no fat it goes stale quickly: the sooner you eat it, the better. The French would never eat day-old bread so be sure to be up in time to make it to the bakery for breakfast!

Croissants can be bought ordinaire or au beurre – the latter is flakier and more buttery. Pain au chocolat is a chocolate-filled pastry eaten for breakfast and chausson aux pommes is filled with apples. There are also pear, plum, and rhubarb variations. A pain aux raisins is a bread-like wheel filled with custard and raisins. Poilâne sells perhaps the only bread in Paris known by the name of its baker (the late Lionel, brother of Max) and his hearty whole wheat loaves are tremendously popular, with freshly-baked loaves being jetted around the world to satisfy the cravings of certain movie stars. There are always big lines on the weekend and at around 4pm when a fresh batch comes out of the oven.
Many think Ganachaud bakes the best bread in Paris. Thirty different kinds, including ingredients such as walnuts and fruit, are made in the old-fashioned ovens.
Although Les Panetons is part of a larger chain, it is one of the best of its kind with a broad range of breads.
Favorites here include five-grain bread, sesame rolls, and mouchoir aux pommes, a variation on the traditional chausson.
It is very important to remember that every Parisian has a favorite neighbourhood bakery, so when you are buying bread locally simply go for the shop with the longest lines.
Many of the Jewish delicatessens have the best ryes and the only pumpernickels in town. One of the best known is Sacha Finkelsztajn.
Le Moulin de la Vierge uses a wood fire to bake organic breads and rich pound cakes. Boulangerie
de l’Ouest is second only to Max Poilâne in the Montparnasse area with baguettes, fougasses, cakes, and pastries. J. L. Poujauran is known for his black-olive bread and nut-and-raisin wholegrain breads. Pierre Hermé is to cakes what Chanel is to fashion, while Ladurée macaroons are legendary.

CHOCOLATE
Like all food in France, chocolate is to be savored. Christian Constant’s low-sugar creations are made with pure cocoa and are known to connoisseurs. Dalloyau makes all types of chocolate and is not too expensive (it’s also known for its pâtisserie and cold meats). Fauchon is world famous for its luxury food products. Its chocolates are excellent, as is the pâtisserie.
Lenôtre makes classic truffles and pralines. Robert Linxe at La Maison du Chocolat is constantly inventing fresh, rich chocolates with mouth-watering exotic ingredients. Richart boasts beautifully presented and hugely-expensive chocolates, which are usually coated with dark chocolate or liqueur-filled.
Debauve & Gallais are best known for their wonderful and delicious glacé chestnut treats (marron glacés).

CHARCUTERIE AND FOIE GRAS
Charcuteries often sell cheese, snails, truffles, smoked salmon, caviar, and wine as well as cold meats.
Fauchon has a good grocery, as does the department store Le Bon Marché. Hédiard is a luxury shop similar to Fauchon, and Maison de la Truffe sells foie gras and sausages as well as truffles.
For Beluga caviar, Georgian tea, and Russian vodka go to Petrossian.
The Lyon and Auvergne regions of France are the best known for their charcuterie. Examples can be bought from Chrétienne Jean-Jacques. Aux Vrais Produits d’Auvergne has a number of outlets where you can stock up on dried and fresh sausages and delicious
Cantal cheese (rather like cheddar). Pou is a sparklingly clean and popular shop selling pâté en croute (pâté baked in pastry), boudins (black and white puddings), Lyonnais sausages, ham, and foie gras. Just off the Champs-Elysées, Vignon has superb foie gras and Lyonnais sausages as well as popular prepared foods. Together with truffles and caviar, foie gras is the ultimate in gourmet food. The quality (and price) depends upon the percentage of liver used.
Though most specialty food shops sell foie gras, you can be sure of quality at Comtesse du Barry, which has six outlets in Paris. Divay is relatively inexpensive and will ship overseas. Labeyrie has a range of beautifully packaged foie gras suitable for giving as presents.

CHEESE
Although Camembert is undoubtedly a favorite, there is an overwhelming range of cheeses available.
A friendly fromager will help you choose. Marie-Anne Cantin is one of the leading figures in the fight to protect traditional production methods, and her fine cheeses are available from the store that she inherited from her father. Some say that Alléosse is the best cheese delicatessen in Paris –the façade may be in need of renovation, but all the cheeses are made according to traditional methods.
Crèmerie Quatrehomme sells farm-made cheeses, many of which are in danger of becoming extinct; these include a rare and delicious truffle Brie (when in season).
Le Jardin Fromager is one of the best shops in Paris for all types of cheese – the chèvre (goat’s cheese) is particularly good, and outside on the sidewalk the daily specials are offered at remarkably reasonable prices. Barthelemy in the Rue de Grenelle has a truly exceptional Roquefort.
Androuet is a Parisian institution with several branches across the city. Try a pungent Munster or a really ripe Brie. A charming cheese store on the bustling Rue Montorgeuil market street, La
Fermette, offers a dazzling array of dairy products, which the helpful and friendly staff will happily encase in plastic for the journey home. This is imperative when bringing cheese through customs, so don’t forget to ask your fromager to wrap it for you. Well-heeled locals line in the street to buy oozing livarot and sharp chèvre from La Fromagerie d’Auteuil. WINE the chain store which has
practically cornered the everyday drinking market is Nicolas – there’s a branch in every neighborhood with a range of wines to suit all pockets. As a rule, the sales-people are knowledgeable and helpful. Try the charming
Legrand Filles et Fils for a carefully chosen selection. Caves Taillevent on the Rue du Faubourg-
St-Honoré is worth a sightseeing tour. It is an enormous, overwhelming cellar with some of the
most expensive wine. Cave Péret on the Rue Daguerre has a vast selection of wines and can offer personal advice to help you with your purchase. The beautiful Ryst-Dupeyron, in the St-
Germain quarter, displays whiskies, wines, ports, and Monsieur Ryst’s own Armagnac. He will even personalize a bottle for that special occasion.

Other great wine stores include Lavinia which is the largest in Europe, and Renaud Michel at Nation, whose small boutique is well stocked and well connected.
The staff in Les Caves Augé are also very knowledgeable and friendly.

CHAMPAGNE
Fabulous fizz can be found at most wine stores, but some know their bubbles better than others. The Nicolas chain, mentioned above, frequently has great offers on well-known brands, so this is
a good place to come and stock up on your favorite famous bubbly. La Cave des
Martyrs on the Rue Martyrs is a friendly and well-stocked wine store with charming staff to help you with your selection. The Repaire du Bacchus on the Rue d’Auteuil is a good place to go for
hard-to-find vintages. The sommelier here is very knowledgeable and able to provide excellent alternative advice if your preferred brand is out of stock. Legrand Filles et Fils, on the Rue de la
Banque, is one of the few shops in Paris to stock Salon, a rare high-end champagne.
They also sell champagne by Jacques Selosse which is little-known but well-loved by champagne connoisseurs. Les Caves du Panthéon on the Rue Saint Jacques, is a small, but, lovely wine store, which has a particularly interesting selection of champagnes.
Close by is Ex Cellar France, a corner wine-store, which is distinguished both by its charming and helpful staff and also by its frequent deals on champagne. The climate-controlled section of Hédiard at Place de la Madelaine is a good place to find rare, fine sparkling wines. Caprices de l’Instant is a fashionable wine store, which stocks good quality champagne including bottles by some lesser-known producers. A stroll along the Boulevard St-Germain can be enhanced with a visit to La Maison du Millésimes, a wonderful store carrying excellent vintages of household-name champagnes.

OYSTERS
The ultimate aphrodisac for some, a slippery sea creature for others, there is no doubt that the once humble oyster can cause heated debate. In Paris, the argument tends to be over the best place to purchase these creatures, with every seafood fan worth his platter claiming a favorite spot; and it is, of course, important to get it right. A deciding factor for some is the grace with which your fish seller will agree to open them for you. In general, a polite request will be honored, although sometimes you may have to wait a while before being presented with a platter perfect for a picnic.
The fish seller on the Rue Cler market street, La Sablaise, has an excellent reputation as does the
Poissonnerie du Dôme in the city’s 14th arrondissement.

Over in the traditionally rough-and-ready area around the Rue Oberkampf, you can find excellent oysters at the Poissonerie Lacroix. If you prefer to eat your oysters on the spot then head to an huitrerie (oyster shop) such as L’Ecume Saint-Honoré near chic Rue St-Honoré, where you can tuck into your oysters and a wide range of other shellfish straight away at the few tables tucked into the corner of the store.

DIRECTORY

Renaud Michel
12 Pl de la Nation 75012.
Tel 01 43 07 98 93.

Ryst-Dupeyron
79 Rue du Bac 75007.
Tel 01 45 48 80 93.

CHAMPAGNE
Caprices de l’Instant
12 Rue Jacques Coeur75004.
Tel 01 40 27 89 00.

La Cave des Martyrs
39 Rue des Martyrs 75009.
Tel 01 40 16 80 27.

Les Caves du Panthéon
174 Rue St Jacques 75005.
Tel 01 46 33 90 35.

Ex Cellar France
25 Rue des Ecoles 75005.
Tel 01 43 26 99 43.

Hédiard
21 Place de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 43 12 88 88.

La Maison de Millésimes
137 Boulevard St-Germain 75006.
F4. Tel 01 40 46 80 01.

Repaire du Bacchus
1 Rue de Maistre 75018.
Tel 01 46 06 80 84.

OYSTERS
L’Ecume Saint-Honoré
6 Rue du Marché St-Honoré 75001.
D1. Tel 01 42 61 93 87.

Poissonnerie du Dôme
4 Rue Delambre 75014.
Tel 01 43 35 23 95.

Poissonnerie Lacroix
44 Rue Oberkampf
75011.
Tel 01 47 00 93 13.

La Sablaise
28 Rue Cler 75007.
Tel 01 45 51 61 78.

BREAD AND CAKES
Boulangerie de l’Ouest
4 Pl Constantin Brancusi 75014.
Tel 01 43 21 76 18.

Ganachaud
226 Rue des Pyrénées
75020.
Tel 01 43 58 42 62.

J L Poujauran
20 Rue Jean-Nicot 75007.
Tel 01 43 17 35 20.

Max Poilâne
87 Rue Brancion 75015.
Tel 01 48 28 45 90.

Le Moulin de la Vierge
105 Rue Vercingétorix
75014.
Tel 01 45 43 09 84.

One of several branches.
Les Panetons
113 Rue Mouffetard
75005.
Tel 01 47 07 12 08.

Pierre Hermé
72 Rue Bonaparte 75006.
Tel 01 43 54 47 77.

Poilâne
8 Rue du Cherche-Midi
75006.
Tel 01 45 48 42 59.

Sacha Finkelsztajn
27 Rue des Rosiers 75004.
Tel 01 42 72 78 91.
www.laboutiquejaune.fr

CHOCOLATE
Christian Constant
37 Rue d’Assas 75006.
Tel 01 53 63 15 15.

Dalloyau
101 Rue du Faubourg-
St-Honoré 75008.
Tel 01 42 99 90 00.

Debauve & Gallais
30 Rue des Saints-Pères
75007.
Tel 01 45 48 54 67.

One of two branches.
Fauchon
26 Pl de la Madeleine 75008.
Tel 01 70 39 38 00.
www.fauchon.com

Lenôtre
36 Ave de la Motte
Picquet 75007.
F4. Tel 01 45 55 71 25.

One of several branches.
La Maison du Chocolat
225 Rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré 75008.
Tel 01 42 27 39 44.

Richart
258 Blvd St-Germain 75007.
Tel 01 45 55 66 00.

CHARCUTERIE AND FOIE GRAS
Chrétienne Jean-Jacques
58 Rue des Martyrs
75009.
Tel 01 48 78 96 45.

Comtesse du Barry
1 Rue de Sèvres 75006.
Tel 01 45 48 32 04.
www.comtessedubarry.com

One of several branches.
Divay
4 Rue Bayen 75017.
Tel 01 43 80 16 97.

Fauchon
26 Pl de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 70 39 38 00.

Hédiard
21 Pl de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 43 12 88 88.

Labeyrie
11 Rue d’Auteuil 75016.
Tel 01 42 24 17 62.

Maison de la Truffe
19 Pl de la Madeleine
75008.
Tel 01 42 65 53 22.

Petrossian
18 Blvd Latour-Maubourg 75007.
Tel 01 44 11 32 22.

Pou
16 Ave des Ternes 75017.
Tel 01 43 80 19 24.

Vignon
14 Rue Marbeuf 75008.
Tel 01 47 20 24 26.

CHEESE Alléosse
13 Rue Poncelet 75017.
Tel 01 46 22 50 45.

Androuët
134 Rue Mouffetard
75005. Map 17 B1.
Tel 01 45 87 85 05.
www.androuet.com

Barthelemy
51 Rue de Grenelle
75007.
Tel 01 45 48 56 75.

Crèmerie
Quatrehomme
62 Rue de Sèvres 75007.
Tel 01 47 34 33 45.

La Fermette
86 Rue Montorgeuil
75002.
Tel 01 42 36 70 96.

La Fromagerie d’Auteuil
58 Rue d’Auteuil 75016.
Tel 01 45 25 07 10.

Le Jardin Fromager
53 Rue Oberkampf
75011.
Tel 01 48 05 19 96.

Marie-Anne Cantin
12 Rue du Champ-de-Mars 75007.
Tel 01 45 50 43 94.

WINE
Les Caves Augé
116 Blvd Haussman 75008.
Tel 01 45 22 16 97.

Cave Péret
6 Rue Daguerre 75014.
Tel 01 43 22 08 64.

Caves Taillevent
199 Rue du Faubourg-
St-Honoré 75008.
Tel 01 45 61 14 09.

Nicolas
35 Blvd Malesherbes 75008.
Tel 01 42 65 00 85.
www.nicolas.com

Restaurant, Cafes and Bars in France

essential information Unknown 12:13 AM

Restaurant, Cafes and Bars in France
The French national passion for good cuisine makes eating out one of the greatest pleasures of a visit to Paris. Everywhere in the city you see people eating –in restaurants, bistros, tea salons, cafés, and wine bars.
Most restaurants serve French food but there is a range of Chinese, Vietnamese and North African eateries in many areas as well as Italian, Greek, Lebanese, and Indian places. The restaurants in the listings have been selected from the best that Paris can offer across all price ranges. The listings are organized by area, as in the sightseeing section of the guide, and by price. Most places will serve lunch from noon until around 2pm, and the menu often includes fixed-price meals. Parisians usually start to fill restaurants for dinner around 8.30pm and most places serve from around 7.30pm until 11pm.

WHAT TO EAT
A tremendous range of food is available in Paris, from the rich meat dishes and perfect pâtisserie for which France is most famous to simpler French regional cuisines.

The latter are available in brasseries and bistros – the type usually depends on the birthplace of the chef. At any time of day simple, tasty meals can be had in cafés, wine and beer bars, and brasseries, bistros, and cake shops – or pâtisseries – abound.
The best ethnic food comes from France’s former colonies: Vietnam and North Africa.
North African places are known as couscous restaurants and serve filling, somewhat spicy, inexpensive food that varies in quality. Vietnamese restaurants are also good value and provide a light alternative to rich French food. Paris also has some good Japanese restaurants, notably around Rue Monsieur le Prince (6th arrondissement); Rue Sainte-Anne (2nd) and Avenue de Choisy (13th) have others.

WHERE TO FIND GOOD RESTAURANTS AND CAFES
You can eat well in almost any part of Paris. Wherever you are, as a rule of thumb you will find that the most out-standing restaurants and cafés are those that cater predominantly to a French clientele.
The Left Bank probably has the greatest concentration of restaurants, especially in tourist areas like St-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter.
The quality of food varies, but there are some commendable bistros, outdoor cafés, and wine bars –places to go in Paris for light meals and snacks. The Latin Quarter also has a high concentration of Greek restaurants centered chiefly on Rue de la Huchette.
In the Marais and Bastille areas, small bistros, tea salons, and cafés are plentiful, some new and fashionable. There are also many good, traditional long-established bistros and brasseries.
In the Champs-Elysées and Madeleine area it is difficult to find inexpensive good food. Sadly, this area tends to be overrun with fast food joints and pricy but not very good cafés. There are, however, some very good expensive restaurants here.
Montparnasse still has some great cafés from the 1920s, including Le Sélect and La Rotonde, on the Boulevard du Montparnasse.
Sensitive renovation has recaptured much of their old splendor. This area is also well known for its many pancake restaurants. Rue de Montparnasse, for example, is lined with crêperies serving galettes, sweet crêpes, and Normandy cider.
There are many noteworthy restaurants, bistros and cafés in the Louvre-Rivoli area, competing with tourist-oriented, overpriced cafés. Just to the east, Les Halles is filled with fast food joints and mediocre restaurants but there are few places of note.
Good Japanese food can be found near the Opéra together with some fine brasseries, but otherwise the area around the Opéra and Grands Boulevards is not the best for restaurants.
Near the Bourse are a number of reputable restaurants and bistros that are frequented by stockbrokers.

Montmartre has a predictable number of tourist restaurants, but it also has a few pleasant small bistros. One expensive and luxurious exception is Beauvilliers, a Montmartre landmark tucked on the far side of the Butte.
Quiet neighborhoods in the evening, the Invalides, Eiffel Tower, and Palais de Chaillot tend to have less noisy, more serious restaurants than areas with lively nightlife.
Prices can be high.
Two Chinatowns, one in the area south of the Place d’Italie, the other in the traditionally working-class, hilltop area of Belleville, have concentrations of ethnic food but few French restaurants of note. There are a number of Vietnamese venues as well as large, inexpensive Chinese ones, and Belleville is also packed with small North African restaurants.

TYPES OF RESTAURANTS AND CAFES
One of the most enjoyable aspects of eating in Paris is the diversity of places to eat.
Bistros are small, often moderately priced restaurants with a limited selection of dishes.
Those from the Belle Epoque era are particularly beautiful, with zinc bars, mirrors, and attractive tiles. The food is generally, but not always, regional and traditional. Many chefs from the toniest restaurants have now also opened bistros and these can be very good value.
Brasseries are generally large bustling eateries, many with an Alsatian character serving carafes of Alsatian wine and platters of sauerkraut and sausage. They have immense menus, and most serve food throughout the day and are open late. Outside you may well see impressive sidewalk displays of shellfish, with apron-clad oyster shuckers working late into the night. Cafés open early in the morning, and apart from the large tourist cafés, the majority close by around 10pm. They serve drinks and food all day long from a short menu of salads, sandwiches, and eggs.
At lunch most also offer a small choice of hot daily specials. Café prices vary from area to area, in direct proportion to the number of tourists. Upscale cafés, like Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots serve food until late at night.
Those cafés specializing in beer almost always include onion tarts, French fries, and hearty bowls of steamed mussels on the menu. Brunch is now served in many places on weekends, from around €17.
Wine bars are informal. They usually have a moderately priced, simple lunch menu and serve wine by the glass. They serve snacks at any time of day – such as marvelous open sandwiches (tartines) made with sourdough Poilâne bread topped with cheese, sausage, or pâté – until around 10pm, but a few are open for dinner.
Tea salons open for breakfast or mid-morning until the early evening. Many offer lunch, as well as a selection of sweet pastries for afternoon tea. They are at their best in the middle of the afternoon and offer coffee and hot chocolate as well as fine teas. Some, like Le
Loir dans la Théière, are casual with sofas and big tables, while Mariage Frères is more formal. Angélina on the Rue de Rivoli is famous for its hot chocolate, and Ladurée has excellent macaroons.

VEGETARIAN FOOD
Vegetarian restaurants in Paris are few, and no vegetarian restaurant menus are usually firmly oriented toward meat and fish. However, you can get a good salad almost anywhere and you can often fare well by ordering two courses from the list of entrées (first courses). The North African restaurants will serve you couscous nature –which doesn’t include meat.
Never be timid about asking for a change in a dish.
If you see a salad with ham, bacon, or foie gras, ask the waiter for it without the meat.
If you are going to a fancy restaurant, telephone ahead and ask the manager if it is possible to prepare a special meal for you. Most restaurants will be happy to oblige.
Organic produce is starting to be used in French cuisine– look out for biologique or bio on the menu. Some places can also provide gluten-free dishes.

HOW MUCH TO PAY
Prices for meals in Paris range from extremely economic to astronomical. You can still enjoy a hearty restaurant or café lunch for €18, but a typical good bistro, brasserie or restaurant meal in central Paris will average €30–€40 with wine. (Remember that the better French wines will increase the size of your bill significantly.)
More expensive restaurants begin at about €45 with wine and go up to €200 for the top places. Many places offer a formula or prix-fixe (fixed price) menu, especially at lunch, and this will almost always offer the best value. Some restaurants feature two course menus for under €15 – a few at this price include wine. Coffee usually carries an extra charge.
All French restaurants are obliged by law to display their menu outside. The posted rates include service but a tip for particularly good service will always be appreciated (any amount
from one euro to five percent of the total).
The most widely accepted credit card is Visa.
Few restaurants accept American Express, and some bistros do not accept credit cards at all, so it is wise to enquire when you reserve.
Travelers’ checks are not accepted either, and many cafés require cash.

MAKING RESERVATIONS
It is best to reserve a table in all restaurants, brasseries, and bistros. Although you can usually get into a brasserie without making a reservation, you may have to wait for a table.

DRESS CODE
Except for some chic restaurants which can be rather formal, you can dress up or down in Parisian restaurants – within reason. Even when dressed casually, the French are generally well turned out. The restaurant listings indicate which places require formal dress.

READING THE MENU AND ORDERING
Menus in small restaurants and bistros, and even in big brasseries, are often handwritten and can be difficult to decipher, so ask for help if necessary.
The waiter usually takes your choice of entrée (first course), then the plat (main course). Dessert is ordered after you have finished your main course, apart from some hot desserts that have to be ordered at the start of the meal. The waiter will tell you this, or the dessert section of the menu will be marked à commander avant le repas.
The first course generally includes a choice of seasonal salads or vegetables, pâté, and small hot or cold vegetable dishes or tarts. Small fish dishes like smoked salmon, grilled sardines, herring, fish salads, and tartares are also offered. Brasseries have shell-fish such as oysters, which can also be eaten as a main course. (The French tend to eat shellfish only when the
month ends in ‘re’!).
Main dishes usually include a selection of meat, poultry, and fish and upscale restaurants offer game in the fall. Most restaurants also offer daily specials (plats du jour). These dishes will incorporate fresh, seasonal produce and are usually good value.
Cheese is eaten either as a dessert or as a pre-dessert course. Some people have a green salad with their cheese.
Coffee is served after, not with, dessert. You will need to ask specifically if you want it au lait (with milk). Decaffeinated coffee (décaféiné) and herbal teas (tisanes) are also popular
after-dinner beverages.
In most restaurants you will be asked if you would like a drink before ordering food. A
typical apéritif is kir (white wine with a drop of crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur) or kir royal (champagne with crème de cassis). Beer, however, is rarely drunk before a meal in
France.
Bistros and brasseries usually include the wine list with the menu. The more expensive restaurants have separate wine lists, which are generally brought to the table by the wine waiter (sommelier) after you have seen the meal menu. The wine waiter will be able to advise on choosing the wine if you wish.

SERVICE
As eating is a leisurely pas-time in France, although the general standard of service in Paris restaurants is high, it is not always fast. In small restaurants in particular don’t expect rapid attention: there may be only one waiter, and dishes are cooked to order.

CHILDREN
French children are introduced early to eating in restaurants and as a rule are well-behaved. Consequently, children are usually very welcome, but are expected to behave sensibly. However, there may be little room in a busy restaurant for strollers, and few restaurants provide special facilities like high-chairs or booster seats.

SMOKING
France has now joined several other countries in enforcing strict anti-tobacco laws. It is therefore against the law to smoke in public places such as bars and restaurants.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
Parisian restaurants are generally accommodating, and a word when you reserve should ensure that you are given a conveniently situated table when you arrive. It is always worth checking that restrooms can also be used by wheelchair users, since access can be restricted.

PICNICS
Picnicking is the best way to enjoy the wonderful fresh produce, local bread, cheeses, charcuterie, and pastries from the markets and enticing stores to be found all over the city.
It is also a good way of eating cheaply and enjoying the many parks that Paris has to offer.

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Where to stay

essential information Unknown 11:47 PM

Where to stay in France / Paris accommodation
Paris has more guest rooms than almost any other city in Europe. Its hotels vary from magnificent luxurious places like the Ritz (the French call them palaces) and the exclusive L’Hôtel, where Oscar Wilde died beyond his means, too much simpler hotels in charming older parts of Paris. It is worth noting that hôtel does not always mean “hotel”. It can also mean a town hall (hôtel de ville), hospital (Hôtel-Dieu), or a mansion.

WHERE TO LOOK
Hotels in Paris tend to cluster by type in particular areas, with the river separating the business and leisure districts. Luxury hotels tend to be on the north side and hôtels de charme on the south side.
In the fashionable districts near the Champs-Elysées and the Opéra Garnier lie many of the grandest hotels in Paris, including the Royal Monceau, the Bristol, the
Four Seasons George V, the Meurice, and the Plaza Athénée. Several less well known but elegant hotels can be found in the residential and ambassadorial quarter near the Palais de Chaillot. To the east, still on the Right Bank, in the regenerated Marais, a number of the old mansions have been converted into exceptionally attractive small hotels at reasonable prices. The nearby areas around Les Halles and the Rue St-Denis, however, attract prostitutes and drug addicts. Just south of the Marais across the Seine, the Ile St-Louis and Ile de la Cité have several charming hotels.
The Left Bank covers some of the most popular tourist areas and has an excellent range of small hotels of great character. The atmosphere subtly changes from the much upgraded Latin Quarter and the chic and arty areas north and south of Boulevard St-Germain, to the rather shabby
Boulevard itself and the staid institutional area toward Les Invalides and the Eiffel Tower.
The hotels tend to reflect this.

Further from the centre, Montparnasse has several large business hotels in high-rise blocks, and the Porte de Versailles area to the south is usually packed with trade fair participants. The station areas around Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon offer a number of basic hotels (choose carefully). Montmartre has one or two pleasant hotels if you don’t mind the hilly location, but beware of hotels allegedly in Montmartre but actually in the red-light, sex-show district of Pigalle. If you are looking for a hotel in person, the best times for inspecting are late morning or mid-afternoon. If the hotels are fullly booked, try again after 6pm, when unclaimed provisional reservations become free.
Don’t rely on the impression of a hotel given by reception: ask to see the room offered.

HOTEL PRICES
Hotel prices aren’t always cheaper in low season (mid-November to March or July and August) because fashion shows and other major events throughout the year can pack rooms, raising prices. However, in the older hotels differences in the size and position of rooms can have a marked effect on cost.
Twin rooms are slightly more expensive than doubles; single occupancy rates are as high or nearly as high as for two people sharing (rates are almost always quoted per room, not per person). Rooms without a bath tend to be about 20 percent cheaper than those with. You might find a half-board arrangement unnecessary when the city has such a wide choice of good restaurants to suit all budgets.
It’s always worth asking for a discount: you may get an Internet rate, for instance.
In some hotels special deals are offered for students, families, or senior citizens.
Discounts are often available when making reservations online.

HIDDEN EXTRAS
By law, tax and service must be included in the price quoted or displayed at the reception desk or in the rooms. Tips are unnecessary other than for exceptional service – if the concierge reserves show tickets, for instance, or if the maid does some washing for you.
However, before you make a reservation you should always establish whether breakfast is included in the price or not. Beware of extras such as drinks or snacks from a mini-bar, which will probably be pricey, as will laundry services, garage parking, and telephone calls from your room – especially telephone calls made through the switchboard.
Exchange rates in hotels invariably tend to be lower than in a bank, so make sure you have enough cash to pay your bill unless you are paying by credit card or using travellers’ checks.

HOTEL RATINGS
French hotels are classified by the tourist authorities into five broad categories: one to four stars, plus a four-star deluxe rating, although a five-star rating is expected to be introduced soon. Some very simple places are unclassified. Star ratings indicate something about the level of facilities you can expect (for example, any hotel with more than three stars should have an elevator). But the French rating system is no reliable guide to friendliness, clean-liness or tasteful-ness of the decor.

FACILITIES
Few Parisian hotels below a four-star rating have a restaurant, although there is nearly always a breakfast room. Many hotel restaurants close in August. Older hotels may also lack a public lounge area. More modern or expensive hotels have correspondingly better facilities and generally some kind of bar. Inexpensive hotels may not have an elevator – significant when you are dragging suitcases upstairs.
Usually only the more expensive hotels have parking facilities. If you are driving you may prefer to stay in one of the peripheral motel-style chains.
All but the very simplest of city hotels will have a telephone in the bedroom; many also have television.
Business facilities (fax and Internet) are available in grander hotels, and WiFi is now commonplace.
Double beds (grands lits) are common, but you must specify whether or not you want one.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Many hotel beds still stick to the time-honored French bolster, a sausage-shaped headrest that can be uncomfortable if you are unused to it. If you prefer pillows, ask for oreillers. If you want to make sure you get a toilet, specify a WC, and if you want a bath, ask for a baignoire. Otherwise, a cabinet de toilette is just a basin and bidet, and eau courante means simply a basin with hot and cold running water. A duplex room is a suite on two floors.
The traditional French hotel breakfast of fresh coffee, croissants, jam and orange juice is in Paris gradually changing into an elaborate buffet breakfast with cold meats and cheeses. Some of the luxury hotels are now such popular venues for breakfast that it is worth reserving a place in the breakfast area if you don’t want to eat in your room. A pleasant alternative is to head for the nearest café where French workers are enjoying breakfast over a newspaper.
Checkout time is usually noon and if you stay longer you will pay for an extra day.

SPECIAL BREAKS
Because Paris is such a popular destination with leisure as well as business travellers, weekend packages are often available via travel agents or the Internet.
Providing there are no major events taking place, you can reduce costs by visiting in low season and negotiating a discount, or by seeking out an all-inclusive package.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN
Families with young children will often find they can share a room at no or very little extra cost, and some operators offer packages with this in mind. Few hotels refuse to accept children, though facilities specifically for children are not universal. Some hotels will even arrange babysitting.

DISABLED TRAVELERS
Our information about wheelchair access to hotels was gathered by questionnaire and therefore relies on the hotels’ own assessment of their suitability. Not many are well geared for use by disabled visitors. The Association des Paralysés de France and the Groupement pour l’Insertion des Personnes Handicapées Physiques (GIHP) have pertinent information.

EFFICIENCY UNITS
A program called Résidence Internationale de Paris provides units in specially run apartment blocks. Some hotel-type facilities are available, but you pay extra for them. Prices vary from around €90 a night for a small studio to over €300 a night for an apartment for several people. Either contact Interhome or get in touch with each résidence directly. The Office du
Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris also provides a full list of résidences.
Efficiency accommodation is an increasingly popular alternative for staying in Paris.
The better known agencies include Allo Logement Temporaire, At Home In Paris,
ASLOM, Paris Appartements Services and France Appartements. Good Morning Paris and France-Lodge also arrange efficiency apartments, as well as being B&B agencies.
All provide furnished apartments for stays from one week to six months, sometimes in the apartment of a Parisian who is abroad. Prices are comparable to the Résidence Internationale de Paris, sometimes slightly cheaper for the larger apartments.

STAYING IN PRIVATE HOMES
Bed and breakfast, that US and British phenomenon, is known as chambre d’hôte or café couette (“coffee and a quilt”). B&B accommodation is available at moderate prices, between €45 and €80 for a double room per night. Alcôve & Agapes offers rooms in some enviable districts of Paris, all within walking distance of a metro station. It is worth asking about suites and rooms with a private lounge, kitchen or terrace. All homes are routinely inspected.
France-Lodge is a good-value agency specializing in long-stay room rentals and apartments. A registration fee of $15 a year is payable but rentals are generally cheaper than with other agencies.
Good Morning Paris provides guest rooms and tourist information. A two-night minimum stay is required when reserving.

CHAIN HOTELS
A mushroom crop of motel-style establishments on the outskirts of Paris now host large numbers of both business and leisure visitors.

The very cheapest chains such as Formule 1, Première Class and Fast Hotel, really have nothing except price to recommend them. Further up the ladder are Campanile, Ibis and Choice Hotels. These places are practical, relatively inexpensive and useful if you have a car, but lack any real Parisian atmosphere or character. Many are in charmless locations on busy roads and may suffer from traffic noise. The newer motels of these chains are better equipped and much better decorated than the older ones. Several chains (Sofitel, Novotel and Mercure) are especially geared to business travellers, providing better facilities at higher prices; indeed some of the more central ones are positively luxurious.
Reductions can make these hotels good value on the weekends. Many of the hotels have restaurants attached. Most of the chains produce their own brochures, often with useful maps detailing the motel’s precise location.

HOSTELS AND DORMITORY ACCOMMODATION
There are several hostel networks in Paris. Maisons Internationales de la Jeunesse et des Etudiants (MIJE) provides dormitory rooms for the 18–30s in three splendid mansions in the
Marais. There are no advance reservations (except for groups) – call at the central offices on the day.
The Bureau Voyage Jeunesse (BVJ) has two ‘hotels’ with double rooms and dormitory accommodation (€30–42 and €28 respectively), with break-fast and nearly private bathrooms. Reservations cannot be made more than two weeks in advance.
La Maison de l’UCRIF (Union des Centres de Rencontres Internationales de France) has six centers in and around Paris with individual, shared, and dormitory rooms.
Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse (FUAJ) is a member of the International
Youth Hostels Federation. There is no age limit at their three Paris-area hostels.
St. Christopher’s Paris is a hostel that provides excellent facilities and offers tours of Paris.

Monday, April 4, 2016

Health and security in France

essential information Unknown 10:47 AM

Health and security in France

Paris is as safe or as dangerous as you make it – common sense is usually sufficient to stay out of trouble. If, on the other hand, you are sick during your visit, pharmacists are an excellent source of advice. In France pharmacists can diagnose many health problems and suggest appropriate treatment. For more serious medical help, someone at the emergency numbers below will be able

to deal with most inquiries. There are many specialized services available, including a general advice line for English-speakers in crisis, an English-speaking Alcoholics Anonymous group, and a phoneline for psychiatric help.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

SAMU (ambulance)

Tel 15 (freecall).

Police

Tel 17 (freecall).

Pompiers

(fire department)

Tel 18 (freecall).

European Emergency Call

Tel 112 (freecall).

SOS Medecin

(doctor, house calls)

Tel 0820 33 24 24.

SOS Dentaire (dentist)

Tel 01 43 37 51 00.

Burn Specialists

Hôpital Cochin 75014.

Tel 01 58 41 41 41.

SOS Help (English

language crisis line)

Tel 01 46 21 46 46.

SOS Dépression

(for psychiatric help)

Tel 08 92 70 12 38.

Sexual Disease Center

Tel 01 40 78 26 00.

Family Planning Center

Tel 01 42 60 93 20/0800 803 803.

Anti Poison Center

Tel 01 40 05 48 48.

PERSONAL SECURITY

For a city of over 2 million people, Paris is surprisingly safe. The center of the city in particular has little violent crime. Muggings and brawls do occur, but they are rare compared to many other

world capitals. However, try to avoid poorly lit or isolated places. Beware of pickpockets, especially on the metro during the rush hour. Keep all valuables securely concealed, and if you carry a purse or case, never let it out of your sight.

When traveling late at night, avoid long transfers in metro stations such as Montparnasse and Châtelet-Les-Halles. Generally, areas around RER train stations tend to attract groups of youths from outlying areas who come to Paris for entertainment, and may become unruly. The last runs each night of RER trains to and from outlying areas should also be avoided. In an emergency in the metro, call the station agent by using the yellow telephone marked Chef de Station on all metro and

RER platforms, or go to the ticket booth at the entrance.

Most metro stations also have emergency buttons. Coaches also have alarm pulls. If there is a problem outside stations, or at bus stops, telephone the police by dialing 17.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

Take great care with your personal property at all times.

Make sure you insure your possessions before arrival. On sightseeing or entertainment trips do not carry valuables with you. Also, only take as much cash as you think you will need. Most places accept credit cards. Travelers’ checks are the safest method of carrying large sums of money. You should never leave your luggage unattended in metro or train stations – it may be stolen or cause a bomb scare. For missing persons, or in the case of robbery or assault, call the police or go to the nearest police station (Commissariat de Police). For lost or stolen passports call your consulate.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

All European Union nationals are entitled to French Social Security coverage. However, treatment must be paid for, and hospital rates vary widely. Reimbursements may be obtained if you have a

European Health Insurance Card, EHIC (available free to EU citizens), but the process is lengthy. Travel insurance is essential and non-EU nationals must carry their own medical insurance. Where possible, buy a policy which pays for medical treatment on the spot.

In the case of a medical emergency, call SAMU or the Pompiers (fire department).

Fire department ambulances are often the quickest to arrive at an emergency. First-aid and emergency treatment is provided at all fire stations.

Hospitals with emergency departments are shown on the Street Finder (see p390). For English-language visitors, there are two hospitals with English-speaking staff and doctors: the American Hospital and the British Hospital.

There are many pharmacies throughout the city, and a short list is provided here. Pharmacies are recognized by the green crosses on the shop front. At night and on Sundays, pharmacies show in

their doorway the address of the nearest one open.

Practical information France

essential information Unknown 10:41 AM

Practical information France

As in most large cities, it’s easy to waste your limited sightseeing time in Paris on transportation and in lines. A little forward planning can minimize this. Call in advance to confirm the sight is open, and isn’t closed for refurbishment or holidays – a phone card, or télécarte, is a wise investment. Purchase a carnet or travel pass to economize and simplify transportation on the buses and metro. Buying a Paris Museum Pass will give unlimited access to museums and monuments, and cuts down on lines. Beware the Paris lunch break (around 1–2:30pm), since a few essential services shut down, as well as some smaller museums.

Guided tours are often the best way to see the essential sights before you get your bearings. If you’re on a tight budget, admission prices are sometimes lower at certain times of day, or on

Sundays; card-carrying students and seniors can obtain discounts on some tickets and admissions.

MUSEUMS AND MONUMENTS

There are more than 170 museums and monuments open to the public in Paris.

Most are open Monday (or Tuesday) to Sunday, and from 10am to 6pm. Most ticket counters close 30–45 minutes before the official closing time. To avoid lines and packed museums take advantage of the nocturnes (late-night opening) that many of the major museums offer or visit on weekday mornings. The national museums are closed on Tuesdays, except Versailles and the Musée d’Orsay, which are closed on Mondays. The municipal museums, such as those run by the city of Paris

(Ville de Paris) are usually closed on Mondays.

An admission fee is usually charged, or a donation is expected. The entrance fee to some national museums is waived on the first Sunday of each month. Those under 18 are usually admitted free, and those aged 18–26 and over 60 sometimes pay a reduced rate, although not automatically. The municipal museums, and some other museums, do not charge a fee to see their permanent collections on Sundays. To obtain the discounts you will have to provide absolute proof of who you are and how old you are.

The Paris Museum Pass gives the bearer unlimited access to more than 60 museums and monuments for 2, 4, or 6 days, without having to wait in line – a significant advantage. It does not allow entry to temporary exhibitions and is only a cheap deal if you are planning to visit many listed attractions on consecutive days. The pass can be purchased at any of the city’s museums as well as main metro stations, Batobus stops, FNAC ticket counters, and at the headquarters of the Office du Tourisme or Paris Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.

OPENING HOURS

Most Paris stores and businesses are open from 9am to 7pm. While many stay open all day, others close for an hour or two from noon or 12:30. Some smaller food stores open earlier, around 7am, and take a longer lunch break. Most businesses are closed on Sunday, and many stores also close on Monday.

Some restaurants close at least one day a week. It is not unusual for many stores to close for a month or more during summer. Banks are open from around 9am to 4:30 or 5:15pm Mon–Fri,

9am–noon Sat. Some banks are closed noon–2pm, while on the day before a public holiday some close at noon.

The main listings magazines in Paris, available at all newsstands, are Pariscope and L’Officiel des Spectacles. Each Wednesday they present full information on the week’s current theater, movies, and exhibits, as well as on cabarets, dinner clubs,

TOURIST INFORMATION

The main tourist office in Paris, the Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris, is near the Tuileries garden. It provides the latest maps, information, and brochures, and gives a comprehensive picture of events in the city.

There are also tourist offices in the Carrousel du Louvre, at Place du Tertre in Montmartre, at the

Gare du Nord, and at the Gare de Lyon. Three more offices can be found in front of Anvers metro station, at the Paris Expo exhibition center (Porte de Versailles), and on the Champs-Elysées (Apr–Oct).

ENTERTAINMENT

The main listings magazines in Paris, available at all newsstands, are Periscope and L’Officiel des Spectacles. Each Wednesday they present full information on the week’s current theater, movies, and exhibits, as well as on cabarets, dinner clubs, and some restaurants. FNAC ticket agencies book all the entertainment venues, including temporary museum shows. There are FNAC branches throughout Paris.

For more information call one of their branches.

For booking theater tickets, the Kiosque Théâtre sells same-day tickets at a 50 percent discount. The

two locations are Place de la Madeleine and the Parvis de la Gare Montparnasse. Smoking has been prohibited in all public places since 2008.

GUIDED TOURS

Double-decker bus tours with commentaries in English, Italian, Japanese, and German are organized by France Tourisme, Cityrama, and Paris Vision. The tours begin from the city center and take about

two hours. They pass the main sights but do not stop at all of them. Departure times vary.

Les Cars Rouges runs British double-decker bus tours, stopping at many of the sights in Paris, which allow you to leave the bus at any of the stops and to continue later (ticket valid for 2 days).

Paris Balades (www.parisbalades.com) offers guided walking tours.

DISABLED ACCESS

Services for disabled people in Paris are still comparatively limited. Although most sidewalks are contoured to allow wheelchairs an easier passage, many restaurants, hotels, and even museums are poorly DISABILITY

INFORMATION

Les Compagnons du Voyage

163 bis Ave de Clichy 75017.

Tel 01 58 67 08 33.

# 7am–8pm Mon–Fri; 9:30am–

5:30pm Sat; 1–9pm Sun (9:30am– 5:30pm Jul & Aug). 7-day escort services on all transportation. Costs vary.

www.compagnons.com

Association des Paralysés de France

9 Blvd Auguste Blanqui 75013.

Map 17 B5. Tel 01 53 62 84 00.

Fax 01 45 89 08 54.

13 Place Rungis 75013. Tel 01 53 80

92 97. www.apf.asso.fr

GIHP

10 Rue Georges de Porto-Riche

75014. Tel 01 43 95 66 36.

Fax 01 45 40 40 26.

www.gihpnational.org

Equipped (they may claim otherwise). However, better facilities are being incorporated into all renovated and new buildings. For up-to-date information on public facilities for the disabled, contact the Groupement pour l’Insertion des Personnes Handicapées Physiques (GIHP).

Tourism of France

Sunday, April 10, 2016

France Food and Drink

Restaurant, Cafes and Bars in France

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Where to stay

Monday, April 4, 2016

Health and security in France

Practical information France

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