If you had only 3 days in Paris...

[stealw]

Hey, going to Paris for 3 days for vacation with some friends. Going to be coming straight from London (3days), anyone have any "must-see/eat/go-to" places around?

Most of us are foodies, in early 20s so up to any and everything. First time in Europe and only one of us speaks semi-broken French.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

Edited April 15, 2008 by stealw (log)

[pennylane]

There are just so many things to see and do in Paris, but one thing I think you should definitely do is get a crepe from a street vendor. I could tell you my favourites but it would depend on the area you're in. But if you see the guy making them fresh, they'll be good. (The warmed-up ones can also be good, but there's no guarantee.) The best time to get a crepe is after a night on the town. That's when it's easiest to stomach the greasy ham, cheese and egg variety. Otherwise, go for the classic banana Nutella.

[Frege]

There are just so many things to see and do in Paris, but one thing I think you should definitely do is get a crepe from a street vendor.  I could tell you my favourites but it would depend on the area you're in.  But if you see the guy making them fresh, they'll be good.  (The warmed-up ones can also be good, but there's no guarantee.)  The best time to get a crepe is after a night on the town.  That's when it's easiest to stomach the greasy ham, cheese and egg variety.  Otherwise, go for the classic banana Nutella.

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Second! Just back, and did just that - especially a treat for kids. Only exception is that my suggestion would be for creme de marrons.

Edited April 15, 2008 by Frege (log)

[WHS]

l'As du Falafel on rue des Rosiers is a great experience. If you are foodies, you will enjoy la Grande Epicerie at Bon Marche. Foie gras sandwich is 4 euro 95. Visit rue Cler in the 7th--it's open on Sunday, and you must stop in at Davoli while there.

[gingerbeer]

i'm going to paris tonight for the first time since i was a teenager (admittedly not THAT long ago), when good eating wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities. i need your absolute must not miss places, any price, any location, although anywhere near the champes elysees would be nice as that's where i'm staying.

thank you! xx

Edited June 17, 2009 by gingerbeer (log)

[KD1191]

i'm going to paris tonight for the first time since i was a teenager (admittedly not THAT long ago), when good eating wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities. i need your absolute must not miss places, any price, any location, although anywhere near the champes elysees would be nice as that's where i'm staying.

thank you! xx

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Well, last minute is not usually the way to get into these types of places. You could pray for an opening at Astrance. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon might be a good bet if you don't mind waiting, as their reservation book is limited to first seatings, I believe.

[gingerbeer]

i'm going to paris tonight for the first time since i was a teenager (admittedly not THAT long ago), when good eating wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities. i need your absolute must not miss places, any price, any location, although anywhere near the champes elysees would be nice as that's where i'm staying.

thank you! xx

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Well, last minute is not usually the way to get into these types of places. You could pray for an opening at Astrance. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon might be a good bet if you don't mind waiting, as their reservation book is limited to first seatings, I believe.

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It was a kind of last minute decision to go, but I don't mind going to places that are more local/less renowned, etc. I've put those down on the list though and I'll see if I can get myself in somehow. Thank you

[KD1191]

It was a kind of last minute decision to go, but I don't mind going to places that are more local/less renowned, etc. I've put those down on the list though and I'll see if I can get myself in somehow. Thank you

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In that case, I would suggest a look at the thread below: Traditional Bistros in Paris -- 2009.

[John Talbott]

i'm going to paris tonight for the first time since i was a teenager (admittedly not THAT long ago), when good eating wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities. i need your absolute must not miss places, any price, any location, although anywhere near the champes elysees would be nice as that's where i'm staying.

thank you! xx

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I hope you'll have your laptop because there's lots of places mentioned on the topics here that reading about will tell if you'd like them.

For instance, the grand luxe places like Eric Frechon's Bristol, bistrots like Paul Bert, modern fusiony plasces like Ze Kitchen Galerie, members' favorites like l'Arpege, Le Regalade + Spring and newer places like Frenchie, Bigarrade + Passage 53.

Read, enjoy, report.

PS I'll also take this opportunity to merge your topic with one of exactly the same title.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Your question is too open and last minute reservations are not an issue anywhere these days. What are you looking for? There's no way you'll experience every not-to-miss restaurant in Paris in three days. I wouldn't consider l'Atelier as one of them anyway.

If we're talking fine dining/top restaurants, then the question is not which is the best but what are you looking for -- there are maybe ten or twenty exceptional restaurants in Paris but they won't please everyone the same way and they won't respond to the same expectation.

For lower end dining, the question of chosing which ones are best is less complex but there's still a question of what you are looking for -- a bistronomique, a place with innovative cuisine, a traditional bistrot (low range or mid range), a wine oriented place, a special ambiance...

In any case, welcome here and feel free to contact me directly.

[John Talbott]

Another thought is to look at two topics that deal with people's quest for and experiences eating in Paris for 2 days and a week.

[KD1191]

Your question is too open and last minute reservations are not an issue anywhere these days. What are you looking for? There's no way you'll experience every not-to-miss restaurant in Paris in three days. I wouldn't consider l'Atelier as one of them anyway.

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Has the economy hit the Paris dining rooms that hard? I guess I haven't been paying too much attention since I was there 6 months ago. Then, every multi-star, and most of the more casual places, I visited appeared to be fully booked.

I recommended l'Atelier because it is one of the few high cuisine places that I know eschews the multi-week/month reservation game. It would certainly be hard to say any restaurant with nearly a dozen outposts worldwide is 'not-to-miss'.

[John Talbott]

Your question is too open and last minute reservations are not an issue anywhere these days. What are you looking for? There's no way you'll experience every not-to-miss restaurant in Paris in three days. I wouldn't consider l'Atelier as one of them anyway.

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Has the economy hit the Paris dining rooms that hard? I guess I haven't been paying too much attention since I was there 6 months ago. Then, every multi-star, and most of the more casual places, I visited appeared to be fully booked.

I recommended l'Atelier because it is one of the few high cuisine places that I know eschews the multi-week/month reservation game. It would certainly be hard to say any restaurant with nearly a dozen outposts worldwide is 'not-to-miss'.

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So as not to get off this topic (3 days), I'll refer everyone to the topic on the economy in France that we have running.

[Special K]

I would visit Fauchon and Fouquet's, and Dehillerin.

[daisy17]

@gingerbeer I would encourage you to venture away from Champs Elysees for food.

I second recommendations for crepes (I like sucre) and L'As du Fallafel. Best falafel anywhere. Get it with aubergine (eggplant)

I love to make a picnic in the Jardin du Luxembourg with food from Gerard Mulot (76, rue de Seine in the 6eme arr). Also, macarons from Pierre Herme are amazing and close to there in the 6eme.

[weinoo]

And please don't forget stopping in, even if only for a beer, at one of the traditional brasseries. On our first trip it was Brasserie Lipp, on the boulevard Saint-Germain.

On our most recent trip, it was a little place in the 15th after we got out of the metro, and on our way to Afaria. As local as you can imagine...way off the beaten tourist-trap.

[gingerbeer]

These are great recommendations, thank you. I actually only have a few hours before I leave so I'm going to take my laptop and save this page. John, I know I asked quite an open question, but I am traveling with other people so didn't want to ask for anything too specific as in the end it will be up to popular vote as to where we go. Thanks all!

[Busboy]

I think you should look up a market street and load up for a picnic, to be eaten on the quays near Isle St. Louis after dark. A perfect bookend to a largish lunch. Perhaps you have not logged off yet and John can tell you the perfect market street on which to shop. Marche Rue Cler, a hike far enough from the Left Bank quays to perhaps demand a stop at a cafe to refresh en route (but convenient to the Musee de Orsay should you be there one afternoon) has almost everything including famed cheese shop Marie Cantin, but the superior boulangerie is hard to find at a block or two from the main market and (I have heard) may have closed.

Picnic lunch in the Jardin du Luxembourg provides an equal and opposite experience, setting the stage for a more refined dinner a brisk walk from the Tour Eiffel.

[PhilD]

And please don't forget stopping in, even if only for a beer, at one of the traditional brasseries.  On our first trip it was Brasserie Lipp, on the boulevard Saint-Germain.

On our most recent trip, it was a little place in the 15th after we got out of the metro, and on our way to Afaria.  As local as you can imagine...way off the beaten tourist-trap.

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Lipp won't let you do that without ordering a meal, and they specify that a "salad is not a meal" (a point I agree with but for different reasons). Not certain about other brasseries I think they are generally more flexible.

[gingerbeer]

The picnic lunch was very successful, thanks to those who suggested it! I had a great trip - in the end I managed to coax everyone away from eating Paul sandwiches for every single meal and we ate some great food. Especially Les Elysees (see other post) and various North African places.