Our first trip to France

[pete ganz]

My wife and I just got back from a 2 week trip to France. We basically hit the all the touristy spots; Paris, Versailles, Giverny, Rouen, Mont St. Michel, Brittany (Cancale), and the chateaux (stayed in Chinon). Since I basically got all the restaurant info from eGullet, I figured I would give some feedback on some of the more memorable places.

Our first lunch was at Le Vieux Bistro in the 4th, right next to the Notre Dame. We had very good escargot and a fantastic bouef bourguignon. What a terrific dish that was, so much flavor. Extremely nice hostess. A great start to the trip.

One of two big splurges was lunch at Le Grand Vefour. A bit intimidating, since this was our first experience with a starred French restaurant. We are also in our late twenties, and were the youngest couple in there by far. It was nice to have Guy Martin greet us at the door, but I was so nervous when I first got there that I didn't say anything to him, I just gave him a nod and a smile. I guess 1:00 is a bit early for lunch, because there were only 2 other tables taken when we got there and we had 5 waiters staring at us! After some champagne and an amuse bouche (broccoli and sea bream soup?), we started to relax a little. The service was very professional but not stuffy in any way. As for the food, I would have to say that it was more interesting than delicious. I had a terrine of chicken and vegetables for an app and pork prepared 3 ways for a main. It was very good, but I expected more from a 3 star restaurant, although my wife loved her sea bass main course. Maybe the a la carte menu was the way to go. The cheese, however, was a different story. I remember someone on eGullet recommending the comte at this place. When they brought the cheese cart around, the comte was not on it, but the waiter said he had some 3 year old comte in the back. It was probably the best cheese I've ever had. The desserts were also excellent, and they kept bringing around tiny petit fours non-stop. The waiters certainly warmed up as the lunch went on. The service and the beautiful room definitley trumped the food here...the waiters made it a very special lunch.

Dinner at Chez Gramond in the 6th. A tiny little place that is run by an elderly couple. We were the only ones in there for a while. Good foie gras and very good navarin of lamb. Very warm service from Madame Gramond. Her husband came out from the back at the end and we had a nice little chat with them before we left.

Dinner at Le Repaire de Cartouche in the 11th, which seemed very much like a locals place. They give you pork rillettes with the bread when you get there...yum. We had the foie gras and langoustines to start and both were great. My duck main with mushrooms was very good, but was a tad chewy even though it was rare. I figured this was due to the fact that it was wild, not farm raised, when I discovered the hard thing I bit into was not a bone but a shotgun pellet. Very good cheeses.

Le Beffroy in Rouen (Normandy). Another nice, very old, half-timbered dwelling run solely by an elderly couple. This time the wife was in the kitchen. We had a terrific example of the local favorite; duck rouennaise, which is extremely rare pressed duck in a sauce composed of its own blood. Awesome. The man was very nice, and halfway through the meal brought out a book on Normandy cooking that had a picture and story about his wife.

Dinner at Maisons de Bricourt in Cancale (Brittany). We sampled the delicious Cancale oysters at lunch that day, and went to this excellent 2 star for dinner, the second big splurge. The grounds are beautiful, with windows all around with a view of the duck pond in the back. We had the 10 course tasting menu and the food here was head and shoulders above Le Grand Vefour. It was very innovative, not traditional in any way and the chef was not afriad of using different spices. Some dishes that I recall; red prawns in a whiskey sauce, raw scallops with a citrus/curry sauce, red mullet, lobster, assorted crustaceans, bass, and lamb chops. I unfortunately did not take notes so I don't remember all the different sauces, but they were all amazing. Cheeses were also excellent. The only dish that missed in my opinion was the dessert, which was 3 different preparations of chocolate that all contained a tremendous amount of mint (and other spices?). Their hotel, which is close by, is also gorgeous and pretty reasonable considering the room and the view.

Dinner at La Maison Rouge in Chinon (Loire Valley). Not a very touristy town I don't think, but I would highly recommend this place if anyone is ever in Chinon. Run by a couple in their 40's, very casual and nicely decorated. It's the kind place where they have the jazz going in the background and there are neighborhood cats just popping in and out the place. I had an excellent platter of regional items such as country pate, saucisson sec, slow roasted pork, rabbit pate, and smoked ham. Excellent straight forward food, paired with a good local Chinon wine.

And with the limited French that we know, the French people were very understanding and extremely nice in almost all cases.

[hollywood]

Thanks for a very informative report. Definitely several cuts above the usual young couples' trip to France!

[tommy]

sounds like you had a wonderful trip.

i found that the french were very willing to work and speak english in just about every circumstance.

did you find your time in paris to be a completely different type of vacation than your time in, say, chinon?

[pete ganz]

Hollywood: Thanks, I wish it could be more informative, but I didn't take notes and kinda just went with the flow and gave general descriptions. It certainly wasn't a Relais & Chateaux at every location kind of vacation, but definitely a bit more than a backpacking tour of the region kind of trip. After reading through all of the France board here, there were some places that I felt we had to splurge on.

Tommy: Yes and no. I thought they were a lot more formal in Paris. Very nice, but yet still very formal. It seemed a lot more laid back in the provinces. I was actually amazed at how openly friendly people were in the country. Paris was certainly a lot hipper than other regions, but I suppose that's to be expected. However, there was still a decent array of butcher, bakery, cheese, clothing, etc. shops in the provinces that I didn't think you would find there. I thought it was interesting that we rented a car for a week and I didn't didn't see one cop on the highway the entire time. The whole country seems to have a "do whatever you want as long as you're not causing any trouble" kind of vibe.

[hollywood]

It certainly wasn't a Relais & Chateaux at every location kind of vacation

As attractive as that might sound conceptually, you really don't want to do that (yes, I have). There's a lot to be said for contrast and variety.

[Louisa Chu]

Pete, thanks very much for sharing. I love hearing about driving trips through the country - I miss road trips! Three-year old Comte?! That's so cool. I love that stuff - with those crystalized little bits crunching between your teeth - amazing. Thanks again.

[Steve Martin]

The only dish that missed in my opinion was the dessert, which was 3 different preparations of chocolate that all contained a tremendous amount of mint (and other spices?). Their hotel, which is close by, is also gorgeous and pretty reasonable considering the room and the view.

We have just dined at Roelllinger as well. We found dessert lacking and indicative of a general lack of generosity. Did you just have the chocolate dessert? We had a fig with a spiced port wine poured over, beside ginger ice cream and a tiny disc of his famous caramel first.

We thought our chocolate micro-bun had basil and the choc-chip ice cream had too much mint.

What did you think of the bass? Ours was overcooked and presented grey side up, swimming in oil.

The lobster was spoiled by a sauce that was very rich and sweet. It was presented with a small square of liquorice marshmallow that we were told might not go with it and could be eaten at the end. It would have gone well with the lobster if not for the sauce.

I don't understand the appeal of lobster

The red mullet and artichoke was the best dish and the only one what that went someway towards his professed claim to marry land and sea. I think he is a great chef that has painted himself into a corner of seafood and spice tapas. Until he broadens out and maybe even uses some vegetables, he should not get his third star.

Less young waitresses simply going through the motions (and pouring wine into the water glass and over the table) will also help in that quest.

It is a lovely hotel, isn't it. Did you see the pig and the donkey?

[pete ganz]

We have just dined at Roelllinger as well. We found dessert lacking and indicative of a general lack of generosity. Did you just have the chocolate dessert? We had a fig with a spiced port wine poured over, beside ginger ice cream and a tiny disc of his famous caramel first. We thought our chocolate micro-bun had basil and the choc-chip ice cream had too much mint.

Steve, I forgot to mention it but we did have the fig and port wine, which I thought worked well. You're exactly right with the basil...that was what was in the chocolate bun. I liked the exotic spicing of the other dishes, but it seems tough to pull off with dessert.

What did you think of the bass? Ours was overcooked and presented grey side up, swimming in oil. The lobster was spoiled by a sauce that was very rich and sweet. It was presented with a small square of liquorice marshmallow that we were told might not go with it and could be eaten at the end. It would have gone well with the lobster if not for the sauce

Although it was served grey side up, I thought the bass was perfectly cooked. I don't remember there being too much oil in the dish. I ate the marshmallow with the lobster, and I thought it was a good complement, but there were certainly some strong flavors going on in that dish.

The red mullet and artichoke was the best dish and the only one what that went someway towards his professed claim to marry land and sea.

I had no idea he was trying to do this. As you said, there aren't many vegetables in the dishes, and the only "land" that I remember was the lamb chops.

It is a lovely hotel, isn't it. Did you see the pig and the donkey?

We stayed at Les Rimains, the smaller of the 2. Are they at the Richeux? That room was worth every penny, especially after staying at 45 Euro/night hotels everywhere else!

[pete ganz]

Pete, thanks very much for sharing. I love hearing about driving trips through the country - I miss road trips! 

Driving was definitely worth it, but a little scary at first. The highway may as well have no speed limit, the traffic lights are the size of golf balls, finding parking is almost impossible, and on some of the backstreets I think I had about 12" of clearance on either side of the car. But it was alot of fun after I got used to it.

[Steve Martin]

The red mullet and artichoke was the best dish and the only one what that went someway towards his professed claim to marry land and sea.

I had no idea he was trying to do this. As you said, there aren't many vegetables in the dishes, and the only "land" that I remember was the lamb chops.

It is a lovely hotel, isn't it. Did you see the pig and the donkey?

We stayed at Les Rimains, the smaller of the 2. Are they at the Richeux? That room was worth every penny, especially after staying at 45 Euro/night hotels everywhere else!

Yes, sorry, the animals are at the Richeux, which has some lovely grounds.

Rolly is one of three chefs on a recent French DVD and he wonders aloud whether he is going far enough in presenting the marriage of land, shore and sea in Cancale. I say he isn't.

I find his closest contemporary in matching a French coastal and spice trade terroir to be Coutanceau, in La Rochelle. He lacks Rolly's discipline and clarity, but his meals are better overall.

Apart from the artichoke, which is a classic 'terre et mer' device, our 'land' was a perfectly cooked veal sweetbread (ris de veau). This was in a dish of stock with no significant vegetation.

Our morsel of red mullet was perfectly cooked. We have had bass paired with rich or oily ingredients like olive oil or mushrooms several times now and we don't think it works. Gagnaire saved a similar John Dory and mushroom combination by using green apple and serving the mushrooms on a separate plate. A rich fish such as bass needs even more care. I'm afraid the chefs are just tasting and not ploughing through a plateful of it. Though Rolly can not be accused of overloading the plates

He also states that his presentation mirrors the perpendicularity of sea and posts or masts. This was true, but we thought it too simple for this level of dining. It's that seafood restaurant creativity vacuum again.

We thought the bread was marvellous though. Lucky ducks.

[menton1]

Pete, thanks for the report. We just got back from 3 weeks in France, so we will have to retain these notes for next year.

We coincidentally spent the better part of one day in Chinon and loved it. We hadn't been to the Loire Valley in 18 years, so it was very interesting. A lot flatter than the South of France, but the gentle landscape and pretty farms are very beautiful as well. Interesting how the river Vienne at Chinon is quite dry, as most of France is in a drought, unlike here in NJ where we have had too much rain; Walking along the quayside in Chinon, and walking through the streets of the old town was very nice.

Did you get up to the castle (part in ruins) on top of Chinon? That was fabulous, a lot of intrigue as to how Jeanne d'Arc recognized the King who dressed as a peasant when she came by-- I think that was Charles IV (?)

Great view from up there as well. We only did lunch at a place on a beautiful square in Chinon, quite nice but not very memorable.

Thanks again for the very informative info.

A tout a l'heure!

[pete ganz]

Did you get up to the castle (part in ruins) on top of Chinon?

We drove by, but unfortunately felt too chateaux-ed out at that point to go in. The medieval section of Chinon was great, it was exactly how I pictured those old European side streets to look.

[Busboy]

Pete, thanks very much for sharing. I love hearing about driving trips through the country - I miss road trips! 

Driving was definitely worth it, but a little scary at first. The highway may as well have no speed limit, the traffic lights are the size of golf balls, finding parking is almost impossible, and on some of the backstreets I think I had about 12" of clearance on either side of the car. But it was alot of fun after I got used to it.

How about those traffic circles? After a week on the road, I was using them to my advantage, circling two or three times while the whole family consulted maps to see which road we needed to take.

[tommy]

How about those traffic circles?  After a week on the road, I was using them to my advantage, circling two or three times while the whole family consulted maps to see which road we needed to take.

knowing that pete has spent some time in NewJersey, i don't think he had much of a problem with traffic circles.

Edited October 4, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Busboy]

How about those traffic circles?  After a week on the road, I was using them to my advantage, circling two or three times while the whole family consulted maps to see which road we needed to take.

knowing that pete has spent some time in NewJersey, i don't think he had much of a problem with traffic circles.

Thye're different in France -- a nation of 10 thousand traffic circles but not a single "Circle Diner".

Great country, but finding two eggs over easy with bacon, hash browns and whole wheat toaste wouldn't have been bad, either.

[pete ganz]

knowing that pete has spent some time in New Jersey, I don't think he had much of a problem with traffic circles. 

The roundabouts were great! Even though it would be nice for them to have compass directions instead of just town names, I wish we had more of them here. And yes, I certainly did multiple revolutions on a couple occasions.

www.viamichelin.com saved my ass with directions. They were pretty much spot on. www.maporama.com is also very good.

[edm]

The whole country seems to have a "do whatever you want as long as you're not causing any trouble" kind of vibe.

that's funny, because that's exactly the vibe i get in Canada. And as a french citizen, i never felt that way in my own country !

[Pan]

Pete, I'm glad you had a fun trip. I might have been the one whose recommendation of the Comte' at Grand Vefour you saw. Do you remember what other cheeses you had there? I also loved their Roquefort and there was a Camembert-type cheese whose name I forget that was also great. My brother loved their Epoisse, but I prefer less-strong less-stinky cheeses.

I didn't stop in Chinon during my trip through Burgundy and the Loire Valley last June, but I did have a chance to sample and enjoy Chinon wines while I was in the region. How expensive was La Maison Rouge, and did it receive a mention or any stars in the Michelin Guide Rouge?

[pete ganz]

that's funny, because that's exactly the vibe i get in Canada. And as a french citizen, i never felt that way in my own country !

You're obviously in a better position to judge, but it was just an impression I got after being there for 2 weeks.

I might have been the one whose recommendation of the Comte' at Grand Vefour you saw. Do you remember what other cheeses you had there? I also loved their Roquefort and there was a Camembert-type cheese whose name I forget that was also great

Thanks if it was you Pan! We also had a goat cheese, camembert, epoisses, and a great blue cheese. The sommelier recommended a dessert wine similar to a Sauternes that went perfectly with it. They were all excellent cheeses.

How expensive was La Maison Rouge, and did it receive a mention or any stars in the Michelin Guide Rouge?

I think it came to all of 70 Euros, although we only had main courses, cheese, and wine. Believe it or not, I got that recommendation out of the France for Dummies book. I double checked and it's not mentioned in the Red Guide. Very good simple, regional food though.

[Pan]

70 Euros for 2, Pete? Sounds like a good value!

I missed France this summer (though I loved Malaysia and wouldn't have missed my trip there for the world). It was funny; on the way to Malaysia this July I flew over France - indeed, passed by Auxerre and - and had a chance to reminisce about last summer's wonderful trip.

[Bux]

How about those traffic circles?  After a week on the road, I was using them to my advantage, circling two or three times while the whole family consulted maps to see which road we needed to take.

Over the years we've learned to look for the towns along the route as we navigate and it becomes easy to pick the right exit. Usually we can tell which one we want from the signs as we enter the circle. If my wife has the map, she will give me the name of the town as well as whether it's the first, second or third exit off the circle.

[Bux]

Just to comment on Roellinger, we ate there some time ago and with the exception of a few service faults, it was one or our favorite meals in France. I've never been sure why it didn't get three stars then. Either others have experienced greater faults in the service or the food just doesn't appeal to the Michelin inspectors, but this was a cook who we thought had perfected his own style. Oddly enough, at the time, he used a greater range of spices than most chefs in France and we thought he did it quite successfully. I'm also not a fan of what's called "fusion" cuisine, but Roellinger pulled off his use of spices and flavors as I'd never seen done in the US, with the exception of Kunz, at the time. Since then, we'e been to a number of two star restaurants in Brittany and each has left us disappointed and wondering how anyone could put them in Roellinger's class.

[Bux]

Driving was definitely worth it, but a little scary at first. The highway may as well have no speed limit, the traffic lights are the size of golf balls, finding parking is almost impossible, and on some of the backstreets I think I had about 12" of clearance on either side of the car. But it was alot of fun after I got used to it.

I'm a great fan of driving in the French countryside, although admittedly, there's getting to be less country and all too many suburbs all over France. When renting a car in a foreign country, it's generally a good idea to learn the national laws and rules of the road, although this is something I'm more likley to advise than always do myself.

In France there's a national speed limit that's enforced where no speed limit is posted. I believe it's 120 kph on the autoroute and 110 kph on all other roads. There are highway police and I've seen people get stopped for speeding. You will be fined on the spot and be required to pay the fine right then and there. Some tourists have understood they've paid a bribe, but that's not the case. We do keep an eye out for patrol cars when we drive. I've only been stopped in Martinique, which is a part of France and the gendarmes are likely to be sent there from metropolitain France so you can't count on their having a Caribbean attitude. On the other hand, they recognize the value of tourism, so I was only given a lecture. I was sure Mrs. B's lip was going to get me a summons, but I think the gendarme took pity on me.

Where one doesn't want a car is in any large city. Parking is just impossible, not just in Paris, but in most cities. I'm happiest driving between cities and getting rid of the car when I arrive at a city. For those trips where we stop in a city between segments of country driving, I usually bit the bullet and pay for parking while in the city.

[Busboy]

How about those traffic circles?  After a week on the road, I was using them to my advantage, circling two or three times while the whole family consulted maps to see which road we needed to take.

Over the years we've learned to look for the towns along the route as we navigate and it becomes easy to pick the right exit. Usually we can tell which one we want from the signs as we enter the circle. If my wife has the map, she will give me the name of the town as well as whether it's the first, second or third exit off the circle.

We did get better at it as we travelled, just had to get out of that American mindset that demands something simple on a roadsign, like "Rt 66 West."

Ever notice that there are picninc spots about every 800 feet on a lot of French roads?

[Bux]

Ever notice that there are picninc spots about every 800 feet on a lot of French roads?

I notice that almost all the time. I never notice it after I've stopped and loaded up on cheese, and treats from the charcuterie or epicerie, though. When I'm prepared to picnic, I find the spots about 800 kilomers apart. Call it Buxbaum's law. When you shop for food, they take away the picnic tables.

And yeah, every once in a while there's a killer roundpoint that's indecipherable. We make about seven passes before we take a gamble on one of the exits. Travel should always have some element of excitement.