Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre

[lambretta76]

I will be staying in the 9º during this festival and was wondering if it was worth going to? I heard that the wine isn't all that good, but is there anything for the foodies among us?

Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre site

[Bux]

is there anything for the foodies among us?

Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre site

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I suspect a good time if you like that sort of thing. The folklore and the convivilaity seem to be the draw. I have no idea what manner of regional products will be available at what I suppose are booths. I'll assume there are things to eat as opposed to whole hams and wheels of cheese to take home. A couple of Sundays ago on our last day in Paris, we met an old friend at the Baron Rouge for oysters and then wandered to the Ile St. Louis because it's been a while since we've walked its streets. We bought some ice cream because it was there and drifted across the tip of the Ile de la Cité and across the bridge to the left bank where there were some quite charming street musicians that captured our attention for a few moments. Upon arriving at the left bank we noticed some sort of fair on the lower banks of the Seine. There were a group of producers from the Gers and surrounding départments set up in booths offering their food and wines by the case, bottle or glass and their food--cheese, charcuterie, preserves, etc.--in similar portions. It was crowded and hectic, but we had some wild boar pate on a baguette that was rewarding. It could be fun if your expectations aren't too high.

[John Talbott]

I live in the 18th and have been an on and off participant for 20 years. It's a hoot. True, the wine stinks (they sell it at the Mairie of the 18th) but that's not why one goes. There are stands with wine (not from the vineyard), sausages, etc, the "Mayor" of Montmartre usually is driven in an open car leading folks in regional (wine region) dress and my downstairs neighbor (68) marches with a group of local women in costume. Some years there's tecno music booming from a built up platform on the vineyard itself. There's no true grape gathering that day, it's mainly symbolic. But it's fun and everyone on and near the Butte turns out.

Go!

[lambretta76]

John -

Sounds good! I'll be having quite the festive day on the 9th - with going to this Fête in the morning and going to the France-Ireland World Cup Qualifier in the evening. Thanks for letting me know where to purchase a bottle of their wine - I'm sure I'll grab one for nostalgia's sake, not for drinking.

And Bux - was hoping for a report on your recent trip to Paris - has this been written up elsewhere?

[Bux]

And Bux - was hoping for a report on your recent trip to Paris - has this been written up elsewhere?

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No, it hasn't except for a few bits and pieces slipped into current threads. It was a disjointed trip, hastily planned for us to fly over with our daughter, son-in-law and nine month grandson and meet again in Paris after they've seen the other grandparents in Brittany and we saw people in the south. We got to meet Lucy and her husband and that was, as the Michelin puts it, a three star event--vaut le voyage.

Our restaurant list was rather a patchwork of places including places we've avoided in the past because we've felt they offered poor value. I suppose the thinking was that if there was some irrationality in the reason we're going, our restaurants should follow suit. On another level however, I'll admit that I get tired reading both complaints and raves from others and just want to know for myself. I often eat out of curiosity as much as pleasure seeking. My need is to eat not only at all the restaurants everyone else talks about, but to eat at the ones no one talks about. Our two best value meals were at unstarred restaurants--l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Aux Lyonnais. All of our other meals were at one star places. L'Astrance, Chiberta, Benoit and Goumard. The last because our son-in-law ran into the chef on the street. The restaurant was a few blocks from our hotel and the two worked together in NYC. I take those kinds of coincidences as a sign that we should go eat there. Alas we made if for the only free meal left in our schedule, the lunch before we left and is often the case by the last day of the trip, our appetite was not up to the portions. My first course was exceptional as was Mrs. B's. The second course was just too much to eat and as a result although I remember being thrilled by the first few bites I quickly found myself not enjoying is as much as I probably could have under other circumstances. It's a pity that we didn't have the appetite as prices are as big as the portions. In retrospect, we should have taken the very moderately priced set menu. I'm sure the portions would have been smaller and we would have paid half as much. Such is life in the greedy lane. I normally pace myself well these days, but here we were in the final days of the trip and not feeling as if crise de foie was upon us--yet. Chiberta was maybe ten percent more than Benoit and offered far superior cuisine in my opinion. I had faults of a kind with both, but might return to Chiberta where my main fault was very rushed service. Oh yes, I've forgotten Pinxo where I found the results very mixed. Most dishes were a bit off in conception or execution. Disappointing because Dutournier is a chef whose Carré des Feulliants I've loved. L'Astrance was excellent although I felt one course needed a bit more of something including sauce. It was a return visit and I was surprised by the turn towards tradition taken by the kitchen. L'Astrance has also gotten more expensive in the two years since we were last there. That sense was reinforced by succumbing to the proposition of expensive champagne as an aperitif. We're not greenhorns, but we just arrived in Paris from the TGV in time to shower and have our first meal on a gorgeous day and it's easy to be seduced by champagne especially when you don't know when you'll eat again without the company of a nine month old.

[John Talbott]

Paris Voice states that this year’s Montmartre wine festival will be held October 11-12 starting with a parade which leaves Place Jules Joffrin at 3.30 PM ending at the square Willette.

[Daddy-A]

A short report on last year's Fete.

A.