Since real bistros are becoming harder to find in Saint-Germain- des-Prés — the rents are too high for most to make a go of it — it’s great news when a new one opens, especially if it’s as good as this snug, stylish dining room just off the Rue du Bac. Chef Jean-François Pantaleon, who previously cooked at Apicius, creates delicious contemporary French dishes such as steamed eggs with smoked salmon, a starter; grilled pork belly with salsify tatin; and pears poached in spiced red wine with spice bread ice cream for a chic local crowd.
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Traveling the World in Search
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France
Overview
From Andrew Harper
Andrew Harper's Paris: A Personal Guide to the Best of the City, a free app for the iPad and iPhone.
France receives more foreign visitors — 82 million annually — than any other country. It is not hard to see why. As well as the most beautiful capital city on earth, it offers tracts of exquisite countryside, Europe’s highest mountain and, of course, some of the world’s finest cuisine (even though many travelers grumble that the general standard of food is not as high as it used to be). Perhaps the most remarkable thing about France is its astonishing variety within a relatively small area. European countries tend to be either northern or southern in character, with the Alps and Pyrenees being the principal dividing lines. France is both: The coast of Pas-de-Calais is just 29 miles from Kent in southern England, while the shores of Provence are part of the warm, classical world of the Mediterranean.
The enduring charms of France are manifest. A typical visit generally includes a stay in Paris (perhaps in a grande dame hotel as well as an intimate Left Bank alternative), followed by a jaunt down into the Loire Valley, Provence or the Riviera. But the options are near endless: a historical pilgrimage to the bleak coastline of Normandy; a stirring drive along the serpentine Alsace wine road; a sunny idyll in Corsica, one of the most pristine and wildly scenic islands in the Mediterranean.
Barge cruises, which travel along a network of linked canals through medieval villages and rolling vineyards, are a particularly appealing and hassle-free way of exploring the French countryside. Other novel approaches to this classic destination include culinary courses, ballooning trips, grape harvest tours and biking vacations. Then again, one could also spend several weeks happily sequestered in a sleepy provincial village.
CLIMATE: Northern and central France are typified by Paris. Monaco is representative of the Côte d’Azur, which enjoys hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters.
TIME: Six hours ahead of New York (EST).
CURRENCY: Euro (€). Fluctuating rate valued at €1.00 = US$1.20 as of July 2012.
U.S. EMBASSY: Paris, Tel. (1) 43-12-22-22. There are also consulates in Marseille, Tel. (4) 91-54-92-00, and Strasbourg, Tel. (3) 88-35-31-04.
DIRECT DIAL CODES: To phone hotels and restaurants in France or Monaco, dial 011 (international access) + 33 (France code) or 377 (Monaco code) + city code and local numbers in listings.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Passport (valid at least three months beyond end of stay). Visit www.travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, www.cdc.gov
GENERAL INFORMATION: Visit www.franceguide.com or www.visitmonaco.com before your trip.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in France
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Le Chalet ZannierRustic but refined hideaway with a dozen bedrooms housed within three Alpine-style chalets. Stylishly rustic interiors, stripped of superfluous adornment, feature oak plank floors, rough stucco walls, linen curtains and subdued color schemes. |
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Les Fermes de MarieEnchanting 63-room hotel assembled from original timbers and pine paneling from old structures acquired throughout the French Alps, offering a beautiful fantasy of Alpine chalet life. |
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Hotel Les PleiadesCharming, 20-room auberge dating from 1830, on the cobbled main street of Barbizon. Comfortable lodgings include features such as parquet floors, cathedral ceiling, muted colors, upholstered sofa, teak desk, flat-screen TV and bath with stall shower and whirlpool tub. |
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Trianon Palace Versailles, A Waldorf Astoria HotelRenovated Belle Epoque hotel overlooking the magnificent gardens of the Chateau de Versailles, a 20-minute drive from central Paris. |
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Baudon de MaunySplendid family-run hotel in a magnificent limestone mansion dating to 1777 in the heart of Montpellier’s delightful Ecusson neighborhood. |
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Clos du LetheTucked within renovated stone farm buildings, this beautifully decorated five-room hotel in the hillside hamlet of Saint Médiers offers splendid views of forests, rolling fields and the bell towers of Uzès in the distance. |
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Couvent d'HérépianEnchanting six-room, seven-suite property in renovated 17th-century convent. Spacious suites have separate sleeping and sitting areas, kitchenettes, large baths, ample dressing room and sunny terraces with village or garden views. |
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Domaine de VerchantLavishly renovated 19th-century limestone manor set amid vineyards and century-old trees in Castelnau-le-Lez. Twenty-two individually styled rooms feature contemporary décor, offering a charming contrast with the old house's traditional architecture, exposed beams and stenciled terra-cotta tile floors. |
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Hôtel de la CiteSplendidly restored medieval palace-hotel set within the ramparts of an impressive hilltop fortress in Carcassonne overlooking the Aude River, three hours west of Avignon. |
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Jardins SecretsSecreted in Nimes behind a stonewalled garden of bougainvillea, orange and olive trees, this romantic 14-room hotel is a decorative tour de force, lovingly transformed from an 18th-century coaching inn. |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in France
L'Affable
10 Rue de Saint-Simon (7e)
Paris
75007
France
US$65
La Bigarrade
Off the beaten path in the 17th arrondissement, this casual dining room has become one of the most popular new restaurants in Paris. Chef Christophe Pelé changes his two tasting menus daily (there is no à la carte menu). Expect dishes such as roasted foie gras in red-cabbage juice with cockles; steamed cod with fresh ewe’s milk cheese; and passion fruit sorbet with fromage-blanc ice cream.
106 rue Nollet (17e)
Paris
75017
France
US$100
La Fontaine de Mars
With red-and-ivory-checked curtains, waiters in white aprons and a menu that runs to delicious classic French dishes such as pâté de campagne, foie gras, confit de canard and blanquette de veau, this is a textbook example of the traditional Parisian bistro, a much-loved species that’s sadly becoming endangered. Excellent service; open daily.
129 rue Saint-Dominique (7e)
Paris
75007
France
US$70
LA MERE BRAZIER
Reviving a famous restaurant such as La Mère Brazier is fraught with challenges, but chef Mathieu Viannay’s shrewd makeover of one of the best-loved tables in Lyon was recently rewarded with two stars. While retaining dishes that date to the restaurant’s founding in 1921 by Eugénie Brazier, he has also introduced some of his own excellent creations. Don’t miss la volaille de Bresse en demi-deuil (poached Bresse chicken with black truffles under its skin) or the Grand Marnier soufflé. The excellent wine list features the best of the Rhône Valley.
12 rue Royale
Lyon
69001
France
US$120
LE GARET
This is one of the city’s iconic bouchons. Since some of these dishes are acquired tastes — chitterling sausage, calf’s head and tripe, for example — we suggest you come for lunch and maybe opt for dishes such as saucisson de Lyon, chicken in vinegar sauce, Saint-Marcellin cheese and tarte pralinée.
7 rue Garet
Lyon
69001
France
US$35
Le Paul Bert
This cozy bistro in the residential 11th arrondissement is where you’re likely to find Paris food critics eating on their nights off. The blackboard menu changes daily, but runs to dishes such as coddled eggs with wild mushrooms, veal sweetbreads, great steaks and homemade seasonal fruit tarts. The wonderful wine list is especially strong on Côtes du Rhônes.
18 rue Paul Bert (11e)
Paris
75011
France
US$65
L’ARMOISE
It’s not easy to find a good Provençal bistro on the Côte d’Azur, which is why we’re so keen on this simple place in the charming Old Town district of Antibes. Chef Laurent Parrinello turns out some excellent food from a small open kitchen. The menu changes regularly, but dishes such as risotto with baby vegetables, grilled scallops on white beans with tomatoes, and a raspberry-filled puff pastry with fromage blanc sorbet show off his love of seasonal local produce.
2 rue de la Tourraque
Antibes
06600
France
US$60
L’Astrance
Young chef Pascal Barbot is one of the rising stars of French cooking, which is why reservations at this tiny dining room with metallic walls and a handful of comfortably spaced tables are very difficult to obtain. Dishes typical of Barbot’s superbly imaginative cooking include his signature “ravioli” of avocado slices stuffed with crab, a small cake of mushrooms and foie gras, and chocolate biscuit with milk sorbet. Closed Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
4 rue Beethoven (16e)
Paris
75016
France
US$150
MIRAZUR
Argentine-born chef Mauro Colagreco is a rising star on the Riviera at this dramatically located restaurant with beautiful views over the Mediterranean. Colagreco is a poetic cook who delights in using fresh herbs, vegetables and seasonal fruit in tasting menus that include dishes such as potato foam with cod cheeks and white shrimp, and rack of pork with Swiss chard, baby onions and a sauce vierge (chopped tomato in olive oil).
30 avenue Aristide-Briand
Menton
06500
France
US$150
Pierre Gagnaire
For anyone who’s curious about avant-garde French haute cuisine, Pierre Gagnaire’s restaurant should not be missed. His astonishingly elaborate dishes include langoustine tartare with green mango, gooseberry mustard syrup, black radish and potato purée; and rack of lamb poached in oregano bouillon with a crust of fresh herbs accompanied by shrimp cooked in prune brandy. Closed Saturdays, Sunday lunch and Wednesday lunch.
Hotel Balzac
6 rue Balzac (8e)
Paris
75008
France
US$175
Special Offers
Special Offers
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Le Couvent des Minimes Hotel and Spa by l’Occitane - Discovery StayStay four nights and enjoy the proximity to a variety of experiences nearby, such as the life of Cezanne in Aix en Provence, the beauty of Valensole Plateau’s countryside, Moustiers Sainte Marie, Lake Sainte Croix and Southern Luberon, from 902 EUR per person. |
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Hello:
Can anyone recommend a good, local restaurant near Bonnieux in Provence? I will be entertaining clients and we will stay/eat at Domaine de Capelongue, and one evening i would like something a bit more relaxing, but with a local feel. Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Peter
Dear Peter,
In Bonnieux, you might consider Le Fournil, a very popular, stylish and laid-back bistro in the middle of the village.
Best Regards,
The Travel Office
Does anyone have any recent experience with hotels/chateaus in the Dordogne? Harper recommends Le Vieux Logis, but what about Château de la Treyne and Château de Mercues? Both seem to have wonderful locations, but the web site for Mercues does not provide much information about their rooms. Thank you. Jim T.
Mr. Harper, We are considering Chateau de la Treyne, but, several posts on Trip Advisor mention less than interested staff and a need for refurbishment. Would you please comment.
Does anyone have experience/recommendations for a barge cruise in France?
Hello,
I very much enjoyed a cruise that I took on the Tango barge on the Canal du Midi several years ago. The cabins were considerably more comfortable and attractive than those on other barges I've seen, the food was excellent and the staff were charming.
More information about the Tango and her sister barge, Fandango, can be found here.
Regards,
Andrew Harper
Hello,
Barging is an absolutely wonderful way to explore France! We frequently assist with planning French barge cruises for Andrew Harper members. In fact, we have two excellent travel partners with whom we work on barge cruises.
Orient-Express features several beautiful barges, and you can currently take advantage of some significant savings for travel this year. You can view the travel value here.
Frontiers offers an even larger selection of barges, ranging in size from four to twelve passengers.
For more information about the different barge options and various regions you can explore, please contact the Travel Office at (800) 375-4685, (630) 734-4610 or reservations@andrewharper.com.
Best Regards,
The Travel Office
Can anyone comment on the Bastide de Moustiers in Moustiers-Ste-Marie?