Bon Appétit! innerrewards correspondent Lisa Sarma explains the etiquette of dining in Paris and visits Le Chartier, one of Paris’ oldest restaurants. She enjoys traditional French cuisine, people watching at outdoor cafes, and stops into Le Zinc des Cavistes, a chic Paris wine bar, for food and wine pairings composed by the sommelier.
When you embark on your Paris vacation, it is best if you can leave your traditional taste buds at home and savor some of the Parisian treats! Long known for being the home of some of the best food in the world, Paris is also the home of some wonderful street vendors that mix up an incredible sweet crepe that you can get while wandering around the city.
These crepes are like a super thin pancake and layered on top is a variety of toppings depending upon your taste buds. Then quickly and elegantly wrapped the vendor presents it to you. On our last trip to Paris, we experimented with every flavor and finally settled on our two top favorites. Imagine bananas wrapped within a thin crepe, or chocolate and bananas, a sweet apple filling is also available.
While you might think that these are only a tourist treat, you will fine lines at some of the better ones filled with Parisians on lunch breaks or heading home. That’s a sure sign that you’ve come across one that’s worth trying.
They make for a great mid-morning snack, after lunch treat or just about anytime. My personal favorites are banana and chocolate and the lemon flavored one. Let me know which ones you find work best for you!
Paris encourages its tourists to paint the town red, so when you’re traveling to Paris you’ll definitely fancy a night out. Knowing where to go for the most delectable dinners and finest wines will ensure a fantastic Paris night out.
Many tourists get interested in cancan dancing, and the popular Moulin Rouge is a well-known tourist attraction. For a century of widely renowned cancan dancing, a multitude of women stomp to the rhythm of the music and bring the dancing hall to life. Taste dishes from a superb menu and sip wine from a premium collection of Paris wines. Relieve stress and relax while marveling at the glorious red wines, copious from their wine cellars. You may be amazed at how long you’ve been there—the dancing cancan women is a spectacle beyond the astonishing meal you’ll have in the Moulin Rouge.
If women dancing to music are not to your liking, sit down and enjoy a fine dining experience atop the Eiffel Tower. The long queue of diners paves the way for Altitude 95 on the first level of the Eiffel Tower.
Dining here is a wondrous experience, with the extremely magnificent view of the city through the skylight windows. Although the beauty of Paris is stunning from this view, it is not entirely romantic considering there are all these other tourists who are on queue waiting for their tables and who may be seated next to you.
There are no regular menus, which gives it a charm of its own as you get to enjoy a unique dining experience with the menu being served only for the given evening. Children are welcome and will also find it interesting to dine in the restaurant.
Cruising through the city skirts at night via the Seine River is considered more romantically appealing than any other activity in Paris. The Seine Cruise brings you to different locations in Paris while enjoying a gourmet experience and vivid entertainment. The perfect Paris evening is capped with a dinner in the Champs Elysees.
For about 4 hours, the Seine Cruise navigates through the renowned passages and links. Don’t go overboard with the wine though, and make sure you can take a cab on your way back to the hotel. Also, the ambiance in Paris demands the strict prescribed attire as it is a formal affair.
