Paris – Tartempion

Originally uploaded by Añelo de la Krotsche

Tartempion restaurant is located in Montmartre on Rue du Mont Cenis which is just off the famous Place du Tertre. It’s one of the many restaurants which are in the area and around the square. Like many occasions during short Paris breaks when there’s not much time to choose, it can be difficult to decide where to eat from the many options available. In any case, I’d definitely recommend Tartempion, especially if you like duck salad.which is what I ordered. It’s a combination of duck leg and smoked duck served with fresh salad, bread and washed down with a nice glass of wine. I’ll be back!

The move aims to boost consumer spending in the busy summer period throughout France and attract more visitors on Paris breaks from the UK, offsetting the slightly weaker Pound Sterling against the Euro.

The 1867 Universal Exposition brought to Paris some of the most celebrated and important people in the world – heads of state, artists and all kinds of French and foreign personalities. On June 7th, the Café Anglais hosted perhaps the most extraordinary dinner ever held, “The Dinner of the 3 Emperors”, which contributed so greatly to the restaurant’s success and renown.

The guests were Alexander II, Czar of All the Russias, his son and namesake the Tsarevitch, the King of Prussia, Wilhelm I and the Prince of Bismarck. Rarely has a restaurant seen so prestigious an assembly brought together around a single table, not for a state summit, but simply for their pleasure. A glance at the menu suggests that their pleasure might be seen today as a little over-the-top.

An interesting footnote: on leaving the restaurant, Czar Alexander II complained that he had not had the opportunity to taste foie gras, a typically French delicacy. Claudius Burdel, a loyal servant of gastronomy, explained: “Sire, it is not the custom of French gastronomy to serve foie gras in June. If you can wait until October, you will certainly not regret it.” Faithful to his word, Burdel sent a terrine of foie gras to each of the three emperors in the autumn. This specially prepared foie gras was later known as the “Foie Gras des Trois Empereurs”

Restaurants for Paris Breaks

• Macéo – 15 rue des Petits Champs, 1st arrondissement (metro Bourse or Quatre Septembre line 3, line 14 Pyramides), typical french cuisine, classy surroundings, top chef – lunch menu 30+ €, à la carte 15-25€ main course
• Willi’s Wine Bar – 13 rue des Petits Champs (next door to Macéo), good option for a lunch around 20€ with good quality products prepared by 2 chefs in a tiny kitchen
• l’Abadache – 89 rue le mercier, 17th arrondissement (metro Brochant line 13), french owner, english wife, traditional french food with an english twist (some cheeses and other influences), kitchen visible from the restaurant so you can see what’s going on, good products, interesting combinations
• Rose Bakery – 46 rue des Martyrs, 9th arrondissement (metro Notre Dame de Lorette or Saint Georges, line 12), only for lunch, english-french owner, haven’t been myself but read good things on the web
• Le Zephyr – decent food (especially beef and shell fish – daily deliveries), often imaginative presentation (particularly in the evening), some lovely puddings (esp. “Le Tour du Monde”, a chocolate fiesta of different textures !), cool and trendy bar in a good location. metro Jourdain, 11th Arrondissement.
• La Fontaine Gaillon – Place Gaillon, 2nd arrondissement (I think), simple, classic fish restaurant with daily deliveries and thus very fresh fish. Relatively expensive (£45 midday / £80 evening) metro “4 Septembre” or “Bourse”
• “Avant Goût” 26 rue Bobillot, 13th Arrondissement – look it up on the web, haven’t been there myself, but my wife has been many times and always raves about it.
• “Le Chapeau Melon”, 92, r. Rébeval, 19th arrondissement (my patch !), m° Pyrénées / Belleville – tiny restaurant which is a wine merchant during the day. The chef cooks the same for everyone, you sit down and wait for your food to arrive (4 courses for 28€- if you want a pudding, it’s 5 courses and 6€ extra). Original and absolutely fresh since it changes every day.

More recent reviews and suggestions always welcome in the Paris Breaks commente please..

Le Buci is the name of the restaurant bar you can see in this picture which was taken from the hotel room in le Petit Trianon which is one of my favourite hotels for Paris breaks. The road streching into the distance leads to Pont Neuf and La Samaritaine while to the right is the rue St Andre Des Arts with leading to place St Michel.

So this is downtown Paris, the latin quarter, left bank, rive gauche.

It’s a lively area with plenty going on at night but not just for tourists. Lots of people actually live here. To the left there are some fabulous seafood stalls and restaurants. and to the far right, the famous pub St Germain and the main Boulevard St Germain with the cinemas and metro station at Odeon.

You can get here by RER metro from Gare du Nord in about twenty minutes so quite doable for overnight Paris breaks.

Another top restaurant associated with a railway station – le train bleu is at Gare de Lyon, boulevard Diderot, 75012 Paris. Tel.: 01 43 43 09 06 or 08 26 10 07 86

The decor is “Belle Epoque” with gilded arches and ceiling, all decorated with beautifully painted scenes from the French regions which are served by the mainline station.

The original blue train was a luxury express which took British aristocrats from Calais to the Mediterranean Cote d’Azur ( Calais-Mediterranee Express ) with blue sleeping cars.

The Musee D’Orsay is a favourite destination for short Paris Breaks, especially if you’ve never been there before. There are three attractions.

The Museum contents

Art, sculpture, great expressionists, art nouveau furniture and classics to say the least.

The building itself.

One of the most impressive railway stations ever built, comparable with King Cross St Pancras, Paddington or Grand Station Central. And it hasn’t been spoilt at all by the conversion into a museum when the trains from Orleans and the West stopped arriving here.

The restaurant

In a beautifully decorated grand setting, with an affordable but classy menu.