The Paris Lists
These lists were compiled by friends Steven Barclay and Peggy Knickerbocker.
Steven Barclay is in with the in crowd—like Terry Gross, David Sedaris, Billy Collins and another hundred people we wish we knew too. The Steven Barclay Agency represents our culture's most distinguished and thought provoking voices. One of the great cool people, Stephen grew up in Paris and so wherever he tells us to go we happily go there. Click here for Steven's Paris List
Peggy Knickerbocker, an award winning food writer, lived between Paris and San Francisco for years. Now cozily settled in her little house on a hill overlooking San Francisco bay with her husband, Robert Fisher, she is writing her memoir (we can’t wait!). Her taste is impeccable and she may just be the most stylish and fun person on the planet. Peggy’s Paris is magnifique! peggyknickerbocker.com
[ Download Peggy's Paris list below]
Phone numbers:
When calling from the US dial 011-33 then remove the 0 from the ten digit french phone number then dial the remaining nine digits.
When you arrive buy a Pariscope at one of may kiosks around Paris. It lists everything that is happening in Paris. Find listings in English at the back of the book.
Flea markets:
If you are there on a Sunday plan to take the metro out to the end of the line Clingnancourt for the flea market. This is the famous rambling old flea market of Paris. Plan to spend a few hours.
On Saturday mornings go to Porte de Vanves- early around 8:00am. Take the metro to Porte de Vanves and you will see the bustle. Have a coffee in one of the cafes near by.
Great Bread:
Poilane
For the world’s most famous bread on 8 Rue de Cherche Midi, Paris 6eme
Kaiser Bread
Various locations around Paris-best baguette
The Pastry shop on the corner of Rue Madame and rue de Vaugiraud
Has award winning croissants au beurre and amazing pain au raisin-good pain multi-cereale.
Great Pastries:
Pierre Herme
72 rue Bonapart, 6eme
01.43.54.47.77
Laduree
75 Avenue Champs Elysees, 21 Rue Bonapart at Rue Jacob
Great for a stylish quick lunch. You know that it is hard to get really good coffee in Paris now because they use cheap robusta instead of arabica beans, but you can get great coffee here and sublime pastires.
Café de la Mairie
On Place St. Sulpice is beautiful for sitting under the chestnut trees in the summer. In the winter, go upstairs, to the sort of private room-nice and warm and not too smoky.
Café Deux Magots
Go to Café Deux Magots for the best coffee breakfast in Paris. Fun to watch people and just very old fashioned and traditional and great.
Great Chocolate:
Debauve et Gallais
Rue des St. Peres (between rue de l'Universite and Blvd. St. Germain)
Oldest Chocolate store in all of Paris. Used to sell medicinal chocolates. Beautifully wrapped packages; not at all expensive. Great for gifts to bring home.
A La Reine Astrid
24 rue du Cherche Midi 75006.
Wonderful chocolates – orange rind dipped in chocolate. Candied verbena leaves, mint leaves and violet petals. Beautiful little orange boxes, great gifts for giving when going to someone’s house for dinner or for bringing home.
Jean-Paul Hevin
231, rue St. Honore, 75001, Paris.
01.55.35.35.96, www.jphevin.com
Sadaharu Aoki
(Japanese pastry) 35, rue de Vaugirard, 75006, Paris
01.45.44.48.90
Pierre Herme
72, rue Bonaparte, 75006, Paris
01.43.54.47.77
Great Cheese:
Barthelemy
A favorite cheese store of most people is called Barthelemy on rue de Grenelle just off Blvd. Raspail in the 7th arrond. They can be heartbreakingly rude. This postage stamp-size store has literally hundreds of varieties to choose from. Try to have one of the women wait on you the man is intimidating. There are many other great cheese stores in Paris including.
Rouge et Crème
At the corner of rue Madame and rue de Vaugiraud (downstairs) has good cheese selections, eggs, organic milk, good olive oil and great wines.
Open Air Markets:
Check out the locations and days of the week of Paris’s varied open-air markets in Patricia Wells' latest Food Lovers Guide to Paris. One of my favorites is the Biologique Marche on blvd Raspail. It is organic and delightful. Another Bio market takes place on Saturdays at Batingnolles. It is smaller and very charming. Richard Lenoir is the Bastille market.
A few good Parisian Restaurants:
Aux Lyonnais
32 Rue St Marc, Paris, 2eme
01.42.96.65.04
Founded in 1890 and one of Paris loved bistros (near the Bourse) so an old favorite of stock brokers, features a present day take on food of Lyon. Cheery yellow interior, chic crowd. The day I was there a quartet of young reed thin Parisian professional (like a French version of Sex in the City) women ate enormous amounts of food and drank wine lavishly and laughed wickedly all through the meal. The latest from Alain Ducasse.
Le Restaurant du Palais Royal
110 Galerie de Valois / Palais Royal, 75001 Paris
01.40.20.00.27
Located in the historic beautiful Palais Royal, this elegant but reasonably priced indoor/outdoor (as weather allows) restaurant is frequented mostly by people from the neighborhood. One of the most beautiful settings in Paris. Beautiful for lunch in the summer. Not necessarily the greatest food, but good.
Oysters at Le Dome
108 Boulevard du Montparnsasse and other wonderful seafood. Some of these big restaurants have bis restaurants-smaller less elaborate versions of the more expensive original. (Bistot du Dome 1 rue Delambre). Le Dome can be found in other parts of Paris.
Stick to simple fresh fish and oysters.
Maceo
15 rue des Petits-Champs. Pastilla de homard! A good reliable lively spot. A sister restaurant is Willy’s Wine Bar next door.
Benoit
20 rue Saint Martin (the place Princess Di was headed the night she died) an institution according to Patricia Wells-the quintessential bistro.
Au Bon Accueil
114 rue de Monttessuy–near the Eiffel Tower.
You feel as if you live in Paris when you eat here. It is inexpensive and good and vivacious but tables are very close
L’assiette
181 rue du Chateau. In the 14th.
01.43.22.64.86
Closed Monday and Tuesday
A tough old woman chef puts out delicate, fresh, market food. Expensive but utterly delicious. Favorite new find of 2004.
L'Ami Louis
We had a marvelous meal at L'Ami Louis but if you go, get foie gras for one and get one order for two of pheasant or steak or chicken because there is so much food that it is overwhelming. Their deep dish potato cake should not be missed.
Do not be even one minute late for your reservation or you will not be let in.
Le Voltaire
27 Quai Voltaire, 7eme.
01.42.61.17.49
Warm, cozy, good long menu, dependable and chic in an old-fashioned way. Right next door to Le Voltaire is le Bistro Voltaire. It is very fun and easy and clubby. Go for lunch. Much cheaper than Le Voltaire. Right on the Seine and great.
Le Grand Vefour
17 rue de Beaujolais (in the Palais Royale)
01.42.96.56.27.
Lavish, fantastic service, great food and one of the most romantic rooms in tout Paris and very expensive.
Grand Palace Hotels
Try a couple of the grand palace hotels for old world feel and cuisine-the Bristol and the Crillon. Good gutsy food, unpretentious but very fancy and romantic. The Crillion dining room is filled with mirrors, orchids and candles and is stunning.
L'Avant Gout
26 rue Bobillot, Paris 13
Metro Place d'Italie-Good modern French food.
Allard
41 rue St Andre des Arts
01.43.26.48.23
Handsome and good old fashioned restaurant-specialty, Duck with Olives.
Chez Rene
14 Blv. St Germain. Paris, 05
01.43.54.30.23
This is what every visitor is looking for in a French restaurant. This old bistro near the Sorbonne always feels like the right place at the right time. Order the pig/pork appetizer. Then the coq au vin and an amazing baba au rhum with a snifter of rum on the side for dessert.
Chez Michel *******
10 Rue Belzunce. 75010 Paris. (Just behind St Vincent de Paul near the Gare du Nord on the # 4 Metro line
01.44.53.06.20
Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Breton "flavored" foods by superb chef, formally with the Crillon Hotel. Do not be fooled by the unassuming interior. This is a truly great restaurant. Not expensive and not "fancy." Several fish dishes, in case you are off red meat.
Atelier Maitre Albert
1, rue Maitre Albert. 5th arrondissement
01.56.81.30.01
Guy Savoy’s latest restaurant on rue de Maitre Albert. It is sparsely decorated, chic and modern. The food is very good nontraditional seasonal French. It is about 40 euros per person. Open for dinner only and closed Sundays.
Huitrerie Regis *
3 rue de Montfaucon, 75006 (behind the Marche ST. Germain).
01.44.41.10.07
Overt du mardi au dimanche de 11h a minuit
An all white tiny oyster café. It is impeccable, fresh and one dimensional-all oysters. Easy to get in and lively.
Le Timbre
3 rue Sainte Beuvre (06) near Montparnasse
01.45.59.10.40
One of Saveur Magazine’s 100 best choices for 2006. An English chef/owner who turns out very fresh very delicious food with a slight Bristish touch, and I say that in the best possible way.
For breakfast or tea:
Cafe Deux Magots or the Cafe de Flore
Cafe Deux Magots or the Cafe de Flore, both on the Boulevard St. Germain. Both are expensive, but what beautiful places to sit.
Café Bonapart
Café Bonapart, one block down on rue Bonapart is equally as good and less expensive. Just not as good for people watching.
Café de la Mairie
Café de la Mairie on Place ST. Sulpice is my café, close to the apartment, near a news kiosk, beautiful when the weather is warm and you can sit under the trees in front of the fountain of ST. Sulpice.
Cafe Marly
01.49.26.06.60
A great spot any time of the day, starting in the morning is the Cafe Marly in the Louvre with its terrace looking onto the pyramid and the main courtyard. Breakfast – coffee, tea or chocolate, toasted baguettes, pastries and fresh orange juice. Also open for lunch and dinner. The restoration inside is exquisite.
A Priori The
Galerie Vivienne (1st arrond.)
Just behind the Palais Royal, on rue Notre Dame des Petits Champs there is a very famous Galerie or Passage – a precursor to our malls. This glass covered and beautifully restored walkway houses the gift store for the Biblioteque Nationale, the Grand Colbert (a traditional restaurant), and many interesting stores. You will also find "A Priori The," the tea salon which is a perfect resting spot after a long walk: wicker chairs, wooden tables, soft lighting, and delicious teas and pastries. American Peggy Hancock owns this place.
Stores:
E. Dehillerin
18-29 rue Coquilliere, 1eme arronidssement for professional food equipment, copper pots
Mariage Freres for Tea
30, rue Bourg-Tibourg. 4eme (the Marais)
01.42.72.28.11
This tiny street has a few unusual stores on it, but most inviting is this tea store and salon which was founded in 1854. They sell something like 400 different kinds of teas and we can suggest a few for you to try The clerks and waiters wear grey linen suits and have lots of attitude.
2 other locations in Paris including
13 rue des Grands-augustins. 6eme.
01.40.51.82.50
Village Voice Bookshop
6, rue Princesse. 75006 - closed Sundays.
01.46.33.36.47
Owner Odile Hellier truly represents the modern spirit of Sylvia Beach. Not only does she run the best English language bookshop in Paris, but she also hosts an active reading series with well known American writers. Odile is on the advisory board of the Paris Review and is very up-to-date on both English and American contemp. literature.
Deyrolle
46, rue du Bac. 75007.
01.42.22.30.07
One of the great spots in all of Paris. Trust me, just go. This taxidermist has been in operation for 100 years. For rock and mineral collections, butterflies and other creatures. It is wonderful and next door to a very good fish restaurant called GAYA.
Au Bon Marche
22 rue de Sevres. Paris 07.
01.44.39.80.05
The first and chicest department store in Paris is for fashion-they carry all the famous labels in clothing, leather, lingerie, paper, and check out Le Grand Epicerie. It is a huge food emporium with everything in the world for a price. (GREAT COLLECTION OF HAND CHOSEN CLOTHES, LINGERIE BY BEST DESIGNERS)
Unusual Museums etc . . .
Maillol Museum
59-61 rue de Grenelle. 75007 (houses Maillol sculptures and paintings).
01.42.22.59.58
Closed Tuesdays
Musee Jacquemart Andre
158, Boulevard Haussmann. 75008 - Paris
01.42.89.04.91
This hotel particulier was a private residence and has been restored to its original magnificence. Built around 1876, it evokes a sense of high society of the late 19th century. Notice its grand salon rooms with walls that descended into the basement to make the rooms larger for their parties of 1,000!
Le Musee Nissim de Camondo
63, rue de Monceau. 75008 - Paris.
01.53.89.06.50
(closed Mondays & Tuesdays)
Another hotel particulier, this one built in 1912 in the Petit Trianon style. It houses one of the most thorough collections of 18th-century furniture and furnishings in Paris. It was built by Moise de Camondo and given to the city of Paris as a museum in 1933. It was named after Moise's son, Nissim, who died in World War I. The entire Camondo family was killed during the second World War. The kitchen has recently been renovated and it is quite spectacular.
Some of our favorite things:
Rodin Museum / Luxembourg Gardens / Palais Royal/ the Marais / hot chocolate at the Cafe de Flore / the Musee Balzac, Balzac's little Parisian house, now a museum / Gustave Moreau museum. Also the Musee de la Vie Romantique, which is the house belonging to the painter Scheffer and where he used to receive as guests George Sand, Chopin, Liszt, Delacroix. It now houses the George Sand's recreated salon from her chateau. (This museum is located at 16, rue Chaptal in the 9th arrond. - Metro: St-Georges.)
Galerie/Passage
The Passage Vero-Dodat is located between the rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the rue Croix des Petits Champs in the 1st arrond. It is, like the Galerie Vivienne, sort of behind the Palais Royal and a very good example of the 19th century covered walkways of Paris. Unlike the Galerie Vivienne, the Passage Vero-Dodat has a rough-around-the-edges look that feels much more authentically 19th century. Filled with great shops.
Church
A small, out of the way church that we like in Paris is (also behind the Palais Royal) the Basilique Notre Dame des Victoires on Place des Petits Peres in the 1st arrond. The walls are covered with plaques thanking St. Therese for answered prayers. It is a beautiful, small church – quiet neighborhood. (There's also a really good bakery right across the street!)
