Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well I like to update revise this old post from 2014; do not know why but Paris is in the air…Do not know how 2020 will be as with the virus travel is minimal and many still closed or impaired. Hoping for the spirit of Christmas to prevail. For now, here is my update on our visit to  Christmas in Paris 2014!

Needless to tell  you this is my favorite time of the year. Regardless of your religious inclination, the lights, actions, events, festive mood all around is magical. It seems the folks awaits this time to bring out their best. We enjoy every single season ,and for 9 years we were at Versailles with Paris as our background. Now for the last 9 years we have been in the Morbihan, in Bretagne and as normal the country is more subdue. However, see my take on the visit to Christmas in Paris.

For now, let me give some of my favorite places for goodies in Paris and some new ones,there is always time for new places to enjoy the Bounty of France. The chocolates of the rive gauche or left bank will leave speechless if you try one of our favorites ;Jean-Charles Rochoux, he does marvels with creating chocolate expressions of Christmas or Noêl, this year is the bears in tune. You can get to him at 16 rue d’Assas,6éme.webpage: https://jcrochoux.com/en/

For artisanal confitures, those wonders of Jelly and jams, you must search, find, meet Catherine Manoël ,making wonderful confections in the Gard and then the Aube region and now the store in Paris has closed but you can order online ,you know is good when you have Paul Bocuse as Customer !!! (and you know who is Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest chefs in the world); See it at Comptoirs des Confitures webpage http://comptoirdesconfitures.fr/

The Chocolaterie d’Aligre at 13, rue d’Aligre, 12éme, used to carry the above products but not anymore anyway leave it here as it is great place to shop in the season to be merrier. webpage: https://www.chocolatsdaligre.fr/

And of the new ice cream places found in Paris, coming from South Corsica, is that of Pierre Geronimi, and his L’Arbre de Café at 10, rue du Nil, 2éme. Tél.: 01 84 17 24 17; the flavors are out of this world and many innovative ones like the chatâigne ice cream ! webpage : https://www.larbreacafe.com/

The all time favorite is the La Grande Epicérie, 38 rue de Sévres,7éme. In 2014,  Coming from Australia and New   Zealand, resembles a kind of pickle which would be filled with small translucent beads to taste like candy close enough to the grapefruit William Ledeuil associate it with ginger in a carpaccio of Saint Jacques, Olivier Roellinger scattered its oysters and Jean-Louis Nomicos proposes all new French pay per view in the form of sea bream and carrots marinated, lemon basil citrus and caviar. Just wonderful goodies found of an all time favorite, webpage: https://www.lagrandeepicerie.com/fr/noel/

And ,of course you need to eat at Poilâne Paris, in 2014 nice biscuit figurines of deers are the return. Get it at 8, rue du Cherche-Midi, 6éme. webpage : https://www.poilane.com/

If you mingle your cooking with Italian specialties, from the Maison Fracassa. webpage: https://fracassa.it/

You will find the above goodies of Alessandra Pierini  at RAP, 4 , rue Fléchier, 9éme. Not far to your left out of gare st lazare and then left at Fléchier. webpage: http://www.rapparis.fr/

For oysters we got some challengers where we live now, but back in Paris we had try the delicious oysters of the island of Mersea (Essex) Oysters Saint Honoré, result of  an Oyster tradition over three centuries, are high for three years in deep waters, and then refined in the estuary, which gives them a subtle salt content. Generous, fleshy, firm and crisp: so authentic.  The place is a laberinth of goodies of all sorts and was near to my business routes. You need to take a short metro ride from Opéra Garnier line 3 to stop Anatole France and then walk about 4 minutes our time to Terra Gourma at  79 rue Voltaire ,Levallois-Perret Hauts de Seine dept 92. webpage: https://terragourma.fr/

For spices and oils one of the tops there is the Maison Thiercelin (since 1809) ,where even the vinagers are great from herbes from the mediterranean and Northern Africa. See them at 3, rue Charles-François-Dupuis, 3éme. webpage: https://www.thiercelin1809.com/

And to close this culinary ride on a more American mode and Floridian to boot, why not Burger King! They are coming back in force, we were at the first one in train station or Gare St Lazare, and now more at la Villette, Alésia,  and the newest one from November 26th at  124, rue La Boétie,8éme. There are in already in other cities in France , at Créteil, Calais, Marseille, Bonneuil-sur-Marne, Reims,  and Beaune . The first in Bretagne were at Brest, and we were there too lol! . Franchise in France part of the groupe Bertrand.   The groupe Bertrand they are in good company having some of my favorites updated names such as L’Alsace, Au Pied de Cochon, le Bar André à La Rochelle, Bofinger, la Brasserie Lipp, La Coupole, Grand Café Capucines, La Lorraine, Le Procope, Terminus Nord, Vaudeville . Auteuil Brasserie, L’Île, Copenhague, Flora Danica, Polpo, Quai Ouest, Les Deux Stations, Le Sud Luxe,  Angelina. Au Bureau, Hippopotamus, Café Leffe, Bert’s, Volfoni ; Burger King, and Quick.  Monuments places restos such as  Château de Versailles, Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg, Giverny, Cité des Sciences, Printemps Haussmann, and the Musée des Armées. Also,  Hotels such as Le Saint James Paris  and Le Relais Christine.  You are in good company!!   webpage: https://www.groupe-bertrand.com/

Enjoy the seasons to be merry, and an early Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, and Joyeux Noêl to all.

And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all!!!