I will be traveling to France in April to visit my daughter who will be studying in Dijon. We will be spending a week in Paris where we will be celebrating our birthdays. She will be 21 and I will be a lot older. We are thinking of lunch/dinner at the Eiffel Tower and maybe a Seine river cruise. Any thoughts, or advice on whether that's just too, cheesy. If you have a reservation at one of the restaurants, do you bypass the lines? Thanks.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Does it have to be the Eiffel Tower? There are a couple hundred places where you can eat better food for much less.
Posted by
OP
seattle, WA, United States
9 posts
Any suggestions?
Posted by
Lawrenceville, Georgia
693 posts
Amy, why not a dinner cruise on the Seine? Perhaps they'll be less crowded than the daytime cruises. I never did get on a boat when I was in Paris, they were packed all day long (it was April-May and the weather was unseasonably hot and sunny). Since I was alone, I didn't try for the dinner cruise but I wanted to. In your place I wouldn't worry about how cheesy it might seem to somebody. If you and your daughter want to do something really touristy, go ahead and do it. Enjoy Paris!
Posted by
Alexandria, MN, USA
175 posts
Amy,
How about La Fontaine de Mars in the 7th? We ate there a few years ago. The Obamas ate there when they were in Paris. It won't break the bank, and the food was wonderful. Probably even harder to get in since the Obamas were there so reserve ahead. Be sure to have Rick's Paris book. Have fun!
Posted by
OP
seattle, WA, United States
9 posts
Thank you so much for your ideas!! I will check out these options.
Posted by
Tucson, Arizona
42 posts
Yes, we had lunch there 5/12/09 and what a disappointment. We have eaten in Altitude 95 on 3 previous occasions and the food was good, not great, but at least it was a nice environment. The new restaurant is a cross between a McDonald's and a buffet with food that is only passable.
After you are seated and read the directions on how to place your order you walk to a counter, where all the appetizers are on display in plastic dishes, select your appetizer and order your meal. The servers behind the counter are all wearing baseball caps just like McDonald's.
You return to your table and your order is delivered to you in a basket . . . all of it in hard plastic containers, like at a fast food restaurant. You also get a roll in a paper bag. Total cost for 4 appetizers, 2 hamburgers, 2 plates of pasta and 2 glasses of house wine -- 118 Euros.
We even complained and were told that everyone else seems to love it because "you're able to get in and out fast." We doubted that and our experience was not actually that fast. I would not recommend it unless the sole reason you are going is to skip the line. That is really the ONLY benefit.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Here are 4 large discussion threads, posted here in the past, advising on how to pick a good restaurant in Paris:
http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?topic=26137
http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?topic=32284
http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?topic=27543