People often ask me how we ended up in Eze~bord~du~Mer in the south of France. Well, our fixation with France actually started up north, in Paris. Mr. Splendid and I used to visit the city of light regularly. But then we started branching out including trips to the south where we fell in love with the Mediterranean Sea and Eze. It’s been decades since we’ve been back, but that all changed recently when we took the train from Eze to Paris {transferring to the TGV in Nice} and had the most splendid time.
We visited some old favorites and discovered some new gems, including a couple of great restaurants I can’t wait to tell you about. Also, if you’re planning a trip to Paris I’m including restaurants recommended by my friend who lives there {and she never steers me wrong!}
Nancy Meyer’s film Something’s Got to Give has been one of my all time favorite go-to films so I couldn’t resist going to Le Grand Colbert, the Brasserie where Harry {played by Jack Nicolson} famously comes back into Erica’s {Dianne Keaton} life.
The restaurant felt smaller and quieter than it was in the film but the food was delicious, the Chablis refreshing and the service perfection. We started with oysters and a classic mignonette sauce, served with rye bread and creamy French butter. From now on, rye bread and butter will always be on the table when oysters are served.
For dinner, I had to go with Erica’s recommendation and that roast chicken with vegetables did not disappoint. It’s a lovely, classic French brasserie that I’d highly recommend.
You can even pick up a little momento to remember your evening. Did you know that souvenir means memory in French?
After dinner we wandered back to the Île Saint Louis on which we were staying at the ever~charming Hotel des Deux Iles. When we’d stayed at the Hôtel Jeu de Paume in the past there was a debaucherous restaurant across the street where people used to line up in medieval clothing to go in for barbarian feasts. I just wanted to see if it was still there… it wasn’t. Instead, the elegant starred Le Sergent Recruteur inhabits the location. We stopped in for an incredible sip of cognac before continuing down the Rue Saint-Louis en L’ile to our hotel.
It was the end of January when we visited so it was cold, rainy and gray but we still loved walking through the city, especially along the Seine.
Next to the Île Saint Louis is the Île de la Cité, home of Le Cathedrale Notre~dame, two historic, natural islands that are the very core of Paris. They make for a perfect spot to launch out to any location in Paris.
Le Cathedrale was buzzing with hundreds of workers restoring the “Lady of Paris” since the tragic fire in 2019.
Lines curved around the square with visitors waiting to tour through the restored portion of the church.
On our final morning, Monday, there was barely a line so we decided to venture through the sacred doorway to look around.
The gothic masterpiece was as grand as ever, maybe a little too clean though!
I love it with I see my lucky number on a gorgeous doorway.
Timeless elegance doesn’t even begin to describe Le Train Bleu, the grand restaurant at the Gare de Lyon. We made a lunch reservation in person when we arrived so we could have a memorable final Parisian lunch before boarding the train back to Eze.
A glorious double staircase raises you above the bustling train station to a stunning Belle Époque, Neo~Baroque restaurant which was originally, humbly called the Buffet de Gare when it opened in 1901. With the elaborate frescos, gilded mouldings and carvings and chandeliers it feels like you are entering a sumptuous ball room.
Twenty~seven prominent French artists painted scenes of towns the PLM {Paris, Lyon, Marseille} train line passed through, my favorite was of Villefranche~sur~Mer {a neighboring town to Eze where I attended L’institute Française.}
The restaurant was renamed Le Train Bleu in 1963 for the luxury train that ran from Paris to Ventimille {Italy} via Nice. It had a dining car, a bar car and nice berths, beds or couchettes. The exterior was painted a striking, deep metallic blue. It was a frequent mode of transportation of Jean Cocteau, Coco Chanel, Bridget Bardot, Marléne Dietrich, Princess Grace of Monaco and the likes. Unfortunately, this chic affair was discontinued in 2017.
The menu by Chef Michel Rostang is focused on the cuisine and products of the south~east region of France. I had the Turbot and Maison Prunier’s Aquitaine Caviar with a brown butter sauce and spinach. The turbot and sauce melted in my mouth and the tender spinach balanced the richness. Pops of caviar highlighted all of the flavors and textures to perfection.
A crispy, minerally glass of the Entre~du~Mer was the perfect accompaniment to this savory dish.
If you’re planning a trip to Paris, I recommend you book a table HERE soon. If you aren’t able to secure a reservation you may be able to get a seat at the bar, look at the menu, pas mal. They also serve breakfast. Oh! and if you are short on time, they also offer a couple of items to go {but you’ll need to order in advance}.
Satiated by a marvelous experience we boarded the TGV heading south, in our Siége avec vue {seat with a view} and headed back to Eze. Truly a splendid day.
As promised, here are the restaurants my local friend recommended: Allard Bistro, Bistro des Tournelles, Racines 75002, Parcelles and Fana Montmartre, I can’t wait to go back and try them all!
Au revoir paris, à bientôt!
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