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Post by MaisonMetz on Jul 4, 2008 13:24:20 GMT -5
One of the things that we most enjoy about Paris is the number of choices one has for neighborhood "café culture." We tend to use that phrase when we mean relaxing in a pleasant spot at a café table on a corner terrace overlooking a square or a place at an intersection sipping un grand crème or a glass of red wine. A sympa staff and great people watching are other important elements, and a bit of greenery helps improve the view. Going back through posts on the Our Paris Forum shows that some of you enjoy similar pursuits. There are threads discussing places like the Place Gustave Toudouze - one of our favs in the 9th after our month stay there last fall, the Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine in the Marais and the Place Dauphine on the Île-de-la-Cité. Recently I ran across an article about the Place Sainte-Marthe east of the l'Hôpital St Louis in the 10th on the border of the 19th. www.anous.fr/83-21-2866/la-place-sainte-marthe.html It looks like a promising location for café culture. Have any of you been there, and if so, did you enjoy it? The Place Colette is another location in the 1st that we like with its picturesque Métro entrance by Jean-Michel Othoniel called Le Kiosque des Noctambules (night owls). The Café Nemours there is a great viewing spot. What are some of your favorites? Jo |
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 4, 2008 14:16:40 GMT -5
Wow, these are great suggestions - I'm bookmarking this thread immediately (and you get an exalt for this). This is my favorite way to spend time hanging out in Paris, and I'm always looking for suggestions (although, aside from La Palette, I don't have many suggestions myself  - still searching!) |
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Post by Laidback on Jul 4, 2008 15:51:02 GMT -5
MaisonMetz, your and Gitte's contributions are what keeps me peeking in the forum. Let me thank you again for another "meaty" contribution. If there was an OPF contest for the highest karma/post ratio, you would be my odds on favorite. In fact let me give you another exalt before it slips my very slippery mind.
A selection of friendly café/bars is of maxi-importance to me. Other than the mentioned selection at Pl. Gustave Toudouze there are 2 others we frequent in the 9th. La Rimaudière at the foot of Rue Martyrs at the junction of Lamartine and Notre Dame de Lorette is very popular, and definitely NOT a chic/slick Costes "m'as tu vu, m'as tu reconnu" type place, but it has a wrap around terrace and reasonable prices, with a very sassy/humorous waitress after she gets to know you. English is not much spoken here and she calls me Le Touriste. The other spot is a little more pedestrian, but there again the owner, Tony, gets to know you after 1 or 2 visits and loves to use his rather good English when we visit. After my little sojourn at the American hospital, our next glasses of Picpoul were on the house; I just can't resist that kind of ego inflation. It is called Le Select and is higher up on Martyrs, right across rue Navarin from the excellent Delmontel boulangerie-patisserie, which is how we found this café in the 1st place. All of the fore mentioned "MTV,MTR's" hang out at Amour and Fuchxia and they are fine but I prefer the more regular guy kind of place with regular guy kind of prices.
Up in Montmartre there is an unbelievable little lady on Caulaincourt that has run Au Reve for over 30 years and if you are only mildly obnoxious will warm up to you after the 1st visit.
An entirely different type place befitting its location on Pl. St. Sulpice is the Café de la Mairie, with one of the best terraces with its view of the magnificent fountain, the church and Mme Deneuve's penthouse. The drawback's are the diesel fumes from the buses which stop in front and the difficulty in snagging a table in nice weather.
In the 7th, my hands down favorite is the Café Constant, Practically no terrace and crowded at meal times, but very inexpensive for un verre de rouge or café during the off hours.
O.K., somebody else's turn.
We could go on here ad nauseum with a game of "I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours".
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Post by gracejoan on Jul 4, 2008 17:28:39 GMT -5
I will add Cafe d'Alma, 5 Ave. Rapp in the 7th. Good spot for breakfast outside, for me..otherwise breakfast at Cafe Constant..
Joan
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Post by GitteK on Jul 4, 2008 23:23:29 GMT -5
MaisonMetz, thank you for reminding me ! Le quartier Sainte Marthe has been on my list for some time - and still is ! It could be combined with a visit to the Belleville market, Tuesdays or Fridays, and of course the equisite renaissance courtyard at Henri IV's Hôpital St. Louis.   There are also some pics to be found HEREAlso I have this recommendation for lunch on my list, only I simply don't recall where I found it. Perhaps in the Thirza Vallois book ? LE SAINTE MARTHE32 rue Sainte-Marthe 75010 Paris Open every day. On a cute small square, terrace when it's sunny, you can eat fresh market cuisine in a good ambience. Here is MaisonMetz's article translated via google. NOT the Queens finest English, but if your French is a little rusty, then you might find it helpful anyway: CLICK HERE Agree with LB that Café de la Mairie at St. Sulpice is a GREAT café spot. In the summer 2006 I had brought the "Da Vinci Code" with me and sat reading in the café the exact chapter going on in the St.Sulpice, just before I visited the church for the first time. WOOO, that was spooky !! |
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Post by ouiparis on Jul 5, 2008 14:18:03 GMT -5
MaisonMetz, thanks for a great thread! Would you mind elaborating a bit more on Place Dauphine? We'll be staying there in September. Merci!
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Post by Jody on Jul 5, 2008 14:54:09 GMT -5
We have several cafes we stop in. One right next to our hotel , usually for a late evening nightcap, Le Comptoir des saint Peres, right on the corner of rue Jacob and ST Peres. Another nearby , that has almost the same view as Deux Magots for half the price, Cafe Bonaparte. I love to watch the people and you are able to hear the music if the street musicans are performing at St Germain.
Near Shakespeare and ACo, we like the terrace at Le Pontoise, overlooking Notre Dame , Sq Viviani, and st Julien. Not bad light meals there either
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Post by Darcy on Jul 5, 2008 22:23:30 GMT -5
Great thread.
Becky, could you elaborate on La Pallette, please? Location, etc.
Thanks!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 6, 2008 1:25:44 GMT -5
Darcy, it was a hangout for (among others) some of the impressionist painters, so obviously has been there forever. It's on rue de Seine, toward the St Germain end. It's just a fun place to have lunch, glass of wine, etc., while doing some gallery browsing (lots of art in the area). Actually, it's a favorite hangout of Iank9, and I'm sure he would be happy to post more about it the next time he drops by.
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Post by MaisonMetz on Jul 6, 2008 1:34:31 GMT -5
Wow, so many good suggestions!
Laidback, thank you so much for reminding me of La Rimaudière in the 9th. Don and I didn't discover it until well into our month in the 9th last fall. The couple who run it are terrific. Loved Madame's teasing sense of humor.
Also appreciate your and Gitte's recommendation of the Café de la Mairie on place St Sulpice. We've stopped there once or twice, but it's been ages ago. It's very close to the apartment we've rented for next October, so I know we'll visit it again.
Gitte, the neighborhood photos on the Road75 website are great. Thanks also for adding the photos of place Sainte-Marthe. I need to learn how to do that. Have found the directions in the Technical Directions folder - just haven't gotten around to following them yet. Anyway, the place Sainte-Marthe is definitely on our exploration list, along with the nearby rue Rébeval in the 19th, which is getting a lot of press for its neighborhood restaurants these days.
Gracejoan, am sorry to say that while we've eaten at Le Violon d'Ingrès several times, we've yet to try Christian Constant's other locations on the rue Saint Dominque. Since we'll be back on the left bank next fall, we'll have to remedy our omission. Had lunch a few times at the Café d'Alma when we last stayed in the area. Liked its sophisticated, contemporary decor.
Ouiparis, what fun to stay on the Place Dauphine! I like it for its triangular shape and the fact that it's often a quiet spot in the very midst of Paris activity. As you may know it was built by Henri IV for this son, the Dauphin, who became Louis XIII. Enjoy your time there.
Another good spot for café culture should you decide to visit the terrific rue de Lévis market street in the 17th or the Parc Monceau in the 8th is the Place Prosper Goubaux located where the Ave de Villiers intersects the Blvd Courcelles and the Blvd des Batignolles. Our favorite spot there is the Café Monceau, which faces the Ave de Villiers at the Métro stop. One early Nov morning we were having breakfast and witnessed the speediest transition ever to a cool season terrace with glass walls. A truck pulled up, glass partitions were unloaded and set into what had been just surrounding flower boxes a scant five minutes before.
Jo
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Post by denise on Jul 6, 2008 7:36:32 GMT -5
:)This is a great, informative thread. Thanks for posting MaisonMez. Unfortunately I am guilty of not noticing the names of the cafes we frequented. Last year when we stayed in the 5th we spent quite alot of time sitting watching the world go by at the cafe on the corner of place de la Contrescarpe and rue Mouffetard. It fulfilled all the criteria and we loved to people watch, especially the young, presumably students. Often they were with visiting parents. They were of all nationalities and we had fun guessing and guessing what they were studying. It was also interesting watching the french ladies going to the market. The staff were friendly and the cafe was good and inexpensive. Denise love from England  Modified Yes it was cafe La Chope I think. The Contrascarpe was on the other side of the square. and here are some photos   Above is the view from cafe La Chope |
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Post by Anne on Jul 6, 2008 7:52:02 GMT -5
Darcy, Ian is a great fan indeed of La Palette, but be aware that it is located in a very touristic and busy area . We went past it last Autumn but decided against stopping for a drink on their terrasse because at mid-afternoon the place/street was incredibly busy and we much prefer quieter places . To everyone his taste ...
Oui, place Dauphine is SO lovely, and so incredibly quiet . There are a few bistrots/restaurants with terrasses on the place .
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Post by Jody on Jul 6, 2008 8:09:11 GMT -5
Denise, don't feel bad,I never remember the names of cafes!I'm going to make a point to write everything down this next trip
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Post by luckyluc on Jul 6, 2008 8:44:02 GMT -5
Denise, that would be le Café La Chope.
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Post by gracejoan on Jul 6, 2008 10:03:32 GMT -5
I forgot to add the great little spot at 22 Avenue Rapp in the 7th...Sancerre. It is across the street from the fantastic art nouveau building at 29 avenue Rapp....
Joan
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Post by GitteK on Jul 6, 2008 10:32:03 GMT -5
Last summer I was coming up from Rue d'Ulm, after having been lucky enough to be let in to visit the interior courtyard garden of the famous l'École Normale Supérieure. I then happened to end up in Place de l'Estrapade, just south of Panthéon. It's not much of a square really, so there will not be much people-&-fashion-watching, but it is so quiet and pretty, with fountain and all. Here you find Café de la Nouvelle Mairie which is I think mostly a winebar. They have a row of tables outside and I believe that they also serve light meals. Super relaxed ambiance, cheerful staff, very local, filled with young Parisians - even if located smack in a tourist area. I spent a lovely siesta in the terrace, resting my feet, enjoying a pichet of wine, reading in my indispensable crime novel. To see the reviews in fr.cityvox CLICK HERE  |
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Post by Anne on Jul 6, 2008 10:53:56 GMT -5
Oh yes, it is a very reputed wine bar and Greyhost was very enthusiastic about their food too .
It is on the same pâté de maison (block) as hôtel des Grands Hommes and hôtel du Panthéon, however we weren't able to dine there because they are only opened for dinner on Tuesdays and Thursdays .
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Post by cigalechanta on Jul 6, 2008 22:54:14 GMT -5
My favorite was in the Marais( the oldest wine bar, I read) La tartine and they do serve tartines=open faced sandwiches. Every visit, I was the only tourist. I'd stop for lunch or a night cap of more wine. My waiter often gave me a taste of some new drink they concocted l.
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Post by cigalechanta on Jul 6, 2008 22:59:19 GMT -5
June/July 2008 Past Issues: Travel with the Wine Skinny, Looking for great wine and good food in Paris, but not interested in spending a kabillion Francs (make that Euros) in a fancy schmancy restaurant? Then wine bars may be the perfect choice…. Apart from the opportunity to sample a wide variety of wines by the glass at reasonable prices, you can usually make a meal at a wine bar. Most of them concentrate on bar food snacks – usually including cheese, charcuterie selections (which can include sausages, pâté, and more), and sandwiches. A few will serve full meals – especially at lunchtime. Wine bars tend to open early and stay open all day. The first one you need to know about is l’Ecluse. A famous and unique chain of wine bars, l"Ecluse serves only Bordeaux. From Graves to Pomerol to Pauillac, l"Ecluse is just about the only place we know of where these wines can be sampled by the glass – and at quite reasonable prices. Minor and major vintages and Chateaux are represented here, with the optional accompaniment of quite nice seasonal cuisine. l’Ecluse Various locations throughout Paris, including one right off the Champs Elysées, toward Avenue Georges V. www.leclusebaravin.com1st Arrondissement A la Cloche des Halles is a charming, casual little spot near the Tuileries and Palais-Royal gardens. Feels more like a local hangout than a tourist trap, which makes it a nice place to linger. Offers a large wine list and really outstanding food. We sampled lovely local cheeses and flavorful sausages while happily making our way through the Rhone reds. A la Cloche des Halles 28 rue Coquilliere 1st Arr Tel: 01 42 36 93 89 Metro: Les Halles For a truly Parisian moment – which is to say that you’ll be jam-packed with and jostled by and practically shouting to be heard over a bunch of Parisians – don’t miss Le Rubis. Lunchtime features a daily meal special. Satisfyingly-fatty rillettes smeared on crusty bread and glasses of fruity red wine are available anytime. I wish I were there right now… Le Rubis 10 rue du Marche-Saint-Honore 1st Arr Tel: 01 42 61 03 34 Metro: Tuileries Famous as much for its location and view as its 40+ year history of serving excellent wines, Taverne Henri IV is located on the Pont Neuf – right at the tip of the Ile de la Cité. The Taverne buys directly from winemakers and then bottles the wine on the premises in the Louis XIII cellars below the bar. Quality is excellent, and for the most part, so are the prices. No meals, but quite tasty cheese and charcuterie selections. Taverne Henri IV 13 place du Pont-Neuf 1st Arr Tel: 01 43 54 27 90 Metro: Pont Neuf Owned by two Englishmen, Willi’s Wine Bar is one of Paris’ best and most popular wine bars. A more modern space than most of the places on our list, Willi’s is clean and streamlined, but avoids being oh-so-trendy. We especially loved the large Cotes du Rhone selection, included in the even larger Rhone section. Willi’s has a separate restaurant area that accepts reservations – a good thing, given the popularity of its excellent food. Willi's Wine Bar 13 rue des Petits-Champs 1st Arr Tel: 01 42 61 05 09 Metro: Pyramides or Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre 4th Arrondissement La Tartine is a beautiful place, full of sparkling mirrors and warm brass and glowing chandeliers. As someone said, it looks more like a throwback to more pre-WWII Paris or even a Hollywood movie set than it does a wine bar. Located in the heart of the Marais, La Tartine draws an eclectic crowd – there’s a little something here for everyone. The manageable wine list is well-chosen, with an emphasis on Beaujolais and Bordeaux, and you can pair your selection with a range of cheeses or tartines – the open-faced sandwiches that the bar is named for. La Tartine 24 rue de Rivoli 4th Arr Tel: 01 42 72 76 85 Metro: Saint-Paul |
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Post by jo on Aug 19, 2008 19:39:28 GMT -5
What great suggestions! I'll have to print this thread and keep it for next year, so many new places to try. Having a drink and people watching is one of our favourite things to do in Paris.
Jo (here I go again, resurrecting old threads, sorry about that!)
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- still searching!)
Let the riot begin! LOL - 
hahahha