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Welcome to the AT YOUR SERVICE Paris Newsletter
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In This Issue:
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October 3, 2003- N° 007
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Our Restaurant Suggestion - Vin sur Vin
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Our Furnished Apartment Suggestion
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Boutiques in the Neighborhood
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Our Hotel Suggestion - Hôtel Verneuil
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Things to do in and around Paris
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Ah! The chic 7th arrondissement. It’s true that the 7th is considered one of Paris’ most elegant residential areas. Luxurious townhouses, government ministries and embassies abound.
And it is also one of the richest neighborhoods in terms of art and antiques. It is home to the Carré Rive Gauche, a clearly delineated section of Saint Germain des Prés born in the 1970’s out of the neighbor’s love of Paris and antiques. Walking around rue de Beaune or rue de Verneuil is like taking a walk through a French history book. The multitude of highly competent antique shops and galleries display centuries worth of artistic tradition and heritage.
The trick about this part of the 7th is to discover it during the week because if you decide to go gallery hopping on a Saturday curiously enough a good many of the shops will be closed up. And those that do decide to open are most assuredly closed through lunch and might re-open around 2:30. That gives you the perfect opportunity to have lunch at one of the cafés along either boulevard Saint Germain, for sentimental reasons I still go back to the Brasserie Solferino, or along rue du Bac over by Le Bon Marché.
While we’re on the subject of lunch, I’ll suggest that you kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, and have lunch in the exquisite salon du thé at the Musée d’Orsay. It has a fabulous view overlooking central Paris, not to mention Art Nouveau furniture collection downstairs.
Since the 7th arrondissement is so elegant and wealthy, it is only fitting that many of Paris’ best restaurants are found here. Besides out suggestion of the week, you should also try:
Le Voltaire on the Quai Voltaire. It has been owned by the same family since the 1930’s and now Monsieur Picot fils (son) is in charge and Monsieur Picot père (father) is happily ensconced in the kitchen. Which is where I had the good fortune to meet him one evening last fall. I had been asked by a client to spend an evening in the kitchen of her favorite Parisian restaurant to learn how the salads were prepared. That way her cook would be able to reproduce the dining experience at the Palm Beach house. For a foody like me to be allowed into the kitchen of such a well-reputed French establishment (and get paid for, let’s be honest) and learn their tricks of the trade was like dying and going to heaven. Maybe a little strong, but let me assure you that not only is the cuisine at Le Voltaire top quality but the Picot family is wonderful. And if you ever want to know how to make a to-die-for truffle salad, just e-mail me.
Another recommendation would be Beato on rue Malar for classic Italian fare. Chef Ivano Giordani and his wife Agnès have been welcoming clients since 1984 and fortunately show no sign of letting up. While Agnès says this was never her business and had choose between her career in high finance and her husband’s restaurant, you would never know it by the way she deftly manages the dining room. This was one of Rock Hudson’s favorite spots and Frank Sinatra used to come around as well for traditional dishes like baked eggplant and zucchini or tortellini à la gorgonzola, for which I will return over and over again.
A recent event in the culinary circle of the 7th was the opening of Café Constant by Christian Constant of nearby “Violon d’Ingrès” fame. The idea was to take over a typical café, replete with zinc counter and serve ultra-classic dishes like Blanquette de veau, escalope Cordon Bleu or Îles Flottantes. Seems like the grand master is having some fun. (139, rue Saint Dominique)
My last suggestion is to go have a glass of wine on the terrace of the restaurant/cafe L’Esplanade at the corner of rue de Grenelle and rue Fabert around 7: 15 in the evening (these days). The sun starts to set and the sky get this staggeringly beautiful shade of pink over the gilded dome of Les Invalides and all you can say is “Wow”. This is why I love Paris.
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This week we have two kinds of accommodations to suggest, the traditional Hotel Verneuil and a lovely furnished rental apartment, both in the same area in the 7th arrondissement.
A luxury furnished Paris apartment is an attractive and spacious alternative to a hotel room. A rental apartment also provides a unique French living experience, getting to know Paris more as a native and less as a tourist.
The apartments we will be presenting from time to time are all located in the most sought after neighborhoods of central Paris, offering a multitude of sights, monuments, fine restaurants and shopping easily accessible on foot or by metro. All the properties are beautifully decorated with quality furnishings and all the modern amenities you would want.
Almost across the street from our selected hotel is our apartment choice this week. This exclusive property is quite unique – an individual mews house in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés giving onto a quiet courtyard. The two-bedroom apartment is spread out over three floors, entrance on the ground floor and the living quarters on the first and second floors. It can sleep up to five people.
The quality of the furnishings, fabrics and decorations is remarkable. The owners taste not only in furniture but artwork is exquisite; you’ll see many French and British touches. You will feel immediately at home in this charming ‘home away from home’.
The first floor (European first floor, US second floor) has a small Parisian kitchen, a living room, full bathroom with separate WC, an office, which can serve as a guest room and the second bedroom. Further up the perfectly waxed staircase is the master suite, comprised of bedroom, again beautifully furnished, separate WC and bathroom with a shower. The apartment is cabled to receive English language television and local telephone service is available.
The additional feature of this apartment is availability of the owners valet during the week for daily housekeeping if desired for a moderate fee of 10 € an hour.
This apartment is available for stays of one to two weeks; the rent is 1,990 – 2,200 Euros per week depending on the season.
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If there is one hotel on the left bank that inspires calm and quiet it is the Hôtel Verneuil. It can easily be described in one word, serenity.
Situated on a quiet street in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés, you are just minutes from antique shops, art galleries, fine dining, great shopping and many of Paris’landmarks such as the Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, Place de la Concorde or l’Hôtel des Invalides. As you pass through the entrance gate on the rue de Verneuil you feel as if you were entering another world. This small 17th century hotel feels castle-like with its stones walls, exposed beams, rich tapestries and red velvet covered furniture. The low lightning only adds to the romance of the neighborhood. The library/sitting room invites you to sit down, sip a cup of Earl Grey and have a good read.
The 26 rooms are all decorated uniquely, similar to a private home. The pieces of furniture as well as the artwork are all chosen with great care. The marble bathrooms all have hair dryers and a bath and shower. The rooms are equipped with cable TV, mini-bar and internet access is available upon request. Only 15 of the rooms have air-conditioning so be careful is you reserve yourself. The service at the Hôtel Verneuil is irreproachable, the staff is available to assist you with a number of services.
Discerning travelers treat the Hôtel Verneuil like a well-kept secret, only sharing it with those they trust. We are pleased to recommend it to you.
Room rates are extremely reasonable for the exceptional location. Single rooms begin at 120 €, standard doubles are 140 € and go to 185 € for a deluxe double. A continental breakfast (12 €) is served in the vaulted dining room or in your room.
Hôtel Verneuil
8, rue de Verneuil, Paris 7th
Tel : +33 (0)1 42 60 82 14
Metro : Rue du Bac
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Situated practically at the foot of the Eiffel Tower is this week’s selection, Vin sur Vin. The name is a French play on word that refers to a perfect score, 20 out of 20 as schoolchildren are graded here, but with a slight change in the spelling to signify a perfect selection of wines.
And amateur oenologists will rejoice upon seeing the wine list, which is more of a book. You must have cocktail before dinner just to allow yourself enough time to select your wine in accordance with your meal. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by the possibilities, have no fear, owner Patrice Vidal will gladly guide you in your choice.
Madame Vidal served us both had a glass of chilled Macon Villages, a honey colored Chardonnay, which is perfect as an aperitif. Sipping my wine, leaving my friend to his reading, I took the opportunity to admire the décor. The walls are simply adorned with framed, signed prints of vintage wines while the tables are decorated with a stream of dried lentils flowing free around the glasses and plates. The effect is quite unique. Each table was a bit different from the next, from the flowers to the decorative items. The work of a collector was in evidence.
A few of the items on the menu needed a bit of explanation, which allowed Monsieur Vidal the opportunity to show us why he has been such a success in this restaurant for almost twenty years. He is passionate about what he does and it shows. He truly wants you to enjoy your dining experience because for him it is more than just dinner.
For my entrée I selected the “agneaulerie” which had just been described to me at length. I must say that the actual dish was even more beautiful than what had been described. I was expecting a traditional dish of lamb layered with peppers and courgettes. What I was served was truly artistic, a beautiful array of flavors, colors and textures.
My friend ordered the “galette de pied de porc”, a sort of pig’s foot torte. My first reaction was, well, “not sure I really want to try that”. However, in my never-ending quest to discover new delicacies, I responded enthusiastically, “Bien sur” when asked if I wanted a taste. And to my delight it was fabulous. Monsieur Vidal later explained the dish to me. The pig’s feet are delicately poached until very tender, then the meat is shredded and placed in a round, covered with slivers of foie gras, then a layer of sliced mushrooms topped with fresh herbs to compliment the other rich ingredients. Despite two attempts, the Vidal’s have never taken this item off the menu in 18 years. Their clients just won’t let them.
As soon as I heard the description of the “Lapin de Poitou” I knew I wanted to try it. I couldn’t imagine there could be so many ways to prepare rabbit. I must say that all of them were wonderful. The plate, Limoges China perfectly coordinated to the food on the plate, arrived with four variations of the most tender rabbit, accompanied by a crispy pastry tower brimming with steamed peas. You really must try this dish when you go. It is fabulous.
My friend said of his free-range pigeon, “Superbe!” and that from a somewhat critical French food connoisseur. This pigeon had nothing to do with what you or I would imagine. The succulent meat was removed from the bone and served as light and dark filets cooked to perfection because Monsieur Vidal had inquired how he liked other kinds of poultry cooked, the sign of a true professional. While Antoine was willing to give up a bite of his entrée, there was no way I was getting close to his main course.
By now you’re probably saying, "This is all fine and dandy but what about the wine?" Let me tell you that it was just as wonderful as the food. We selected, no, in fact I offered no input at all – hoping only to be enchanted by the choice. And that I was. We tasted a 1998 Givry – 1er Cru – Clos de la Servoisine from the north of Burgundy. It was excellent. The cellar at Vin sur Vin is very good, offering an expansive selection of relatively high-end vintages.
Now getting back to food. My dessert was ordered at the beginning of the meal, as it required quite a bit of preparation. I was thrilled with my choice since I had never tasted a millefeuille “à la fleur d’oranger” or orange blossom. The pastry cream, which was so delicately perfumed with the orange blossoms, was the perfect compliment to the crispy pastry layers, which just disappeared off the plate.
The other dessert tested that evening was simply called “Fraise” on the menu. It turned out to be three variations on a theme; strawberries. There was a tiny (but not too) strawberry tart, a scoop(lette) of fresh strawberry ice cream served with whipped cream, and a paper thin sugar crêpe layered with strawberries and Chantilly. Funny, I didn’t get a taste of that either.
We finished the evening with some of the best coffee I had tasted in a long time.
Overall the evening was wonderful. The noise level got a bit loud at one point but that was not to be avoided. There were nine businessmen, French and British, heatedly discussing the merits of serving wine in a decanter versus in the bottle. All seven of the tables were booked that night mostly by neighborhoods locals and a few of us who knew a good address to recommend.
It turns out that the Vidal’s receive guests, and I say receive since it is very much like being welcomed into a friend’s home, by reservation only. You cannot simply walk in and once the last reservation has arrived the front door is locked. Eighty percent of Vin sur Vin’s customers are regulars; many if not most are international. It is not uncommon that they get a call from a Brazilian couple, for example, which would like to reserve for the 9th of December and would like to have the “Coq au Vin” that they enjoyed so much the last time they were in Paris. All of which is possible at Vin sur Vin.
Vin sur Vin
20, rue de Montessuy
75007 Paris
Tel : 01 47 05 14 20
Closed: Saturday lunch, Sunday, and Monday lunch
Count on around 73 € with aperitif, without wine
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If you are looking for good shopping in Paris, it doesn’t get much better than the 7th. From the very upscale department store, Le Bon Marché on the rue de Sèvres to the irresistible home furnishings shops along rue du Bac not to mention the antique shops and art galleries behind Boulevard Saint Germain. The best that Paris has to offer is at your fingertips.
It is, in fact, the Saint Germain des Prés area that we are going to discover this week.
Leaving the Hôtel Verneuil, continue down rue de Verneuil and you will pass a beautiful fabric and decoration shop, La Soie Disante. On display are gorgeous silk challis shawls that can also serve as armchair or sofa throws. Besides offering the majority of the designer fabrics, this tiny shop specializes in embroidered silk lace.
At the corner of rue de Verneuil and rue de Beaune is a perfect example of what makes France… well… France. The Gallery Lacombe-Marchand is a tasteful antique dealer that doubles as a wine shop. How very practical indeed! If, during your negotiations for the 17th century polychrome statues in the window, you suddenly become parched, the owner can offer you a vintage 1998 Gevry-Chambertin and get you immediately back to the business at hand.
Around the corner at 14, rue de Beaune, Catherine Arigoni holds court in her vintage clothing and accessories shop. From the 1940’s black Chanel rounded-toe pumps that are just the rage today to a fabulous hand-embroidered and sequined Guy Laroche sleeveless sheath dress, you are sure to find a timeless fashion piece to remind you of your stay.
As you probably have figured out by now, I love cooking. So it won’t surprise you that I stopped dead in my tracks when I came upon the brand new AGA oven store at the corner of rue de Lille and rue du Bac. Originally created in Sweden now produced exclusively in England, an AGA oven/stove is the Rolls-Royce of ovens; beautiful, extremely functional, built to last a lifetime. These glossy, lacquered cast iron oven units are available in an almost endless possibility of configurations; from a simple two-burner, two-oven model to a six–burner stovetop, including a wok burner and a warming plate with four ovens underneath all in fire engine red. The stuff culinary dreams are made of. In addition to great stoves, AGA also has a collection of pots and pans, kitchen furniture and rustic looking butcher-block units in many sizes.
Not surprisingly, our next stop is a food shop. And not just any food shop, it’s Androuet, the legendary cheese shop that recently opened on the left bank. If you like cheese, then you’ll love Androuet. The selection is overwhelming and if you find something you would like to share with your friends back home, no problem. They can vacuum-pack your purchase so that you can pass customs upon arrival. An example of one of their assortments; camembert, chavignol, banon, valencay, langres, bouton de culotte, trappe de l’echourgnac and a piedon for good measure, all packed to travel for 38 €.
Quite often I am asked where to find good quality Provençal bed spreads. Here is my answer; Le Rideau de Paris on rue du Bac. It’s on that wonderful little stretch of rue du Bac just opposite the Hotel Montalambert near the many great furniture and decoration shops. The Rideau de Paris has a fabulous selection of print and solid “boutis”, all exceptionally well made, perfect for gifts.
Our shopping trip ends here but I suggest you continue down the rue du Bac until you reach Le Bon Marché. Along the way you will discover some wonderful little shops sure to tempt you not to mention some great little cafés for lunch. So enjoy…
La Soie Disante
36, rue de Verneuil
01 42 61 23 44
Galerie Lacombe-Marchand
01 42 60 50 35
Catherine Arigoni
14, rue de Beaune
06 22 10 60 66 (Call for an appointment)
AGA
Androuet
37, rue de Verneuil
Mon : 4pm – 7 :30 pm, Tues – Sat : 9am – 1pm, 4 pm – 7 :30 pm
Le Rideau de Paris
32, rue du Bac
01 42 61 18 56
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There are so many things going on in Paris this time of the year that you calendar is going to be completely booked.
First on our list is the “must-see” exhibit of the season, Gauguin – Tahiti. Officially opened the other day by President and Mrs. Chirac in the presence of journalists and corporate sponsors, namely Bernard Arnault of LVMH, this exhibit centers around the painting entitled, “D’où venons-nous? Qu’est-ce que nous sommes? Où allons-nous ? »
The exhibit is organized by the National Museums of France, the Musée d’Orsay and Boston’ Museum of Fine Arts, where the famous painting is permanently housed. For the first time in 50 years the painting returns to France, joining 50 other paintings, 30 sculptures and over 60 other drawings, sketches and manuscripts from Gauguin’s two consecutive visits to Tahiti from 1891 – 1893. In total over 200 pieces have been brought together from museums and private collections all over the world.
Gauguin – Tahiti
Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais
3, avenue du Général Eisenhower, Paris 8th
from October 3 – January 19, 10 am – 8pm, Wednesdays until 10 pm, closed Tuesdays
Reserved entrance tickets available from 10 am – 1 pm
Tickets - 9 €, 10.10 € reserved
Perennial classic, La Bohème, is being offered this month at the Opéra Bastille. Originally created in Torino in 1896, Puccini’s La Bohème continues to sell out opera houses worldwide. Daniel Klajner directs this production with sets by Dante Ferretti. While tickets are relatively hard to come by, we still have a few places available towards the end of the month.
La Bohème
Opéra Bastille
120, rue de Lyon, Paris 12th
Metro : Bastille
Tel : 0 892 89 90 90
From October 4 – 30
Tickets from 79 – 114 €
The first recital Piano **** was given back in 1971 and since then legends such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Murray Perahia, Rudolf Serkin and Claudio Arrau have graced the stage of the Théâtre du Châtelet. This month brings the appearance of Alfred Brendel on the piano accompanied by his brother Adrian on the cello, performing Beethoven’s 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sonata’s. An evening not to be missed.
Piano ****
Théâtre du Châtelet
1, Place du Châtelet, Paris 1st
Metro: Châtelet
Wednesday, October 15th at 8pm
Tickets from 26 – 77 €
The JVC Jazz Festival kicks off its 8-day program on Monday, October 13th with four exciting performances at four different venues. Highlighting this year’s festival are Richard Galliano, Buddy Guy, Sara Lazarus and the David Murray Latin Band.
JVC Jazz Festival
See www.looproductions for schedule
Gone with the Wind comes to Paris as a musical. Who would have thought that the Margaret Mitchell’s epic tale of love, family, and betrayal in the war-ravaged South would fascinate the French to the point of staging this musical extravaganza. Unforgettable music by Gérard Presgurvic and choreography by Kamel Ouali are sure to wow spectators.
Autant en Emporte le Vent (Gone with the Wind)
Palais des Sports
Porte de Versailles, Paris 15th
Tel: 0 825 038 039
Tickets from 19 – 59 €
And finally, all you tennis enthusiasts get ready. From October 27th to November 2nd the BNP Paribas Masters Tournament is in town. Two-time champion André Agassi returns to Paris to see if he can make it three against such rivals as James Blake, Roger Federer, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Andy Roddick and last year’s winner Marat Safin.
BNP Paribas Masters 2003
Palais d’Omnisports de Paris – Bercy
8, blvd de Bercy, Paris 12th
Tel: 0 892 692 300
Tickets from 10 – 48 €
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