A Good Lunch in Paris!

A good lunch in Paris that won't break the bank? Eminently possible. Head to Mon Vieil Ami on the lovely Ile St. Louis for their daily plat du jour. The tab is an unbeatable 13 euros for their perfect winter-weather-warming fricassee de legumes & blanquette de veau, which is only served on Thursdays. Other plats du jour for the same price include Pot a Feu, seafood risotto, and Parmentier with wild boar. This is a wonderful venue for dinner too. Lots of good veggies and delicious Alsatian influenced meat and fish dishes.

Mon Viel Ami. 69 rue Saint Louis en I'lle, 4th arr. ( on the Ile St. Louis)
Metro: Pont Marie Open Wed. to Sunday- 12-2PM for lunch, 6:30-11PM for dinner Tel. 01 40 46 01 35 http://www.mon-vieil-ami.com

One Good Angel Saves Another

You will enjoy my story on the Angel of Reims and the wonderful Cité de l'Architecture in Paris. This was just posted on Bonjour Paris. Google Bonjour Paris, Sally Peabody articles or here is the link:

http://www.bonjourparis.com/story/one-good-angel-saves-another/

Selected Interesting Art Exhibitions in Paris

The lovely Cluny museum of the Middle Ages will host "Paris, A Radiant City" from 9 Feb-24 May. This show traces the emergence of Paris as world capital of the arts and culture in the 13th century. Quite a heritage!

Goya and Picasso will be highlights of a special Louvre show called " Crime and Punishment". 16 March-27 June.

Celebrate Chopin's Bicentenary with a visit to the sweet little Museum of Romantic Life in the 9th. "The Blue Note" is the special show from 2 March-11 July.

The Pinacotheque on Place de la Madeleine has organized a show of Edvard Munch's works called "The Anti Scream". 100 paintings and graphic works drawn from private collections. 19 Feb-18 July.

Three Sweet Spots for a Paris Valentine Day

If you are lucky enough to be in Paris over Valentines Day, check out these three great shops.

Natier, owned by the personable Dominique Letterrier is a wonderful small chocolate and traditional French candies shop in the 9th, near the rue de Martyrs Market Street, located at 1 rue Henri Monnier. Natier sells chocolates from four top artisanal chocolate makers, largely traditional in style, some a bit more creative. Clients of mine report addiction issues with the sauternes or bordeaux infused chocolate covered raisins. I love the chocolates generally and the densely delicious fruit patés. A sweet little shop!

Christophe Roussell is relatively new to Paris having successfully plied his trade as a master chocolatier in La Baule. Roussell has opened a fabulous new BAR à Chocolate at 10 rue de Champ de Mars, adding yet one more jewel to that culinary mecca of the rue Cler market street neighborhood. There is a famous tower just a few blocks away too... Roussell make wonderful chocolates and also superb macarons, many based on chocolate in various guises. For Valentines Day you can pick up a pair of chocolate lips... Definitely a must stop in shop.

And finally, another master chocolatier, Jean Paul Hevin. Hevin has three shops in Paris but the mother lode is the shop and upstairs tea room at 231 rue St. Honoré. Here you can buy those fabulous jewel-like chocolates, Hevin's creative chocolate patisserie, and relax in the tea room over killer chocolate chaud or a cup of Mariage Freres tea and a pastry. Sweet indeed.

Happy Valentines Day!

No more lines at the Eiffel Tower!

A major breakthrough! The Eiffel Tower now offers an online reservation system. This long awaited system will be invaluable to planning your visit to the tower without gambling on hour or two lines to buy elevator tickets. Order and print your ticket as you wish. Excellent.

http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/

Talk with Your Great Days in Paris about wonderful things to do, see and eat around the Eiffel Tower.

sally@yourgreatdaysinparis.com

Apps to Explore Paris

For lucky I-Phone users exploring Paris is easier and easier.

Here are selected Apps that are very useful. I'd love to hear from you about others that you have found and love.

Free French Tutor and French Essentials. Hear French words pronounced before you use them.

Paris2Go. Places to see, what's nearby, transportation.

Paris Street Map. GPS enabled. No paper maps to unfold!

Metro Paris. A map of the metro that shows the stops on each line, GPS features, and, you can input your starting and end point and get the best route to take. Nice.

Send me other suggestions!

Happy exploring Paris on and off the beaten path. We're here to consult with you on the what to dos behind the where's...

Sally Peabody