About France - holiday and vacation

Thanks to its centuries-old traditions, the wealth of its farming and fishing resources, the variety of its geography, its climates and agricultural environments, France is, without doubt, the undisputed center of gastronomy. Since ancient times, poets, philosophers, painters, kings and politicians have celebrated gastronomy, elevating it to nothing less than an art form. As a result, expect a plethora of establishments in which you will be tempted to dine, from the café with an inviting patio to the local bistro or restaurant renowned its culinary feasts. In fact, there will be such an abundance of addresses that it may be prudent to select among a few options before you go.

For assistance in this task, you may consult Fodor's excellent guide of Paris restaurants, Condé Nast's archives, the French Tourist Office's selection of Paris restaurants, or, if your language skills allow you to read a French guide in the original, the Guide du Routard. The "Reserve the Best" guide will offer a selection of establishments based on whether you are looking for Haute or Gastronomic Cuisine, Bistros, Brasseries, Good Value, non-French, or Trendy spots.

Here follows a short list of places you may want to visit. If you are uncertain of the differences that separate a brasserie from a bistro, refer to the restaurant types for a full explanation...

La Tour d'Argent, 15 Quai de la Tournelle, Paris 5ème (Banks of the Seine, Latin Quarter); Tel: 01 43 54 23 31 Fax: 01 44 07 12 04. Overlooking the river Seine and the cathedral of Notre-Dame, the diner will enjoy what is probably the best view a Paris restaurant could offer (except, perhaps, that of the Jules Verne), not to mention the duck that helped make it famous. But the Chef is as proficient with the classics as he is with the new directions gastronomy has taken over the years. Service is exemplary and the wine cellar one of the best anywhere. Overall: difficult to top, impossible to imitate. Very expensive.

Jules Verne, Eiffel Tower, 2nd Floor, Paris, 7ème; Tel: 01 45 55 61 44 Fax: 01 47 05 29 41 - The site is magical and it would take a conspiracy to spoil a meal in such settings, a few hundred feet above the Seine river. This is hardly a risk, as the kitchen delivers, day after day, a cuisine that will make you never want to leave. Obtaining a dinner reservation could be one of the most challenging tasks of your trip. Very expensive.

Amphycles, 78 avenue des Ternes, Paris, 17ème (Monceau/ Place des Ternes); Tel: 01 40 68 01 01 Fax: 01 40 68 91 88. Amphycles, the owner informs us, was a chef in the Antiquity. The choice of name is probably the best metaphor to translate the attachment of the Chef to time honoured traditions and boundless inspiration in a menu where modern cuisine is often caught winking at its past. Very expensive.

Le Pavillon Montsouris, 20 rue Gazan, Paris 14ème (Montsouris); Tel: 01 45 88 38 52 Fax: 01 45 88 63 40. Situated in the Parc Montsouris, a beautiful turn of the century park setting, adjacent to the Cité Universitaire where buildings were designed in the style of the countries from which international students were coming. This pavilion of glass and steel, circa 1900, is the perfect stage for a menu whose aesthetic aspirations are equally matched by an artful execution. Moderate pricing that results in excellent value for the quality offered.

Le Grand Véfour, 17 rue du Beaujolais, Paris 1er (Louvre); Tel 01-42-96-56-27. Close to the Louvre, nestled under the arches of the Palais Royal, overlooking a beautiful little park, this restaurant has been frequented by artists and politicians for the last century and a half. Seats bear their names, from Colette or Victor Hugo to Jean Cocteau. A beautiful interior for a restaurant honoured and improved with time. Very expensive but very special.

Le Café de la Jatte, 60 bld Georges Seurat, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine (at the Pont-de-Levallois); Tel: 01 47 45 04 20 Fax: 01 47 45 19 32. This small island on the Seine river, on the North West boundary of Paris, was long a haven for artists, sculptors and impressionist painters, as the name of the street suggests. The modest constructions they once occupied have now become choice real estate and the restaurants that have opened attract the in crowd, or branchés, of the Parisian media. This establishment is a café only in name, and offers a decor and a quality of service that justifies its popularity. The food is very good and the prices moderate, though it is easy to spend more than planned.

Le Petit Poucet, 4 rond point Claude Monet, 92300 Levallois Perret (at the Pont-de-Levallois); Tel: 01 47 38 61 85 Fax: 01 47 38 20 49. Located in the Île de la Jatte, a few hundred meters from the Café described above. The Municipal boundary crosses the island between the two establishments, hence the apparent discrepancy in the address. In the Summer, a beautiful patio welcomes the diners in search of a cool breeze. Very branché as well. Moderate pricing for an imaginative menu.

La Luna, 69 rue du Rocher, Paris 8ème; Tel: 01 42 93 77 61 Fax: 01 40 08 02 44. For fish and seafood lovers, this the place to dine. The owner still scurries through the Rungis fish market in the early hours of the morning, buying fish that was being unloaded from a boat just a short while before. You could hardly find fresher seafood. This is fish with the aromas of the ocean, cooked admirably in a simple fashion where expert timing is everything. Moderate to expensive.

L'Ami Louis, 32 rue du Vertbois, Paris 3ème; Tel: 01 48 87 77 48 Fax: 01 48 87 85 77. One of the most authentic Paris Bistros, in a part of town where non-Parisians may not think of visiting. This is the Paris of the artisans, usually of immigrant stock, who are slowly being displaced by new immigrants. The adventurous diner will find a gem of a bistro, almost as old as this century, where only traditional products of the highest quality are dispensed, in generous proportions, such as foie gras and gigot d'agneau. It is very expensive, but nostalgia at its best should come at a price. There are no other restaurants quite like l'Ami Louis, anywhere in the world.

Pharamond, 24 rue de la Grande Truanderie, Paris 1er (Les Halles); Tel: 01 42 33 06 72 Fax: 01 40 28 01 81. Named after the first leader of the Franks, in the 4th century, this bistro is another classic, a landmark in Les Halles before the area was bulldozed into a huge hole in the ground. The flower market has gone, along with the butchers and the ladies of the night. The neighborhood has gentrified, but Pharamond is as beautiful a place as it ever was, serving the grilled meats and traditional cooking that have made it famous. Explore the upper floors, accessible through a treacherous spiral staircase, home to private salons and dining-rooms for small groups. Moderate to expensive. Worth it for an enchanting establishment that never disappointed. However, as of January 99, Pharamond was in a difficult financial situation and it is possible, regrettably, that it too might be gone by the time of your visit.

Chez Lescure, 7 rue Mondovi, Paris 1er (Concorde); Tel: 01 42 60 18 91. Situated in a small street behind the American consulate, this is a convivial bistro showcasing a cuisine of traditions. There is a table d'hôte, a real one, where you will be sharing a meal and conversation with total strangers. If you prefer a table just for you, you will find plenty of them. However, they are very close to one another. So close that if you don't end up talking to the patrons next to you, you deserve to be classified as the anti-social type. A beautiful patio on a quite street completes a near perfect picture. Very popular with Parisians and expatriates. Moderate prices.

Le Bistro Jacques Mélac, 42 rue Léon Frot, Paris 11ème (Bastille); Tel: 01 43 70 59 27. A popular wine bar owned by the president of Paris winemakers (yes, there are in fact a few small-scale commercial vineyards in the capital). The wine selection, needless to say, is carefully put together and the food, without undue pretension, is fun and typical of the various regions of France. If you like country wines and little Domains, this a place you will enjoy. Moderate prices.

Vin et Marée, three locations at 276 bd Voltaire, Paris 11ème (Bastille); 01 43 72 31 23/ 108 av du Maine, Paris 14ème (Montparnasse); Tel: 01 43 20 29 50/ 183 bd Murat, Paris 16ème; Tel: 01 46 47 91 39. One of the best medium priced establishments for fish and seafood. Collected during the night at the Rungis food terminal, this is fresh fish at its best. Simple preparations of daily specials to avoid distorting the quality of the original products and creative inventions such as lobster with bacon. Avoid Sundays, as there is no fish market on Saturday nights. Limited wine list of little known and well selected regional products. Moderate pricing for outstanding quality.

La Coupole, 102 bld Montparnasse, Paris 14ème (Montparnasse); Tel: 01 43 20 14 20 Fax: 01 43 35 46 14. Hemingway and the Lost Generation popularized this brasserie to an American audience. It is huge, as this type of establishment often is, graced by an elegant Art-Deco style and completely restored a few years ago. Here, seeing and being seen is part of the experience for the trendy diner. The fare is typical and predictable and the only regret is having to watch and hear the wait staff strolling through the aisles singing "Happy Birthday", carrying, arms extended, a re-usable plastic cake... Moderate prices.

La Closerie des Lilas, 171, bld Montparnasse, Paris 6ème (Montparnasse); Tel: 01 40 51 34 50 Fax: 01 43 29 99 04. Ernest Hemingway's and Henry Miller's seats have been engraved for posterity. This restaurant offers a beautiful patio bordered by potted plants, a large dining-room (not a priority), and a lovely small brasserie which, alone, should justify a visit. This is still a hangout for many writers and the discussions at nearby tables, which you won't be able to ignore, will run the gamut of contemporary intellectual themes and typical urban angst, including what's next on the menu. A beacon of Paris life for many years that would be regrettable to miss. Inexpensive to moderate in the brasserie or on the patio.

Le Train Bleu, Gare de Lyon, Paris 12ème; Tel: 01 43 43 09 06. This is a grandiose Art Nouveau décors, in which scenes of Luc Besson's thriller La Femme Nikita were shot. Its lavishness and extravagance is as monumental as the railroad station, Gare de Lyon, in which it is housed. This is nothing short of spectacular, an architectural landmark that the French Government has rightfully classified as a protected monument. The food is very good as well, offering products from the region of Lyon that the departing and incoming trains service. Leaving without seeing this place would be like going to Paris and not see the Eiffel Tower. Moderate to expensive.

Au Pied de Cochon, 6 rue Cocquilière, Paris 1er (Les Halles); Tel: 01 40 13 77 00 Fax: 01 40 13 77 09. When Les Halles was a lively wholesale food market, operating at night so that Parisians could be supplied in the first hours of the morning, noctambulists always had this brasserie to retreat to for an onion soup. There, bourgeois would rub elbows with meat labourers and women of the good society would throw furtive looks at the belles de nuit. Since the market was moved in the 70s, the area has found a new life and this establishment still thrives, with its large selection of oysters laid out on the sidewalk and expertly prepared by les écaillers. If you are sleepless, let your instincts or a cab driver lead you to Au Pied de Cochon. Moderate to expensive. See Fodor's comments.

Julien, 16 rue du Faubourg St-Denis, Paris 10ème, (République); Tel: 01-47-70-12-06. Another popular and lively brasserie from the belle époque. The place is usually full of boisterous diners having a good time and seemingly enjoying the traditional fare of confit de canard or smoked salmon. Moderate pricing. See Fodor's comments.

Chartier, 7 rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, Paris 9ème (Opéra); Tel: 01-47-70-86-29 Another beautiful Art Nouveau brasserie from a bygone area. Here, the expression art nouille (or "Noodle Art"), used to described this style of Art Nouveau, comes to life. The food is adequate, very conventional, and the pricing inexpensive. If traveling on a budget, this is one experience you cannot miss. See Fodor's comments.

Paris Guide offers a good selection of some of the most interesting Parisians cafés. We have retained only four in our selection, but rest assured, there are several hundred to choose from.

Les Deux Magots,170 blvd St Germain and Le Café de Flore, 172 blvd St Germain, Paris 6ème (Saint-Germain-des-Prés). No other establishment epitomizes the "café society" better than these two neighbors. Home of the Existentialist Movement, many writers turned their cavernous halls and sprawling patios into a home-away-from-home, where some of the most celebrated books of this century were written.

Brasserie Lipp, 151 blvd St-Germain, Paris 6ème (Saint-Germain-des-Prés). Across the street from the Flore and Deux Magots, this brasserie, typical of the Alsatian style, is also a literary café. A hangout for many in the publishing business, this establishment hosts the annual dinner held in honour of the Laureate of the Prix Goncourt, France's most celebrated literary prize. The dinner is the entirety of the prize! Along with a guaranteed bestseller status for the selected work...

Le Fouquet's, 99 Ave des Champs Élysées, Paris 8ème (Champs Élysées), métro Georges V; Tel: 01 47 23 70 60. Arguably, one the most beautiful cafés Paris can offer, commanding an exceptional view of the largest and best known avenue. Classified by the French Government as a protected monument.

Our list of recommended restaurants is only partial and, of course, subjective. If it appears too short for some travelers who wish to explore the culinary treasures of Paris, the guides published by Michelin, Gault & Millaut or Routard are all good choices. Michelin publishes an English language version of its comprehensive reviews of restaurants in Paris and the rest of France. Fodor's should also be on the list of recommended reading, as well as Frommer, a helpful tool for budget minded travelers.