France

[DonRocks]

We already have several more-specific threads for France:

Regions: Alsace // Lot // Provence

Cities: Aix-en-Provence // Cannes // Marseille // Nice // Paris // Toulouse (I hate Toulouse.)

And now, presenting: The ultimate thread for well-heeled, Francophilic, cartographical gourmets: 

The Complete List of 2016 Michelin 3-Star Restaurants by Department

Enjoy!

Cool, look! 

[Rieux]

Headed to Paris and Normandy over New Year's for about a week. I'll peruse the Paris thread, (although open to suggestions here!) but couldn't find information on Normandy anywhere. Food, sites, etc..  Any help appreciated!

[DonRocks]

5 hours ago, Rieux said:

Headed to Paris and Normandy over New Year's for about a week. I'll peruse the Paris thread, (although open to suggestions here!) but couldn't find information on Normandy anywhere. Food, sites, etc..  Any help appreciated!

Just make *sure* you go to the American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer - I was there almost 25 years ago, and still remember it as one of the most moving experiences of my life.

Almost everyone has left us by now, but when I was there, I literally got *hugs* from French senior-citizen men and women when they found out I was an American - they were almost crying, trying to thank me - *just* for being an American. It's pretty damned sad how things have changed.

The other non-optional attraction is one of the finest museums I've ever visited in my life: The Bayeux Museum. Even if it's the *only thing you do* for an entire day, it's worth every minute of effort to visit and spend a couple of hours. It's designed absolutely brilliantly: By the time you get to see the actual Bayeux Tapestry, you know *so much about it* by having visited the antechamber, that it feels like you're seeing the Mona Lisa in the Louvre (and don't be surprised if you're disappointed by the Mona Lisa - it's a fine work of art, but it can't possibly live up to its reputation, and in my eyes, it didn't (partially because visitors were kept so far away from it)).

Have lunch in Honfleur (if you're feeling flush, dine at SaQuaNa; if not, dine at La Fleur de Sel - either place, get a traditional, local menu), and obviously, you're going to want to see the cathedral at Rouen. Gill is a Michelin 2-star restaurant in Rouen with a 40-Euro lunch menu Tue-Fri (it will be a relatively simple meal, but it's uncommon for a 2-star restaurant to serve anything at 40 Euros - see the bottom-left, and keep in mind that this includes tax and tip). Consider La Maison de Lucie if you spend the night in Honfleur.

I want you to trust me on this one: Either spend the night on Mont Saint-Michel, or don't see it at all, because it is positively *flooded* with tour buses (imagine Venice in high season) - yet, the buses all leave at around 5 PM, and the island becomes deserted - a ghost town, with the abbey on the hilltop eerily lit up at night. There are only a few hotels on the island (you want to stay *on* the island; not *overlooking* the island), and having dinner there, then walking up to the hilltop in the evening, is something you'll remember for the rest of your life - when the tour buses arrive the next morning, around 9-10 AM, it's time to check out and move on. If you've ever trusted me about anything, please trust me here - this is the third "can't-miss" thing to do (even more so than the cathedral at Rouen, although Rouen will be on your way if you're driving so you shouldn't miss that either).

You're more likely to return to Paris before you return to Normandy, so I'd skew the trip towards Normandy. I have the 2016 Red Guide (in French) if you want to borrow it.

[ktmoomau]

I loved the couple nights I stayed in Normandy.  I also visited Bretagne separately, as I was an exchange student there are really enjoyed it, as well- and saw Mont St. Michel then.  Seeing Normandy was something I too thought was life changing, and I am not really the sort of person that I thought it would have such an impact.  I had planned the stop for the man that I was going with (I say man, I think we were both still 20 perhaps, we were still kids to me).  We stayed in Bayeux and it was a very welcoming small town, everyone was lovely and nice to us- people didn't walk up and hug us, but we felt very warm and welcome- more so than in other places- not that we ever felt unwelcome in any part of France.  I don't know how we afforded where we stayed as we were backpacking, but it was this cute little loft of an inn, I have been trying to find it online, but not sure that I have.  We mainly spent a couple days touring the small towns on a bus from one stop to another to see the beaches, cemeteries and museums.  The scenery is beautiful up there.  Had we had money at the time it would have been nice to rent a car so we could see the scenery at our own pace, but we got their by train, and had no trouble getting rides to where we needed without a car.  I remember passing lovely Charlemagne cattle that reminded me of home, we probably got there in June and it was just beautiful.  This was before I was lactose intolerant and I remember eating great ice cream and just wandering the small town on foot seeing the sights in town after gloriously sunny days in the region.  We couldn't afford fancy dinners, I think we had crepes somewhere.  There is so much to see in Paris, you will likely only spend a few days away- and that is just fine, I really don't think it is a stand alone trip myself.  I love France, but for me a couple days in Normandy was a different, refreshing experience, but if you try to cover too much and get into Bretagne, etc, you will dilute it, I think Paris and Normandy are night and day, but in a good way.  There is so much to see in France you do need to have small manageable areas.  

[Rieux]

On 10/22/2016 at 1:25 PM, DonRocks said:

Just make *sure* you go to the American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer - I was there almost 25 years ago, and still remember it as one of the most moving experiences of my life.

Almost everyone has left us by now, but when I was there, I literally got *hugs* from French senior-citizen men and women when they found out I was an American - they were almost crying, trying to thank me - *just* for being an American. It's pretty damned sad how things have changed.

The other non-optional attraction is one of the finest museums I've ever visited in my life: The Bayeux Museum. Even if it's the *only thing you do* for an entire day, it's worth every minute of effort to visit and spend a couple of hours. It's designed absolutely brilliantly: By the time you get to see the actual Bayeux Tapestry, you know *so much about it* by having visited the antechamber, that it feels like you're seeing the Mona Lisa in the Louvre (and don't be surprised if you're disappointed by the Mona Lisa - it's a fine work of art, but it can't possibly live up to its reputation, and in my eyes, it didn't (partially because visitors were kept so far away from it)).

Have lunch in Honfleur (if you're feeling flush, dine at SaQuaNa; if not, dine at La Fleur de Sel - either place, get a traditional, local menu), and obviously, you're going to want to see the cathedral at Rouen. Gill is a Michelin 2-star restaurant in Rouen with a 40-Euro lunch menu Tue-Fri (it will be a relatively simple meal, but it's uncommon for a 2-star restaurant to serve anything at 40 Euros - see the bottom-left, and keep in mind that this includes tax and tip). Consider La Maison de Lucie if you spend the night in Honfleur.

I want you to trust me on this one: Either spend the night on Mont Saint-Michel, or don't see it at all, because it is positively *flooded* with tour buses (imagine Venice in high season) - yet, the buses all leave at around 5 PM, and the island becomes deserted - a ghost town, with the abbey on the hilltop eerily lit up at night. There are only a few hotels on the island (you want to stay *on* the island; not *overlooking* the island), and having dinner there, then walking up to the hilltop in the evening, is something you'll remember for the rest of your life - when the tour buses arrive the next morning, around 9-10 AM, it's time to check out and move on. If you've ever trusted me about anything, please trust me here - this is the third "can't-miss" thing to do (even more so than the cathedral at Rouen, although Rouen will be on your way if you're driving so you shouldn't miss that either).

You're more likely to return to Paris before you return to Normandy, so I'd skew the trip towards Normandy. I have the 2016 Red Guide (in French) if you want to borrow it.

Don, most hotels ON the island are closed in January, and the couple that are not look really bad.  If we stayed just on the other side of the causeway, do you think that would work?  It's walking distance, so we could still have dinner and wander the streets at night on the mountain.  What do you think?

Also, hotel options seem much better in Honfleur than Bayeux - what do you think of making Honfleur our base (doing 1 day of D-Day sites, and 1 day of either Bayeaux or Rouen?

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Rieux said:

Don, most hotels ON the island are closed in January, and the couple that are not look really bad.  If we stayed just on the other side of the causeway, do you think that would work?  It's walking distance, so we could still have dinner and wander the streets at night on the mountain.  What do you think?

Also, hotel options seem much better in Honfleur than Bayeux - what do you think of making Honfleur our base (doing 1 day of D-Day sites, and 1 day of either Bayeaux or Rouen?

Are you *sure* you can access the island at night? There's something about the tides and the causeway that I thought made it impossible, but my memory is cloudy - I also think something weird happened about ten years ago that changed all that (but I don't remember what it is).

You don't need to stay in Bayeux; you just need to see the museum - Honfleur would be a great place to have a good meal at the village square (preferably outside, but that would be impossible in January, most likely). You *must* see the tapestry, even more than Rouen (when I said "the cathedral," I was actually thinking of Reims - speaking of which, *do* see that, and prepare to be disappointed by Versailles, which, to me, looks like an apartment complex from the outside (it's the inside, and the gardens, that make it special)).

If you think you'll never get back to Mont St.-Michel, then do it; but, boy, it's a damned shame that you won't be getting the full experience. Why don't you ask this same question on Rick Steves' forum? He's the original source of most of my France information (including staying on the island itself), and I suspect people there are pretty knowledgeable, enthusiastic travelers.

There's something *really* nice about walking to dinner, and then having a 2-minute stroll back to your hotel room afterwards - that's kind of what this is: It would be optimal if you could stay on the island, but realistically, there are so many places to see in the world that you'll never be back (not trying to be a pessimist; just going by statistics). Given that, I'd probably do it, but make sure you're on the island after the tour buses leave (are there any restaurants open? Have you checked Le Mouton Blanc?), and make sure you're there before they arrive. There's no "magical moment" at Mont St.-Michel; it's just hanging out there at night, listening to the silence, hearing the echos when you walk up the stairs - the general feeling of the place, and the wonderful solitude at night. Also, if you think about it, if you really wanted "The Optimal" experience, you'd be going to Honfleur in the Spring and dining al fresco, so there are already some compromises being made on this trip - meh, what's the big deal? You're already there, and a bird in hand ....

[Rieux]

58 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Are you *sure* you can access the island at night? There's something about the tides and the causeway that I thought made it impossible, but my memory is cloudy - I also think something weird happened about ten years ago that changed all that (but I don't remember what it is).

You don't need to stay in Bayeux; you just need to see the museum - Honfleur would be a great place to have a good meal at the village square (preferably outside, but that would be impossible in January, most likely). You *must* see the tapestry, even more than Rouen (when I said "the cathedral," I was actually thinking of Reims - speaking of which, *do* see that, and prepare to be disappointed by Versailles, which, to me, looks like an apartment complex from the outside (it's the inside, and the gardens, that make it special)).

If you think you'll never get back to Mont St.-Michel, then do it; but, boy, it's a damned shame that you won't be getting the full experience. Why don't you ask this same question on Rick Steves' forum? He's the original source of most of my France information (including staying on the island itself), and I suspect people there are pretty knowledgeable, enthusiastic travelers.

There's something *really* nice about walking to dinner, and then having a 2-minute stroll back to your hotel room afterwards - that's kind of what this is: It would be optimal if you could stay on the island, but realistically, there are so many places to see in the world that you'll never be back (not trying to be a pessimist; just going by statistics). Given that, I'd probably do it, but make sure you're on the island after the tour buses leave (are there any restaurants open? Have you checked Le Mouton Blanc?), and make sure you're there before they arrive. There's no "magical moment" at Mont St.-Michel; it's just hanging out there at night, listening to the silence, hearing the echos when you walk up the stairs - the general feeling of the place, and the wonderful solitude at night. Also, if you think about it, if you really wanted "The Optimal" experience, you'd be going to Honfleur in the Spring and dining al fresco, so there are already some compromises being made on this trip - meh, what's the big deal? You're already there, and a bird in hand ....

Thanks!  Yes, with the new causeway you can access the island at all times.

[DonRocks]

58 minutes ago, Rieux said:

Thanks!  Yes, with the new causeway you can access the island at all times.

Just make sure you do the math: According to Wikipedia, Mont St.-Michel has a population of 44, but has 3 million visitors per year (justifiably, I will add) - that works out to about 3,000 visitors per day, and is why you *must* be there alone, at night; daytime is a zoo. At nighttime, spotlights shine on the abbey, making it seem even more surreal.

[Rieux]

Checking back - long delayed report on our trip to France.  I'll write about our spectacular meals in Paris in that thread eventually but wanted to drop in here on two things:

First, you can totally stay on the mainland and still visit Mont St Michel now after hours.  The new causeway is connected at all times (except twice a year at REALLY high tides) and there is even a shuttle bus until midnight from the strip of hotels on the mainland (although the walk is worth it).  We arrived around 3 pm after driving from Paris with a stop at Chartres, parked at our hotel (the San Gabriel, which is clean, basic, but nice and which includes free parking inside the gates of the hotel area (recommended), and walked on over to the Mont.  It was early January and there were probably a total of 20 people there.  We immediately went up to the Monastery and literally had it to ourselves until closing.  It was amazing, spectacular, and one of the coolest places I've been.  We stayed around until sunset, grabbed a cider in one of the local bars on the Mont, and then went back up to scramble around the ramparts in the dark alone.  Later we walked back to the mainland and had a truly terrible dinner at the Mercure hotel (don't plan on eating well on the Mont or nearby).  But TOTALLY WORTH IT as a trip, and I can see how it would have been ruined if there were many other people there.  Thanks, Don, for the recommendation.  Otherwise we would never have gone.  

We had fun several other days tooling around Normandy, (Honfleur and Bayeux).  Nothing remarkable on the food front - some decent seafood and crepes in Honfleur, some nice visits to Calvados distilleries) but we had an exceptional meal at Le Angle Saint Laurent in Bayeaux.  It's a lovely small restaurant with a husband-wife team (he's the chef, she's front of the house).  Again, it was January, so things were quiet, and we walked in and got a table under a vaulted ceiling and rustic stone wall.  I can't recall all the details of the spectacular menu, but it was wonderful.  It was scallop season, so we both ordered the seven course scallop tasting menu.  Every course was great and married nicely with the white Loire that the hostess recommended.  Service was lovely, and the total price was not exorbitant for the quality.  If you are nearby I highly recommend this restaurant.

(Reviews of Frenchie and Chez La Vielle (Daniel Rose's newish place) to come in the Paris thread.

[nmorrell]

I'm heading to Paris and the Loire Valley this July with a group of five girlfriends for a week and am hoping for a few restaurant recommendations!  I can check the Paris thread for ideas, though if you want to share here, I won't mind! 

We've rented a house in Saumur and we're looking to book a "once in a life time" type dinner for one of the nights. There is a driver available to us so realistically the restaurant could be with in an hours drive of Saumur. 

Are there vineyards anyone has visited or would recommend we visit??

And of course if anyone has other "must see" suggestions in the Loire Valley I'd be very grateful! 

Thank you!!

 

[DonRocks]

5 minutes ago, nmorrell said:

I'm heading to Paris and the Loire Valley this July with a group of five girlfriends for a week and am hoping for a few restaurant recommendations!  I can check the Paris thread for ideas, though if you want to share here, I won't mind! 

We've rented a house in Saumur and we're looking to book a "once in a life time" type dinner for one of the nights. There is a driver available to us so realistically the restaurant could be with in an hours drive of Saumur. 

Are there vineyards anyone has visited or would recommend we visit??

And of course if anyone has other "must see" suggestions in the Loire Valley I'd be very grateful! 

Thank you!!

I would rent bicycles in the Loire, and spend a half-day riding the gently rolling hills.

Be mindful when driving - I distinctly remember being across the river from the town of Chinon (I could see it, easily), and it still took me an hour to get there because the river crossings are so few and far-between.

At the ultra-luxe level of dining, here are the Michelin 3-stars in France, by department.

[nmorrell]

Thank you, I love the bicycling idea! And that Michelin guide list is outstanding! Thank you. I just pulled up every one of them, nothing near Saumur but plenty to consider for one of our nights in Paris! 

[DonRocks]

21 minutes ago, nmorrell said:

Thank you, I love the bicycling idea! And that Michelin guide list is outstanding! Thank you. I just pulled up every one of them, nothing near Saumur but plenty to consider for one of our nights in Paris! 

Oh! If you haven't yet thought about cycling the Loire, you should get on it, because it's a pretty big industry, and there are lots of routes to choose from, with just as many companies willing to take you on a wine-bike tour (or, you can just rent a bike and do it on your own). The main road is straight, with rolling hills, and wide-open scenery - it's one of the best places to enjoy a gentle ride in France (going east-to-west (downstream) with a pickup at your destination isn't a bad idea).

If you do your research, and get into a tour, that will perhaps gain you access to wineries that you normally wouldn't have.