Residential real estate, by arrondissement

Realtors are everywhere in Paris, just as they are in Sanibel.  Here, the realtors occupy storefront spaces and routinely advertise their listings by posting them in the windows.  Window shopping for real estate is possible; we do it frequently.  Very frequently.  After all, Tom and I renovated over 14 houses in our collective pasts.  We have owned five properties in Sanibel alone.  Paris always tempts us, but we've resisted the urge to buy so far.

Haussmannian uilding on the Rue Monttessuy.

As I was walking briskly along the Rue de Grenelle in the 7th arrondissement yesterday, my peripheral vision caught sight of a listing that grabbed my attention.  The building pictured was a classic Haussmannian, and it was located on Rue Monttessuy, in the northern reach of the 7th.

I turned around and headed up the Avenue de la Bourdonnais to check it out.

Along the way, I had to stop in front of a quaint bookshop located next to one of the souvenir shops that dot the commercial landscape in that area, which is very near the Eiffel Tower.  The bookshop, closed on Sunday, appears to be from another era, and its façade features a big section of a huge map of Paris that we've seen before -- in an apartment belonging to a couple friends in the 6th arrondissement.

Bookshop on the Avenue de la Bourdonnais.  The middle panel of the façade
features a copy of a section of a huge illustrated map of Paris from a bygone era.

This illustrated map is one of those birds-eye views, seemingly showing each individual building in the vast city.  The map illustrates a Paris of another era, before many of the surrounding villages were annexed to the metropolis in 1860.

Our friends who own one of these enormous maps are worried that something will happen to it, and that it is irreplaceable because they cannot find another one.  They've looked.  A few years ago, I looked, too.  I found nothing like it.

But this bookstore on the Avenue de la Bourdonnais seems to have had access to one.  Tom and I will try to visit the bookshop tomorrow afternoon, when we go to the American Library, nearby.  But we may find that the bookshop is closed until late August, as many enterprises are.  This is the slowest week of the year, the week of the Feast of the Assumption -- August 15.  I love this laid-back time, when Paris relaxes because the Parisians are away on vacation.

Plenty of places are open through August, however.  When I reached Avenue de Monttessuy, I saw that Firmin le Barbier, an excellent bistrot, is one of those places.  We will dine there soon.

I found the building with the apartment for sale, but there is no real estate for sale sign on it; that may be because the building's owners don't allow such signs.

Here's a translation of what the attractive listing states: 
Stone building, 4th floor with elevator.  Apartment of 54 square meters (581 square feet) of living space on a pretty interior courtyard.  Entryway.  Beautiful living room with hardwood floor and decorative moldings.  Southeastern exposure.  Equipped kitchen.  2 bedrooms.  Bathroom.  Toilet room.  Cabinets.  Basement storage room.  Very light and quiet.  Nearby businesses, schools, public transport.  Very good floor plan without wasted space.  Good condition.  Annual charges for the association 2229 euros.  Exclusive listing.

All listings are exclusive because there is no MLS (Multiple Listing Service) in France.  That makes house hunting a challenge.

Today's NYTimes has an article about househunting and real estate prices in Paris.  Don't believe it.  Tom and I read and discussed the assertions in this article, and we find many of them to be false.  The only example given in the article is a very odd one:  a houseboat.  No land at all!  Just a floating mobile home.

We do not think that real estate prices are rising dramatically in Paris.  If anything, last year we detected a bit of a decrease.  We also do not believe that half of the buyers in recent years have been foreigners.  We think that much of what is described in the article may be true of the 6th and 8th arrondissements, but not so true of the rest of Paris.

The place for sale on Rue Monttessuy alas is a bit too small for us.  We would probably need to have 80 to 90 square meters, partly because we are working at the computers for much of the day during most of the time that we're here.  Also because Tom is a light sleeper.  We need the elbow room, and the room to move around.  Plus, if we bought a place, I'd want to have a good kitchen -- what the French call a cuisine Americaine.  I do love to cook.

The place on Rue de Monttessuy is expensive for such a small apartment -- albeit, a 2-bedroom.  It is priced at 795,000 euros, which is 14,722 euros per square meter.

In the 15th, I am sure we could find an 80 square meter apartment for 800,000 euros, or 10,000 euros per square meter.

While this would be more expensive than the 19th arrondissement (8,000 euros per square meter), we would find the 15th to be more to our liking; we are left bank people.  Also, property taxes are lower in the 15th because of the size and amount of commercial and business properties that bolster the tax base.

Back of a truck parked by the Champ de Mars:  "Don't honk at me!  I am a butcher."

So, while the 7th is tempting, the costs there are higher and face it, with the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides, the 7th has too many tourists.  The same is true of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 18th (Montmartre).

That leaves the 16th, 17th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 19th and 20th on the right bank.  But there is probably too much crime in the 19th, and 20th.  On the left bank, the 15th, 14th, and 13th arrondissements seem to us to be the most liveable.  And again, the 15th would be our first choice because of value and quality of life.

A table at Le Tipaza on Rue Saint Charles.

I know I will probably get some negative reactions from those who prefer other parts of Paris, but residential real estate is a very personal choice.  We like what we like.

Last night, we dined at Le Tipaza on Rue Saint Charles, in one of my preferred neighborhoods of the 15th.  The Rue Saint Charles is an old-fashioned, leafy commercial street.  On Tuesdays and Fridays, several blocks of this street offer an open-air market that is loaded with good values.

Crystal chandeliers light up Le Tipaza.

Le Tipaza offers good value, too, but with more than a touch of elegance.  There you can still find white linen tablecloths and real napkins.  The decorative, molded plaster walls are beautiful, as is the tile work.  Crystal chandeliers light the ceilings, and the service is impeccable.  Le Tipaza is always open on Sundays and holidays, too, so it is perfect for gatherings of family and friends on holidays and special occasions.

For hot evenings, we recommend dining way back in the restaurant, which is air conditioned.  But last night was cool, so we dined in the open front room of that convivial spot.  It was a lovely way to end the day.

Decorative plaster wall in Le Tipaza.

New places to go

There is nothing like a fine French dinner after a long day of work.  I just discovered the restaurant L'Etape  on the Rue de la Convention, although it has apparently been there for some time.  It reminded us of places where we used to dine regularly, like Oh Duo!, Le Tire Bouchon, Le Vieux Pressoir, and L'Epopée under its previous ownership -- all wonderful French restaurants that formerly existed in the 15th. 

I used to fret and wring my hands over the closings of these favorite places.  But now that we've been coming here for 21 years, I realize that this is just the way it goes.  Like all of us, these restaurant owners reach a point when it is time to move on.  New places will come, perhaps not in the same locations, but they will come.

The couple that runs L'Etape will probably retire in the not-too-distant future, so we shall enjoy the place while we can.

Tom wanted to share the paté foie gras as a starter course, and so we did.  He prefers foie gras in a terrine or paté, and I prefer mine as foie gras entier (the liver itself), but we both are flexible on this point.  Last night's paté foie gras came in alternating layers with apricots.  It was delicious!

Dorade Royale at L'Etape restaurant.

Tom then had a perfect rack of lamb with a beautiful potato purée, and I had a spectacular Dorade Royale and veggies cooked softly in butter.  A specialty of the house is chocolate soufflé for two, and we just could not resist that.

Rack of lamb and potato purée at L'Etape.

We were the only non-French people in the place, and Madame la Patronne, who was as nice as can be, spoke no English.  She was highly complimentary of our French. 

Tom went back toward the kitchen and thanked the chef, Christian Blondeau, just before we left.  The walk home took about 20 minutes -- just about the right amount of time to work off just a little of that soufflé.  We will return to L'Etape.

Chocolate soufflé at L'Etape.

This morning I took a long walk as I was completing my 13-hour fast.  When I reached the Boulevard de Grenelle, I remembered that it was market day on the Rue Saint Charles.  So I turned in that direction.

Soon I noticed a luxury hotel that I don't remember seeing before.  It is called Le Parisis, and it is near the rue Violet on the Boulevard de Grenelle.  Here are some photos of the place -- it looks nice, and seems to have been recently renovated.

The Academy for Flamenco dancing, on Rue de l'Eglise.

Then I paused to look at a classic brasserie called Les Prolongations, located mid-way between the rues Violet and Lourmel on the Boulevard de Grenelle.  This place isn't in Lafourchette, but it seems to have good reviews on TripAdvisor and Google.  It is owned by Nathalie and Jean Laffargue, who also have another attractive brasserie called Au Dernier Metro nearby.  The specialty at both places is Basque food, which I like.  So we may try one of them soon.

L'Abreuvoir restaurant on Rue Docteur Finlay.

I turned and walked down the rue Docteur Finlay to the intersection with the Rue Saint Charles, pausing for a moment to look at a place we've enjoyed in the past, when it was called the Bistrot D'en Face.  It has changed names and ownership, evidently.  Now it is called L'Abreuvoir.  It isn't in Lafourchette, either.  Like Prolongations, the Abreuvoir also has good reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.

On the Rue Saint Charles in the Beaugrenelle area, I paused to look at another attractive place we've seen but not tried, Le Pareloup.  It specializes in the legendary beef from the Aubrac region.  Tom loves steak, so we must try this place, too.  It also is getting very good reviews (and is not on Lafourchette).

A new flowerbed in the Square Violet.

Just before I reached the market area on the Rue Saint Charles, I noticed that the Bistro Champetre, a place where Tom and I had dined with some success (and a little frustration because it could be a tourist trap at times), has now become a Korean restaurant.  Korean restaurants are popping up everywhere!

I took the less-travelled Rue de l'Eglise on the way home, stopping to rest in the Square Violet.  This park's lawns and flowerbeds are being re-done, so temporary wood picket fencing is draped about here and there.  One of the flowerbeds is finished, and it is lovely.

Little tents set up for the Fireman's Ball for Bastille Day.

An animal darted out in front of me, taking me by surprise.  It was a cat.  So I sat quietly on a bench near the place where it had disappeared under a bush.  Soon I saw the cat's tail twitching, and behind the leaves I could see that she was playing with something in her front paws. 

My initial thought was that this was a feral cat, because we used to see so many feral cats in Paris, particularly in parks and cemeteries, years ago.  But the City had all those cats neutered and spayed, so eventually the feral cats were gone.

But when this morning's kitty darted out of the bushes again, this time to surprise and try to play with a little boy who was passing by, I could see that the young cat was too clean, healthy, and playful to be feral.  She probably lives in one of the apartments facing the park.

I walked over to look at an informative sign in the park, and then turned back to where the cat had been.  Now she was sitting out on the grass, looking in my direction, as if wondering where I went and was I coming back?

I approached slowly, and the cat let me take her picture.  She's a lovely tabby.

Young tabby cat in the Square Violet.

The local firehouse is in a former chateau that backs onto this park, and there I could see that the firemen are making preparations for the Bastille Day fireman's ball -- a big, raucous party that is open to the entire neighborhood.  

We went to this ball once, with our friend W, and found that it is a very drunken affair.  Once was enough.  We like knowing that these balls are going on at the firehouses all over the city, but we don't need to be there.  We'll party at home.

The holiday is fast approaching.  Party on!

The Red Thread -- making the disparate into one

O Fil Rouge is getting high ratings in Lafourchette.com.  I'm not surprised.  It is one of our favorite restaurants.

Last night we dined there on Chateaubriand and foie gras (Tom), a pastilla and foie gras (me), and pain perdu with a memorably rich caramel sauce (shared).  

I've lost track of how many years O Fil Rouge (the red thread) has been in business, but I remember when the place was newly opened on Rue Saint Charles, just a 20 minute stroll from our apartment.  I admired the restaurant's clever decorating that was clearly done on a tight budget.

Each year since then we noticed improvements in the decor.  Now the lighting and colors have softened to perfection, and the place has a look of clean elegance.  The decorating budget has expanded along with the restaurant's continuing success.

O Fil Rouge is looking good!

Pascal Perotto is the manager and maitre d' for this lovely and comfortable restaurant.  He is always welcoming, and he remembers his regular customers well.  The chef, Adil Fakhour, specializes in the cuisine of the south of France, with a hint of North Africa.  His recipe for his pastilla is a secret, according to the restaurant's web site.  

I think that pastilla is wonderful.  Because the menu changes with the season, the pastilla is not always on it.  But last night it was, and so I ordered it with enthusiasm.

Wikipedia says a pastilla is "is an elaborate meat pie traditionally made of squab (fledgling pigeons). As squabs are often hard to get, shredded chicken is more often used today; pastilla can also use fish or offal as a filling. Pastilla is generally served as a starter at the beginning of special meals."

The pastilla at O Fil Rouge, on the Rue Saint Charles.

In the case of last night's pastilla, it was the main course, and the pastry was two thin-as-can-be crispy

rounds with flavorful, marinated, shredded quail from Landes, a region in the southwest of France.  In Landes, quail are raised on farms and are marketed with a "red label" mark of quality.

Pastillas are considered to be a Moroccan dish, mainly, so here Philippe is combining the southern French with his North African cultural influences.

The pastilla was accompanied by small round potato halves, roasted to perfection, topped by a couple small pieces of melt-in-your-mouth foie gras entier.

There was a soothing, savory sweetness in the pastilla's filling; this is effective and soothing comfort food.

This restaurant is one of the few places in France that we trust for steak.  So Tom ordered the Chateaubriand, a big, tender chunk of flavorful beef, served with a big piece of that delicious foie gras entier, and the same kind of potatoes that arrived with my dish.  The steak was cooked perfectly to Tom's liking.

Chateaubriand Rossini at O Fil Rouge.

When we go to O Fil Rouge, we almost always order a pain perdu (lost bread; like French toast) to share; we love it for that caramel sauce.

Brioche façon pain perdu at O Fil Rouge.

The menu at O Fil Rougee is also
available in English (but we prefer French).

Why the name O Fil Rouge?  According to expressio.fr, in French this is an expression that means, "Thread of an enigma, a game; Guiding idea, something that gives coherence to a disparate whole. A repetitive element, a point of reference that comes up regularly in a discussion, a story, a presentation."

At this restaurant, I think the name applies in the way that the chef has a bit of a common theme, a taste of Morocco, woven through his thoroughly French cuisine.

The origin of the expression may have come from Goethe's early 19th-Century description of how a red thread was woven into ropes used in the royal fleets.  That red thread could not be pulled out without undoing the entire rope.  So, according to expressio.fr, this thread not only identified ownership of the rope, but also was "something whose absence made it unusable."

A similar expression that we would use is "a common thread,"  such as a common thread in a set of stories or chapters, one that holds the narrative together.

And so it goes . . . .

Strolling to the 16th

The Front de Seine in the evening, as seen from the Mirabeau bridge.

July 3, 2017 – Rain ruled the day.  We stayed in, working at the computers in the morning, then lazing about, watching the Tour de France on French national television in the afternoon.  

Finally, in the evening the rain stopped and we strolled over to the 16^th arrondissement, to the Auteuil neighborhood.  Mass was being said at the old Auteuil church, so we simply looked in, but did not enter.  If I were alone, I might attend mass.  But Tom doesn’t want to do that.

Tarte Berbere at Le Tipaza.

The best part of the stroll was coming back over the Mirabeau bridge to the 15^th arrondissement.  (We both think the 16th is a little dull, but probably a good place to raise kids.)  We walked along the heavily shaded rue de la Convention to the rue Saint Charles, then down the rue Saint Charles to the North African restaurant, Le Tipaza.

We treasure Le Tipaza.  It’s décor is exotic and beautiful.  The food is exotic and dependably delicious.  The service is friendly and professional. 

Normally, at 7:30PM on a Sunday Le Tipaza is relatively calm.  But this time it was full of chattering Americans – mostly teenagers.  We were seated at a great little table partly tucked into a nook in the front window, so we had a little separation from the Americans.  The ones closest to us were adults.  We finally decided that this was a school or choir group, with several adult chaperones.  There were enough teenagers and adults to fill two tour buses.  I heard one adult say they'd be on one of the tour boats on the Seine that evening.  Nice.

Tom's dessert: profiteroles with dark chocolate sauce.

After the American tour group left, the restaurant was calm again.  Slowly, it began to fill up with French locals.  So the chattering American English sound was eventually replaced by a smoother, sonorous, humming French sound.  These are two very different symphonies.

Tom ordered the grilled lamb chops with fries, and I ordered the Tagine Dolma – a savory concoction with lamb and beef meatballs, dates, figs, almonds, veggies and more.  Dessert was profiteroles (including plenty of dark chocolate sauce and ice cream) for Tom and a Tarte Berbere (apple tart with cinnamon and raisons) for me. 

We were both happy to have a fairly long walk home, to work off some of that dinner!  It was a fine dinner, and a good value – especially with the 30% lafourchette.com discount.

At home, we prepared for the arrival of our son Dan and granddaughters Olivia and Sarah.  They’ll be here in a couple hours!

Feasting on the sights in the 15th

The Allée des Cygnes. 

June 28, 2017 -- Translated literally, "femme de menage" means "woman of the household," but what it really means is "cleaning woman."  I prefer "housekeeper," although housekeeping extends far beyond cleaning.

Maria is the "femme de menage" for the apartment where we stay in Paris -- except for the several weeks in July and August when she returns to her native Portugal for vacation.  Monday at mid-day was her time to take over the apartment to clean it, so after we all chatted briefly, Tom and I vacated the place so that we could walk and run some errands.

The weather was gorgeous again, and Monday traffic was in full swing.  We walked to the Allée des Cygnes (Swan's Way) for a peaceful stroll on that island in the Seine, with no cars.

The island also has no water, so all of the grass was a crispy light brown.  The trees, however, were just fine.  The trees give the Allée  its grace, beauty, and shade.  Almost every one of the trees are described by a plaque placed nearby.

Dog owners like to use the Allée  as a dog park.  Many dogs there are set free, off their leashes, although that is almost surely against the law in Paris.  Owners make sure their dogs behave, so that law enforcement will not be called to police this little doggie paradise.

Memorial flowers were attached to the fence in a spot about mid-way down the Allée.  We do not know who is being remembered here, or why.

Most summers, we do not see any swans around the Allée .  But on Monday, one large, lovely swan was swimming on the left bank side.

When we’d finished a circuit on the Allée , we decided to dine at the pleasant intersection of the rues Saint Charles and Rue du Theatre.  I indulged in a big, healthy salade niçoise, and Tom had a croque monsieur.  Our entertainment was a young man at the table next to us.  He was trying to sell supplemental health insurance to a young professional woman.  He talked non-stop, in fairly good, well-enunciated French.  I took this as an opportunity to work on my French listening comprehension.  The young guy was a terrible salesman because he talked too much, and he didn’t listen to his customer – or even give her much of any opportunity to speak about what product(s) she and her business might need.  A good salesperson always takes time to learn about his/her customers and their businesses.

Tom with his croque, I with my Nicoise salad  adorned by a tiny French flag.

 They eventually departed; we then ate our lunches in peace.

After lunch, we traced our steps back to a shoe store on the rue Saint Charles.  This was no “shop”; it was a real, sizeable “store.”  I enjoyed browsing around while Tom shopped the sale.  Some items were marked down 50%!  He eventually decided on some sturdy, real leather walking shoes with lots of beautiful stitching.  These were made for a French company in India.  The craftsmanship is impressive.  The price?  A mere 27 euros!

Then it was time to pick up the sheets at the French laundry on our way back to the apartment.  The young woman running the laundry could not have been nicer. 

Next was the bakery for Tom’s daily baguette (well, almost daily), and after that, we ducked into the fromagerie just to buy some butter from Brittany.

Another walk took us down to the Parc André Citroën, in the more southerly part of the 15^th.  I decided that the best way to walk to that park is down the rest of the rue Saint Charles, turning toward the park just after passing the historic Grenelle cemetery

Looking into the Grenelle cemetery.

The open air market operates on several blocks of the rue Saint Charles on Tuesdays, so we strolled slowly through the busy shoppers, taking in the sights and smells of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a mind-boggling array of fresh fish.

Between the cemetery and the Parc André Citroën, we stopped in the walled Caroline Aigle garden.  This calm and serene spot is named for the first female French fighter pilot who would have become an astronaut if cancer had not killed her at age 33.

In the Parc, we sat for a while, looking at the magnolia trees that have been trimmed so carefully in that utterly French way.

Magnolia trees in the Parc Andre Citroen.

Our next walk (yesterday afternoon) was in the 7^th arrondissement, up the avenue de la Motte Picquet to the rue Cler, which has a couple pedestrianized blocks that are always fun to explore.  We strolled down the rue de Grenelle and up the rue de Bourgogne to the Place du Palais Bourgogne.  Inside the Palais, the French legislature had just begun a new session.  The area was abuzz with activity.

We began our walk back to the apartment as it started to rain.  When we reached the Esplanade des Invalides, the rain intensified, so we descended to the line 8 of the metro there – as did many other people!  We managed to fit into the full subway car.  By the time we reached our stop at the Place du Commerce, the rain was lighter.

We took shelter in Le Commerce Café, where we ate hamburgers.  Tom’s was called a “Napo” burger, and mine was the “Obama” burger.  I chose the Obama burger because it has the kind of pickles that I like, and because it has that “sauce Americaine,” something that is unlike anything you’ll find in the U.S.

Now the weather is pleasantly a bit cooler than it has been, so more adventures are in store.  Stay tuned!

Storefronts telling stories

August 9, 2016 -- The storefronts of Paris delight those who love to amble aimlessly.  Some shop windows are sleek and shiny, showing off the latest fashions.  Some are cluttered with cute and colorful stuff.  Some are welcoming, even enticing, strewn with good things to consume.  Some, like the travel agency windows, tell stories about places you can go, things you can do.  And some are deliberate or unintentional throwbacks to a Paris of the past, one that exists only in spots, here and there.

Souvenir shop on the Avenue de la Bourdonnais welcomes in many languages.

Au Petit Sud-Ouest, on the Avenue de la Bourdonnais, specializes in foie gras.  Toasters on the tables ensure that
your toast is warm when it receives the foie gras.

The use of English as a seemingly clever way of naming a business is popular, but as you can see,
it is fraught with unintentional (and funny) poor word choice.  Been food, now what?  Indigestion?
(Been Food is located on the rue Saint Charles.)

The nearest bar/tabac to our apartment is this one on the rue du Commerce.  Always, until this year, it has been closed for the entire month of August.  I am shocked to see that it is open for the entirety of August this year!  There is even a small poster by the front door announcing this, for those of us who can hardly believe our eyes.  While Tom and I do not hang out in bars at all, we do realize that the bar/tabac is an important resource for buying metro tickets, stamps, sim card recharges, and lotto tickets.  This tabac has never made any attempt to update or upgrade itself.  It is a time capsule, standing in stark contrast to the shops up and down the street, a rue du Commerce which has become a chic shopping destination.

Looking down at the rue du Commerce.

Three favorites for the flaneurs of the fifteenth

In the past three days, we’ve taken our three favorite long walks in the 15^th, somehow fitting them in between rainstorms.  Each walk is an hour and a half or so of strolling at a medium pace.   Each walk is different from the others.

The avenues walk entails walking down the avenue Felix Faure, across the rue de la Convention, which is called a “rue” (street) but really is more like an avenue, and then up the rue Saint Charles and back home along the avenue Emile Zola.  We meander off the main route to explore anything we happen to see along the way.  This walk covers the south/central/west part of the 15^th arrondissement.

Four musicians from a folk music ensemble crossing the street in front of the Ecole Militaire. They were coming
from the Champ de Mars, where the activities for the La Parisienne race were just beginning.

The next walk takes us up to the northern reaches of the 15^th and into the 7^th.  It includes strolling up either the rue Violet to the Place Dupleix and beyond, or up the rue du Commerce and the avenue de la Motte Picquet to the residential streets that parallel the southwest edge of the Champ de Mars.  Then we cross the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower, and continue back down either the avenue  de la Bourdonnais or the little residential streets parallel to the northeast edge of the Champ de Mars.  Then it’s back home again on either the Place Dupleix/rue Violet route or the avenue de la Motte Picquet/rue du Commerce route.  We did that walk yesterday.

The third walk goes down the avenue Emile Zola to the rue Linois and the grand Beaugrenelle district, with all its glitz and glass and shopping mall, and then across the Pont de Grenelle to the place where the Statue of Liberty stands, where we turn right and walk down the length of the rustic Allée des Cygnes.  The return trip is just retracing our steps, but it might involve a detour in the mall to shop or to escape inclement weather.

Le Jardin des Enfants shop on the avenue Felix Faure
has everything you need to outfit your favorite small princess.

In the evening, we walk again.  Tonight, it is a half-hour stroll each way to Le Tipaza, our favorite elegant North African restaurant on the rue Saint Charles, in the southern reaches of the 15^th.  Actually, we’ll probably take walk number 1 to go to and from Le Tipaza tonight.

In these walks, we have plenty of elbow room.  We can walk arm in arm, or holding hands.  There is plenty of window shopping and people watching to do.  People around us are generally very polite.

Today was the day for Maria the Cleaning Lady, so we abandoned the apartment to her for a couple hours while we took walk number three and had brunch at Eclectic, the ultra-modern brasserie overlooking the riverfront at the end of the Magnetic section of the Beaugrenelle mall.

We went to Eclectic last Monday, too, and discovered that the croques and fries there are superb.  This time, Tom had the croque madame (with an egg) and I had the croque monsieur (with no egg).  Tom had fries, and I had a fresh green salad with a splash of vinaigrette.   These are the best croques we’ve ever had in Paris.  The cheese in the croques was especially nice.  We aren’t sure how they make this and serve it with either fries or salad for just 12 euros, but they do.

Everything else at Eclectic seems to be a bit overpriced.  But I think it is one of those places you go to for the ambiance.

Flowers on a building near the Champ de Mars.

The elegant interior of Eclectic was designed by a British decorator named Tom Dixon, I’d read.  He did a good job.  The place is brilliantly eclectic and comfortable.  This is Dixon’s first French creation.

A couple named Fabienne and Phillippe Amzalak run Eclectic.  They’re known for running the restaurant called Le Bon and for starting up a place called Ma Cocotte.  

According to the restaurant’s web site, at Eclectic, the couple has made a “union of chic Parisian and eccentric British, paying homage to the 1970s and revising the codes of the brasserie to favor a comfort that is more private.”  I’d say that’s a pretty accurate description!

Croque madame at Eclectic Brasserie.

Dinner last night was in another eclectically decorated restaurant, Axuria, on the avenue Felix Faure. We shared an elegant croustillant de gambas with a delicious lobster mousse in the middle (photo below). 

Then Tom had a small, tender steak (coeur de l'entrecote) and I had a roasted wild duck with rich, smooth polenta.  Both dishes had what seemed like the same dark, rich reduction sauce, and perfectly cooked veggies.  

Tom's steak, veggies, and roasted potatoes at Axuria.

Tom had the classic soufflé Grand Marnier, which I also tasted.

It was a beautiful and delicious dinner, with just the right walk home up the pretty avenue Felix Faure.