My parttner and I will be in Paris at the end of April. I am at a loss, due to the pure fact that there are so many options. We are staying in the Maris. I would like to do something special and romantic, without spending my entire trip budget. We are just as happy at a quaint little cafe, having a great dinner, as we would be on a river dinner cruise, which cost almost $300. Any ideas out there? Maybe a neat cafe, jazz club champagne bar. Thanks
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Hmmm, romantic....
Maybe dinner at a family-friendly restaurant. I%26#39;d suggest Aux Trois Petits Cochons on rue Tiquetonne which is about a 15 minute walk from the corner of rue des Archives and rue St-Croix de la Bretonnerie (I assume you%26#39;re staying somewhere near there). The owners, Frederic and Thierry, have a website: www.auxtroispetitscochons.fr. You might also like Le Petit Prince de Paris in the 5th arrondissement. It%26#39;s been there forever and is nice, although the food isn%26#39;t as good as Cochons. Very welcoming. Be sure to ask for a table in the back of the restaurant when you call for reservations.
As for cocktail bars, I like L%26#39;Amnesia (www.amnesia-cafe.com) on rue Vieille du Temple. It gets very crowded later at night, but in the afternoon or during happy hour, it can be really very pleasant. It%26#39;s been a salvation for us on rainy afternoons when you don%26#39;t feel like walking around, but don%26#39;t want to be stuck in a hotel room, either.
Nothing is more romantic than a nighttime stroll along the Seine or across some of the bridges.
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Truffaut--Thanks for the mention of the Amnesia Cafe. I%26#39;m staying near that area and it looks like fun!! I checked out the website and the pictures are great!
KelBel
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Cher Quelle Belle, you do realize that l%26#39;Amnesia is a gay bar in the marais. Of course ladies will be accepted but most of the crownd will be man. Truffaut and I assume that the poster is like us also gay.
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I stayed in the Marais last year and there is a nice restaurant called L%26#39;Ambassade d%26#39;Auvergne which is regional French food from Auvergne. The food is very good, not too expensive. The waiters speak zero English but are very friendly.
I also read %26quot;Our Paris%26quot; by Edmund White who is a gay American author. He and his partner lived in the Marais and describe their neighborhood so vividly. I highly recommend that book.
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Bonjour Luckyluc--
Yes, I saw that it was a gay bar. I am a straight woman, but being from the San Francisco area I have been to my share of gay bars. :-) I always have a lot of fun at them. Is it acceptable for two straight women to go to a gay bar in Paris. Or is it frowned upon? And if they assume we are gay women...I don%26#39;t have a problem with that.
Any advice is appreciated!
QuelleBelle
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KelBel, speaking on behalf of gay men everywhere, of course you are welcome!! Lucky and I were just a bit suprised at your posting. It%26#39;s very uncommon for anyone straight to express even the slightest interest in going to a gay place. L%26#39;Amnesia is terrific, as is the nearby Open Cafe. I think you%26#39;re leaving later this week. I hope you have a great time and toast all of us who wish we were there with you!
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Thanks folks for all the replies. Those places sound great. The Three Little Pigs web site was a lot of help. Keep the ideas coming.
I don%26#39;t think we should have anything to worry about in Paris, however it would be nice to go to a family owned business. Thanks again. Dabears
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I%26#39;m guessing from the screen name, but you might like the bar Cox on rue des Archives just down the block from Open Cafe. I wouldn%26#39;t call it romantic, but it%26#39;s very popular, with dozens of people spilling over onto the sidewalk in nice weather. You could also go to tea a Mariage Freres on rue Tibourg. They have several hundred varieties of teas for sale and they do a nice afternoon tea. It%26#39;s really not nearly as prissy as it sounds!
Some of our favorite romantic spots have been little places that we%26#39;ve stumbled into by accident. There wasn%26#39;t anything particularly romantic about those places other than the fact that we discovered them together and had a wonderful time sharing the excitement of being in Paris together!
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Truffaut--
Oh good! I%26#39;m glad it won%26#39;t be looked at as strange for two straight women to be there. I%26#39;ve always been welcome at gay bars here in the city....in fact....one of our (my husband and I) favorite bars is a lesbian bar in the Bernal Heights section of SF. Great, friendly people. Fire place %26amp; pool table. Down the street from a great sushi place.
We%26#39;ll definitely go there for a drink...well, at least I will. My travelling partner doesn%26#39;t drink. I%26#39;ll have her take a picture of me there and I%26#39;ll send it to you and Luckyluc!! :-)
I leave on Friday!!!
QuelleBelle
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My lonley Planet guide says that %26#39;China Club%26#39; which is in the Marais/Bastille area on 50 rue de Charenton near Bastille metro station is one of the best clubs. it sounds great too as it%26#39;s like a gentelmen%26#39;s club and has a jazz club that%26#39;s done up like Shanghai circa 1930. Never been there. but definately plan on a visit. How do the Paris experts here vote on it?
QuelleBelle, have a great visit, and I can%26#39;t wait for your report!!
btw, gay bars are great for married women. It%26#39;s a place to meet gorgeous men who can dance, and won%26#39;t try to hit on you :)
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