Some people vacation to see historical sites. Some people go for the beach. Me? I travel for food and wine! That’s exactly how I spent last week – eating my way through Paris, France.
Eating my way through Paris, France
My favorite breakfasts involve eggs. I’m not sure what their secret is, but Parisian cafés seem to have unlocked the key to omelette perfection. This from L’entracte Opera was the softest, most fluffy omelette I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. And it was nothing but eggs and butter!
Without intent, we usually ended up with a lighter lunch. We walked just about everywhere we went, often stopping in the cutest place we passed. The best was to explore Paris is to truly explore. Make your own guidebook! It’s actually difficult to get bad food here.
I have no idea what the name of this place was, only that it was on the way to the Eiffel Tower. We have an (unpictured charcuterie), followed by an amazing salad and a delicious array of fromages. Plus a glass of rosé and baguettes, of course.
While the cheeses were noteworthy (especially that blue in the back), the salad was truly impressive. We were at the teeny little spot, yet they came out with this huge, delicious salad. I loved how it was sectioned – beans, shredded carrots, chopped endive, and shredded beets with a center piece of crisp lettuce, radishes, and a hardboiled egg.
At least once a day we had some sort of meat and/or cheese spread. It’s basically a requirement in Europe. This would be dinner if we had a heavy lunch.
We also had to stop for some sort of sweet. I ate dessert at least twice a day! This day I had a mid-afternoon chocolate macaroon at the top of the Eiffel Tower. With the obligatory glass of champagne.
(I also drank at least a bottle of wine every day… because heart health. 😉 )
In case you’re here for more than just food, below are a few of the sights we saw this day. I’ll do a Paris guide post with more details next week!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR5p0ztFxyV/
We found another spot near our hotel, Capucine Café, that turned out to be one of our favorites. It’s the only place we ate at twice! Capucine Café also had the honor of being “the” spot we tried escargot (translation: snails). They’re actually quite good! It reminded me of a meaty shellfish.
Funny story about my terrible French… the server didn’t understand my terrible accent when I asked for escargot. She finally got it when we said snails. #Merica
The main courses were just as good. I ordered the sea bass, Vegas ordered the roasted chicken. Both skins were perfectly crisped. There wasn’t a drop of protein left on our plates!
As talented as their chef is, he couldn’t get me to like mashed potatoes. I’m a hopeless case. Vegas, however, practically licked her plate.
I won’t bore you with bottle pics, but we loved the Sancerre Rosé here too.
On to dessert! We did our best to try every typical French dessert there is. These chocolate crepes were in our top 3. I swear they melt crack into the chocolate.
From there, we decided to see Paris at night. The Louvre was stunning, but one of the most magical sights I’ve ever seen was the Eiffel Tower all lit up.
The lights sparkle for 5 minutes at the top of every hour. It’s something everyone should see in their lifetime!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR9TMimlthL/
What you don’t see is how COLD it was. After standing outside taking in the sights, we were in need of some warmth. So we stopped for a drink… which led to a second dessert. When in Rome! #sorrynotsorry
This was our Creme Brûlée portion of our French dessert tour. I’m normally not a fan of pudding-like things, but even I had to admit this was fabulous.
I enjoyed mine with a small armagnac (brandy). Vegas had a rosé champagne.
This was basically how we spent every day – eating and drinking wine with some sightseeing sprinkled in. The perfect way to vacation!
Oddly enough, I didn’t gain a single pound. I mention this because so many people worry about gaining on vacation, feeling like they need to keep up workouts each day. I used to the hotel gym one time on the first day when I couldn’t sleep. Other than that, we walked about 15,000 steps a day. This is more or less the amount of steps I get at home though. Funny how the body works, isn’t it?
[Tweet “Paris is the city of love… and of people who love food! Don’t miss these fabulous France eats!”]
Make sure to check out everyone else’s eats and link up to Jenn’s WIAW baby below!
***
The next trip is already in the works… it’s looking like Barcelona!
Would you eat escargot?
What’s your favorite French food?
Where I decide to go on holiday to is shaped first and foremost by food. It’s my favourite way to explore a city!
You certainly ate the way I would have through Paris. Meat and cheese all the way… And the blue is perfection in France. Amazing in the UK too – actually I plan to eat a lot of blue cheese when we go back to the UK for a visit in June.
And a good armangac is an excellent way to end an evening…
Glad you both had a fab time! 🙂
I think we’d be BFFs if we lived closer!
What a beautiful city and amazing looking food!!!
I’m so glad you had a nice trip! I took French for years in school – I wonder how I would do with it in France! lol
Probably better than I did! Everyone was really patient though.
Can you take me to Paris right now? Your food pics and every pic on Instagram look amazing!!I’ve never been but it’s on my list. High up on my list!
I wish we could have one giant blogger trip there! It was so amazing – I can’t wait to go back!
There are just no words for this post. It’s amazing in every single way. I cannot wait to make it to Paris someday (hopefully when it’s warmer there!) but my husband is not as enthusiastic so it may be a while…
Stunning photos and the food, dessert and champagne!? I mean, how are you expected to leave? Ever?
Thanks Allie! You should definitely go. Bribe him with a show at Moulin Rouge. The ladies get topless. LOL!
I fucking love Paris. That is all. I want to go back so freaking badly.
Yes to traveling just for the food and wine! I’ve never been to Paris, but if charcuterie is an acceptable meal I am ALL in!
Charcuteries are an acceptable meal in our house in any country! But yes… in Paris it’s a virtually a requirement.
Im so jealous of all that food! Looks like you are having so much fun 🙂
I hope to explore Paris some day, and love all the sweets! That would be my preference too 🙂 Looked like you had a blast! We often get tons of steps on vk too. The best way to explore.
I highly recommend it. It’s a great walking city too!
Ah I’m traveling a bunch in SEA, but gosh this post makes me want to go back to Europe! And Barcelona may be one of my favorite cities I’ve been too…the food…and the sangria…omg. Have so much fun!!
I want to get to Asia! It’s just so much travel time from here! One day…
I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who plans my travel around food. You travel more than me and I can fly for free. Might be going to San Diego soon. I miss it and it’s been nearly a decade since I’ve been down to SD.
You should definitely come down!!! Especially if you fly for free – no excuses! 🙂
So many good eats! OMG those crepes are calling my name. I haven’t had them probably since I was last in Paris.
I hadn’t either! I need to learn how to make them. Apparently it’s easy!
Yay!!!! I’ve been waiting on your Paris Post, and here it is. I’m ready to eat with my eyes 🙂 My favorite breakfasts involve eggs too Laura, if eggs aren’t on the table then it’s not really breakfast. This omelet looks heavenly. I enjoyed exploring Paris by foot, we had all the guide books, but it was so much fun to walk down random blocks and get lost in the city. MMMmmmmmm cheese is always delicious in Europe, so stinky so satisfying. I’m a fan of escargot. All that butter and herbs can make anything taste great. I didn’t realize it would be cold in Paris, but it is the end of winter, looks like you guys stayed hydrated and warm 🙂
Thanks Mary! Paris is definitely the city for eggs and cheese. We even got scrambled eggs at dinner one night! It was a fancy presentation… but it was still scrambled eggs. And you’re right – butter makes everything amazing.
Paris is not my favorite city, but I know I’m in the minority with that. I’m glad you guys enjoyed it!
I could see that… I felt the same thing about a lot of the Italian cities the first time I went. The next couple of times I stuck to smaller places and I fell in love with the countryside.
This is amazing! Everything looks so good and the sights look even more amazing! That salad with the shredded beats makes me want to lick the screen. My little sister was sitting next to me when I saw the lights of the Eiffel tower on instagram and she couldn’t take her eyes off of it! (8 year old girls and sparkly things and all)
The beets were SO good! The carrots too. They were both really fresh and sweet!
I hope your sister gets to see it sparkle in person one day. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip!
I remember feeling the same way about Croatia. We ate and ate and ate and drank like fish and yet no weight gained. Although as soon as we came back home, it seemed like the food here felt heavier, despite all my gluttonous ways over there. C’est la vie.
I want to go there too! There’s really no where I don’t want to go though. Can’t we just get paid to travel?
So glad you had a good time. It IS hard to eat badly, but there are little tricks for finding really great places that don’t bust the budget.
We can’t wait to get back!
Your trip looked like a blast. I could live off of French cheese and Bread 🙂
Sounds and looks like an awesome trip! I went to Paris, like, 9 years ago and have been wanting to get back since!
You should totally go back! Vegas went ~15 years ago and she commented about how much cleaner it is now and how people were more friendly to English-speakers.
I’m coming on your next vacation with you.
Bring it!
So much food! Thats the way I’d want to explore Paris too lol through food!
What’s my favorite FRENCH FOOD? Hmmm NICOISE SALAD. DUHHHHH!!! THOSE SALADS ARE THE PERFECT COMBO evaaaaaaa!!!! It’s kinda hard for my to love anything else though cause of all the butta… But ohhh well. When I was a kid and used to go to France ALL THE TIME – I would only eat pasta and butter and fuck it was just. FUCKKKK! First food gasms ever experiences in France.
I can’t believe we didn’t have a single nicoise while we were there! It just wasn’t enough time to eat EVERYTHING. Dammit.
Eating & drinking wine with sightseeing sprinkled in sounds like an awesome vacation to me!! Your desserts sound heavenly!
You know we’d have it no other way! 😉
I miss PARIS!! Oh my, it my fav. I speak french. You should have taken me. Plus, i love escargot. Isn’t it the best? All the places just make you want to sit back and sip wine. In fact, one our dinners lasted over 4 hrs. Just cause. Gah, i love it!
I love for 4 hour dinners. The Europeans really win when it comes to food and dining. Next time, I’m shoving you in my suitcase.
So it’s so funny that I LOVE food, but I’ve never really traveled for the food. However, when we were in Europe, all the food we had, whether from a bakery or a grocery store was just really really good, even if it was cheaper. I LOVED the baked goods.
I didn’t travel for food until I was a little older – maybe mid to late 20s? Mostly because I was SO picky when I was younger. I can’t believe all of the things I wouldn’t eat! Like I wouldn’t eat ANY seafood until I was ~26. At least I learned, right? 🙂
Ugh this made me so homesick!! It’s lucky I’m going back in three months! It really is difficult to have a bad meal in Paris!
I want to go back in 3 months too!!! A week was not nearly long enough.
One year wasn’t enough!!!
Ahh this is making me so excited for next month! Riley and I have been picking up French wine whenever we can. You know, so we’ll be acclimated once we’re there.
Ha ha! You’ll be just fine. 🙂
I’m trying to motivate to write a post about what to do in Paris… so much to say! The biggest tip I have to to buy the skip the line tickets. Saves SO much time.
The cute Barkeepers were my favorite part in Paris. I think I travel for them.
Seriously, that Dessert at the Dernière (hahaha) was my absolute dream dessert!!
Of course they were. 😉 The Champagne was my favorite. Of course.