I'm just here for the Croissant...
No city is probably more "loaded" with stereotypes than the city of love.
And rightly so. Because whether the focus is on art, history, fashion, romance or culinary delights, Paris is a superlative and well worth a trip.
On my sightseeing agenda, the legendary French cuisine is undisputedly in first place. The country has numerous culinary classics and I am particularly fond of the fluffy and buttery croissants. That's why I'm here.
Classics of French cuisine:
French cuisine has made it and is a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Site. The whole country has contributed to this laudable title and the culinary world-famous classics have their origins from different regions. Foie gras comes from Perigord, coq au vin originates from Burgundy and Alsace is home to tarte flambée. Here is a small selection of French delicacies:
Starters: Mussels, Escargots (Snails), Bouillabaisse, Onion soup Main Dish: Gratin dauphinois (Type potato casserole), Bœuf Bourguignon (Beef in Burgundy Wine), Coq au Vin (Braised chicken) Dessert: Crepes, Tarte Tatin (French apple pie with a layer of caramel), Croissant Drinks: Bordeaux Wein, Champagner, Cognac, Cafe au Lait (Coffee and milk in equal parts)
A Paris trip also includes a visit to one of the many delicatessens: cheese, baguettes, truffles or macarons.
Uhhh: speaking of macarons! The meringue pastry is considered the supreme discipline of French dessert cuisine. It is made of almond flour and filled with a layer of cream in between. Strawberry, licorice, vanilla, ...? Almost all flavors are conceivable it the heavenly unicorn, lets with each bite a little more cheerfulness and love in me up! The croissant is forgotten more and more...
Michaelas-Must-Try: Privately, I rarely prepare French food for myself because the cuisine is usually too elaborate, too special and too heavy. What I do prepare really often, though, is a quiche. Here is one of my favorite recipes.
Today, French cuisine is a UNESCO World Heritage.
Michaelas Video-Message: In my TikTok video you can see a little summary about my stay in Paris.
F&B offer: Enormous! There are around 40,000 restaurants in the city and there is a new bistro on seemingly every corner.
Meal times: Breakfast (7:00 - 9:00): A small meal with warm drink like coffee or tea. Very popular baguette with butter and jam. Lunch (12:00 - 14:00): Consisting of a light appetizer, main course and dessert. Goût: In the afternoon cake/biscuits, coffee or tea. Dinner (from 19:00):Many restaurants don't open until 6:30pm and it doesn't get really crowded until around 8pm. Small side note: I usually eat my dinner at 17:30.
Price-performance ratio: Paris is one of the most expensive cities in Europe and this is reflected in the prices in the gastronomy - but also in the supermarket. For comparison: Cappuccino in Linz ca. 3 Eur. Cappuccino in Amsterdam ca. 4 Eur. Cappuccino in Paris ca. 6 Eur.
Striking on site:
Rather heavy food with many animal products. We lacked vegan alternatives, so we stocked our refrigerator in the hotel room with plant-based products.
As a rule, French cuisine is very sparing with spices, but it still convinces with an intense and distinctive note. French spice blends primarily chives, peppers, sugar, garlic, oregano and marjoram.
Restaurants
Oh lá lá. Dinner with a view! If you want to really make an impression, you shouldn't miss Perruche. The French-inspired food may be overpriced, but you'll enjoy a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower.
Insider tip: The restaurant is located on the top floor of Galeries Lafayette, probably the most famous shopping center in the city. You can take the elevator to the top and enjoy the view here as well - all at no cost ;)
Neither luxury nor low budget. An urban concept that appeals to a hip target group and convinces with solid Italian cuisine and attentive staff. In the meantime, there are already several restaurants in this chain and it seems to me that the expansion is continuing. And rightly so.
Super delicious Vietnamese food awaits you in this restaurant. The interior reflects the cheeky and modern spirit, which is also picked up in the recipes and the super tasty drinks. This concept is also already successfully on the way to expansion.
Hotel
You can't expect more than this hotel. Due to the fact that the hotel had very few rooms, the staff was extremely attentive and friendly. The wellness area invites you to relax and the location of the hotel is A-location. Only the breakfast buffet gets a star deduction, because no vegan and gluten-free alternatives were offered.
My conclusion: I came for the croissant. I liked the macarons and while reminiscing I will think of the colorful autumn leaves, the friendly hotel receptionist and the urban flair of the city.