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Paris Small Hotels | Paris Museums | Paris Night life | Paris restaurants

Paris has a gift for building grand monuments. From Napoleon's imposing Arc de Triomphe to Eiffel's pioneering tower, and even to the whimsical and absurd Beaubourg museum, every notable landmark seems to have monumental proportions. But Paris has delights of a smaller, quieter nature: Manicured parks and flower gardens give a green backdrop and a serene beauty to the broad avenues, soaring cathedrals and marble monuments.

On the Left Bank , the neighborhood that surrounds the famed Sorbonne University and the imposing Pantheon is known as the Latin Quarter . The Quarter has always had an intellectual, international, bohemian character, though its winding streets have become home to more than a few fast-food restaurants and video arcades in the past decade or two. Also on the Left Bank is the gilt-domed Hotel des Invalides, which is a military museum holding Napoleon's tomb, and to the west is Paris' most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower, built as a "temporary" exhibit in 1889 to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution.

Crossing the Seine brings you to the Ile de la Cite and its two Gothic masterpieces, Sainte-Chapelle (a church with extraordinary stained-glass windows) and Notre Dame.

On the Right Bank , the Georges Pompidou Center (also known as Beaubourg) is one of the world's most novel structures and an excellent modern art museum to boot. A short walk to the east brings you to the personal museum of Paris ' most famous artist-in-residence, Pablo Picasso. Deeper into the Right Bank , set among the hills of the Montmartre district, are the neighborhood's lovely cemetery and the white-domed splendor of Sacre Coeur.

In the very center of the Right Bank , along the river, is the Louvre, once the residence of Louis XIV and now the home of three famous women: Venus de Milo, Winged Victory and Mona Lisa. A massive museum housing many of the greatest works of art from ancient times through the 18th century, the Louvre is impossible to digest at one go. Or even two.

Place de la Concorde, the site of beheadings during the Revolution and tank duels during World War II, is at the opposite end of the Tuileries Gardens from the Louvre. The 3,300-year-old Obelisque of Luxor at its center was a gift from Egyptian viceroy Mehemet Ali to Charles X in 1929 and has dominated the Place ever since. Connecting the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe (which commemorates the victories of the Revolution and of Napoleon) is the magnificent Boulevard des Champs Elysees (it's lined with shops, showrooms, sidewalk cafes and cinemas).

When you tire of monuments, visit the Rodin Museum , the dazzling Musee d'Orsay (19th-century and impressionist art) and the Cluny Museum (medieval art, including the 16th-century tapestry series The Lady and the Unicorns). And when you're ready to relax, take an unabashedly touristy trip down the Seine in the bateaux mouches sightseeing boats.

Note: Museums are closed one day a week on Mondays or Tuesdays and certain public holidays. Students, seniors and professionals can qualify for reduced rates of admission, so it is a good idea to carry appropriate identification. You can buy a museum pass that will allow you to enter 65 museums in the Paris area without standing in line for a ticket (a great benefit, especially in summer). Thirteen euros for a one-day pass, 26 euros for a two-day pass and 39 euros for a five-consecutive-day pass. The pass can be purchased at Metro stations, monuments, museums and the tourist office at 127 Blvd. des Champs Elysees . http://www.intermusees.com. 

DUVINE PARIS HOTELS
ON THE LEFT BANK: In my opinion, the Left Bank is where many more of the "charming" hotels are located. One caveat: rooms can vary enormously in size. Some are so small that it's a toss-up as to whether or not there is room for you and/or your luggage. When reserving, be sure to specify what size room you desire. More often than not, unless you book months in advance, the larger rooms will already be taken. If you settle for a smaller room and find that upon showing up in the hotel's lobby, that it is really tiny, ask if there are any larger rooms available. Hotels often have last minute cancellations.

The Latin Quarter , Saint-Germain-des-Pres and the Montparnasse areas have been long time favorites among tourists. Possibly due to the fact that there's lot of action and these quartiers (neighborhoods) have fewer office buildings and are less dependent upon business unless they are the retail type. No matter where you find yourself, you can't avoid bumping into unexpected stores, a café (or more) on each block and narrow streets that begged to be explored.

Hotel d' Abbaye:
In order to come under the $200 price range, you must book one of this hotel's "standard" rooms which tend to be small. Still it is a favorite among many who appreciate it not only for its Saint Sulpice location but, for some of its charming extras, which make guests feels as if they are staying in a private home. Breakfast is served on the terrace. Some rooms open onto it, generating the feeling that of staying in a garden rather than in the midst of central Paris only minutes away from some great Left Bank shopping! Reserve early since there are many clients who would stay nowhere else! 10, rue Casette 75006, Paris Tel: 331 - 45-44-38-11 Fax: 331 - 45-48-07-06 Metro: Saint-Sulpice

Hotel d'Angleterre:
The Angleterre is without doubt mentioned every guidebook covering Paris . Its history dates back to when it was a private house. It was here that the federal republic of the United States was recognized. Again, one would have to book a smaller room to make the $200 limit. But many think it is worth the sacrifice to be smack in the middle of Paris ' most fashionable antique district. The d'Angleterre is decorated with 17th century furniture, including canopy beds. But alas, it lacks air-conditioning. However, during good weather, one can eat breakfast on the patio replete with flowers. 44, rue Jacob 75006, Paris Tel: 331 42-60-34-72 Fax: 331 42-0-16-93 Metro: Saint-Germain-des-Pres

Hotel Buci Latin:
For those of you who want to be in the middle of the action of one of Paris ' most active outdoor food markets, this hotel is a find. Recently re-done from top to bottom, the interior designer really went all out when it came to creating an attractive environment and utilizing creative space planning. Here too, you will have to book one of the smaller or medium sized rooms to stay within the $200 per night budget. But, from all reports, this is not a hardship. And if you get hungry and want to save a few pennies, you can always head to the Buci Market.  34, rue de Buci 75006, Paris Tel: 331 43-29-07-20 Fax: 331 43-29-67-44 Metro: Mabillon

Hotel Les Marronieres:
This is another landmark on the Left Bank scene But, happily, it has been recently redecorated and now has air-conditioning. Guests have been gravitating to this hotel for years partly due to its location and its interior garden. Reserve early: these hotels have a long time clientele who wouldn't consider staying elsewhere! 21, rue Jacob 75006, Paris Tel: 331- 43-25-30-60 Fax: 331-40-46-83-56 Metro: Saint-Germain-des-Pres

Le Verneuil:
Here is another hotel that has had a recent Renaissance. Its new owner Sylvie de Lattree, totally renovated the reception areas plus the hotel's 26 bedrooms, that had become a wee bit shabby. Now it shines while retaining its 17th century charm. Le Verneuil was updated by Michelle Halard, a decorator who has used patterned fabrics toiles de Jouy as wall and upholstery coverings. For visitors who like beams and original moldings, you'll find them here! However, only some of the rooms are air-conditioned so depending on the time of year, you might want to be specific. The rooms range in price from 700FF - 1000 FF.  8, rue de Verneuil 75007, Paris Tel: 33-1 42-60-82-14 Fax: 33-1 42-61-40-38 Email: verneuil@cybercable.fr Metro: Rue du Bac or St. Germain-des-Pres

Hotel-Jardin Le Brea:
Another addition to hotels that are more than pleasing, but will not cost you a king's ransom, is the Hotel-Jardin Le Brea. I "discovered" this hotel just after it reopened and booked all my guests there who wanted to be in the Montparnasse area. The rooms are charmingly decorated. However, if your budget is more in the $200 range definitely opt for one of the three larger rooms. The others feel small for Americans. The rooms are warmly and enticingly decorated and the bathrooms are totally renovated. The "winter garden," gives the 23-room hotel a feeling of light and air. But best of all, you are a minute away from Bv. Montparnasse and it is only a hop-skip and a jump to the Luxembourg Garden .  14, rue Brea 75006, Paris Tel: 331 43-25-44-41 Fax: 331 44-07-19-25 Metro: Vavin & Notre-Dame-des-Champs

Hotel Sainte-Beuve:
Renovated in 1996, British designer of fame and fortune, David Hicks, had his hand in the decor. As is his style, he had redone the hotel with unusual refinement and factors into account comfort as well. In the winter there is a fireplace lit in the lobby. The bedrooms are bright and spacious and all of the bathrooms fit the bill. Not all of the rooms are air-conditioned and some of the double rooms cost more than $200 a night. Prices tend to vary but this is true throughout Paris according to the occupancy rate. This hotel prides itself on its attentive service, and from all reports, they supply the best for a hotel which has only 22 rooms. 9, rue Sainte-Beauve 75006 , Paris Tel: 331 45-48-20-07 Fax: 331 45-48-67-52 Metro: Vavin & Notre Dame-des-Champs

Hotel Lenox - Saint Germain:
This hotel has long been a favorite among those who appreciate staying in the Left Bank fashion and antiques area. Recently renovated (it was showing its age) many of the rooms tend to be small. And alas, there is no air-conditioning. As a result, the rooms on the street tend to be noisy; so try to reserve one of the upper floors. The bathrooms have been updated so that is a plus. The Lenox has a bar that is considered "in." If nothing else, stop by for a drink and you might see some beautifully dressed Parisians --- or other Americans! 9, rue de l' Universite 75007, Paris Tel: 331 42-96-10-95 Fax: 331 42-61-52-83 Metro: Rue-du-Bac & Saint-Germain-des-Pres

Hotel Le Tourville:
This 30-room hotel is a real find for those wanting to be near the Invalides or the Rodin Museum . Totally redecorated, it is charming; a reflection of the design studio of David Hicks, the well-known British designer. Here again, the rooms vary in size but each is personalized with kilim rugs and antiques. The bathrooms here are also completely renovated and this hotel is a good stop-over if you like this location. 16, Avenue de Tourville 75007, Paris Tel: 33-1 47-05-62-62 Fax: 33-1 47-05-43-90 Metro: Ecole-Militaire ON THE RIGHT BANK:  Costing less than $200 per night for a double room: The majority of these hotels are given a 3* rating by the French government. Most hotels serve only breakfast and rooms in Right Bank hotels tend to be larger. But not always! And they tend to command higher tariffs since this is where many people who come to Paris on business want to stay.

Hotel de l'Arcade:
This newly renovated 37-room hotel has recently reopened to the delight of those who want to be near the Church of the Madeline. The hotel is decorated with subtle colors of greens, beige and gray/blue tones and wood paneled walls give off a restful aura. Very well equipped, this hotel is an example of the new genre of Paris abodes, which keeps the American clientele in mind. The rooms vary in size but all of the bathrooms are faced in marble and even have telephones. The service staff is most accommodating and the hotel is receiving good reviews.  9, rue de l'Arcade 75008, Paris Tel: 331 53-30-60-00 Fax: 331 40-07-03-07 Metro: Madeline

Hotel Elysees-Mermoz:
This is another newly renovated small hotel with soundproofing, air-conditioning and some bedrooms overlooking a courtyard. The owner chose sunny colors for this hotel, which is located between the Rond Point and the Champs-Elysees. This a lively area for those who like being near the Faubourg St-Honore to go gallery hopping, not to mention shopping on Av. Montaigne, where one can buy haute couture clothes if budget is no object. If you get bored, or run out of money, you can always go an art exhibit at the Grand Palais which is only a short walk. Or meander up and down the Champs-Elysees; a time honored tradition! Although plan on encountering more tourists than Parisians and too many fast food emporiums.  30, rue Jean-Mermoz 75008 , Paris Tel: 331 42-25-75-30 Fax: 331 45-62-87-10 Metro: Franklin Roosevelt

Le Lavoisier:
Another new entry on the Paris hotel scene, this Right bank jewel is steps away from the Champs-Elysees. Its 29 rooms, priced at approximately 1200FF each, are contemporarily elegant. The reception area's walls are sand colored while its inviting upholstered furniture is in tones of brown and red. The owner Michel Bouvier collaborated with architect Jean-Phillipe Nuel in totally renovating this property in 1999. Attention: all of the rooms have modem connects as well as air-conditioning.  21, rue Lavoisier 75008, Paris Tel: 33-1 53-30-06-06 Fax: 33-1 53-30-23-00 Email: info@hotllavoisier.com Metro: St. Augustin

Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais:
This 19-room hotel in the Marais was converted from an 18th century house. This tiny jewel, is charmingly decorated, in tribute to its neighbor Beaumarchais who wrote the "Marriage of Figaro." Embroidered chintz fabrics cover the walls; the floors are Burgundian stone and period furniture adds to the subtle decor. Do note: this is one of the few tiny hotels in the Marais that actually has air-conditioning. The owner, Alain Bigeard, renovated the property in 1993. During high season, one should definitely reserve well in advance.  12, rue Vieille-du-Temple 75004, Paris Tel: 331- 42-72-34-12 Fax: 331- 42-72-34-63 Metro: St. Paul & Hotel-de-Ville

Hotel des Deux Iles:
Another sought-after hotel, which qualifies in the moderate price range, is the English style (yes, flowered chintz fabrics combined with bamboo furniture) was originally two buildings which the owners combined into one. The 17 rooms tend to be small and are decorated with Provencale fabric. If you get claustrophobic, all you have to do is walk down the street and get an ice cream from Bertillon, which is known for dishing out the best ice cream in Paris . Bertillon closes in August but this is another hotel that has air conditioning in case you are not accustomed to what may be a few days of killer hot heat. 59, rue Saint-Louis-en-Ile 75004, Paris Tel: 331- 43-26-13-35 Fax: 331- 43-29-60-25 Metro: Pont Marie

Hotel Saint-Merry:
For those who have wanted to live in a converted nunnery and are into Gothic architecture, this 11-room hotel may be for you. Its owner, M. Crabbe, spent years acquiring period pieces at the Drouot auction houses to restore what is now a hotel. From many of its rooms, one can see flying buttresses of the adjoining Saint-Merry Church . Prices vary at this hotel. Be sure you know what you are reserving; two of the rooms do not have private toilets The rooms vary from tiny to a huge top floor suite. After all, this was a nunnery!  78, rue de la Verrerie 75004, Paris Tel: 331-42-78-14-15 Fax: 331-40-92-06-82 Metro: Chatelet & Hotel-de-Ville

Hotel Le Pavillon Bastille:
This addition to the hotel scene was opened the same year as the Bastille Opera. It was obviously no coincidence since the hotel offers hotel/opera packages. Some love its aggressively modern decor while others feel that it is a bit trop, which I in sink with how may fell about the "new" glass and still opera house. Additionally, the Bastille area has become extremely trendy (it could be compared with N.Y.C's SoHo ) so many people gravitate here because of its art galleries, clubs and the late night restaurant scene. This 25-room hotel has air-conditioning and double-glazed windows which is something to remember since the area can get noisy.  65, rue de Lyon 75012, Paris Tel: 331-43-43-65-65 Fax: 331-43-96-52 Metro: Bastille Please note: Prices are not guaranteed and depending on the strength or weakness of the dollar against the franc, you may get more or less for your money

SIX TO BANK ON BY TRAVEL AND LEISURE:

Choosing a hotel in Paris presents a delectable dilemma. Do you opt for the grand hotels of the Right Bank—the George V, the Bristol, the Plaza Athénée—for their excellent service, or do you cross the Seine for the historic charm of Left Bank establishments such as L'Hôtel Duc de Saint-Simon? There's no question that there's plenty to choose from, but the following list focuses on the Rive Droite, where new hotels have been popping up quicker than you can say room service. Christophe Pillet, who cut his teeth working for Philippe Starck, has designed Shahé Kalaidjian's new 27-chambre Hotel Sezz (6 Ave. Frémiet, 16th Arr.; 33-1/56-75-26-26; www.hotelsezz.com; doubles from $370) in a bachelor loft–meets–Blade Runner style. Platform beds in the center of guest rooms and the latest state-of-the-art bathrooms, which can be seen through a glass wall, give an impression of a loft-like space. All direct-dial room telephones are mobile—a thoughtful detail, so you can take business calls from the U.S. as you have your petit déjeuner downstairs.

• If slate-gray walls sound too familiar or too masculine, Hôtel du Petit Moulin (29/31 Rue de Poitou, Third Arr.; 33-1/42-74-10-10; www.hoteldupetitmoulin.com; doubles from $220), in the heart of the Haut Marais, is the perfect alternative. The rooms, dreamed up by Christian Lacroix, are both comfortable and a riot of color, much like the designer's clothes. Walls are adorned with vast carnations, carpets are polka-dotted, curtains get a style infusion with Marimekko patterns.

• Discerning travelers looking for a central location should head to the Hôtel Meurice (228 Rue de Rivoli, First Arr.; 33-1/44-58-10-10; www.hotelmeurice.com; doubles from $732). Loyal guests, including actor Rupert Everett, have been staying here since the early nineties. The classic rooms are well-padded and quiet, a bonus for light sleepers. Ask for a room overlooking the Tuileries gardens, bliss out in the spa, and, at night, chill out with a vodka martini in a leather armchair at the Bar Fontainebleau.

• Many American highfliers swear by Ed Tuttle's Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme (5 Rue de la Paix, Second Arr.; 33-1/58-71-12-34; www.paris.vendome.hyatt.com; doubles from $712). The glass conservatory–dining room's natural lighting, elegant but easy mahogany chairs, and stunning display of potted orchids alongside works by contemporary artists such as Llyn Foulkes and Ed Paschke set the tone at this modern palace hotel. • Been yearning for a pied-à-terre of your own? Designer Azzedine Alaïa has done all the hard work with 3 Rooms (5 Rue de Moussy, Fourth Arr.; 33-1/44-78-92-00; www.3rooms-10corsocomo.com; doubles from $550). The interiors are a study in understated perfection, with white walls, flattering lighting, and furnishings by Marc Newson, Arne Jacobsen, and Jean Nouvel. And since Alaïa insists on crisp, starched linens, the sheets practically crack when you climb into bed.

• Though Le Relais St.-Honoré (308 Rue St.-Honoré, First Arr.; 33-1/42-96-06-06; www.relaissainthonore.com; doubles from $228) stands opposite the über-hip boutique Colette, it feels like a quaint manor house in the Normandy countryside. Each of its 13 rooms and two suites has oversized bathrooms and is furnished with painted beams and charmingly cozy ?oral chintz.

PARIS MUSEUMS
One could argue that the whole of Paris is a museum. The architecture is splendid, and as decorative as anything you'll see inside any of the city's great institutions. Likewise the people on the street or in cafés. Their faces and costumes fascinate in the flesh as much as any two-dimensional renderings by Renoir or Picasso do. And what about the pastry shops whose windows glisten with gelée? They too are works of art.

Musée Carnavalet, the Museum of the History of Paris
23 rue de Sévigné, 3rd arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 42 72 21 13 Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Located in the Marais district's Hôtel Carnavalet, which was built in 1548 then partially renovated by the renowned Mansart, and Hôtel Le-Peletier de St.-Fargeau, the Museum of the History of Paris covers all of the city from Gallo-Roman times to now. Rooms contain objects that range from modest potteries from the Merovingian period and a 3rd century child's funeral mask to splendid 17th century interiors lived in by Madame de Sévigné, who resided here between 1677 and 1696. The Carnavalet's art riches include paintings and sculpture by Hubert Robert, Augustin Pajou and Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, as well as posters by Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, Jules Chéret, Alphonse Mucha and Toulouse-Lautrec. There is also a major collection of early 20th century photography, and the Brunetti murals in the stairwell are not to be missed. This fall's major exhibition, "du Palais au Palace," which marks the centennial of the Ritz, chronicles the evolution of hotels in 19th century Paris.

Musée Cognacq-Jay
8 rue Élzévir, 4th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 40 27 07 21 Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:40 p.m (closed holidays) Ernest Cognacq was the founder of Samaritaine, the fabulous art deco department store at the foot of the Pont-Neuf. The best of the artistic indulgences that his retailing fortunes allowed him are now housed in this museum, which he created in 1929. Dating largely to the 18th century, the collection includes many so-called everyday objects--toilet articles, candy boxes, dance cards, enamels--that will fascinate the late 20th century visitor. Among the beautiful art and decorative objects not to be missed are furniture by André Boulle, Adam Weisweiler and Bernard van Risenburgh, drawings by Jean-Honoré Fragonard and Watteau, sculptures by Jean-Antoine Houdon, Clodion and Pajou, and canvases by Canaletto, Fragonard, Tiepolo, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Rembrandt and Boucher.

Musée Delacroix
6 rue de Fürstemberg, 6th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 44 41 86 50 Open Wednesday to Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix chose one of the prettiest Left Bank squares as his headquarters while he was painting the nearby Chapel of the Holy Angels at the Church of Saint Sulpice, and his atelier there is very much as it was when he set up shop in 1857. Up 18 stairs from the main entrance, the austere apartment now contains some of the artist's personal effects, as well as drawings, watercolors and two paintings: The Entombment of Christ and The Way to Calvary. Accessible by a separate outdoor staircase, his workshop also contains a number of self-portraits and a painting of his friend Georges Sand.

Musée d'Orsay
1 rue de Bellechasse, 7th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 40 49 48 14 Open Tuesday & Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.; Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Italian architect Gae Aulenti was as much criticized as she was praised for her renovation of the turn-of-the-century Gare d'Orsay, but even her loudest detractors have to admit that she has succeeded in creating one of the city's most popular museums. Cobbled together from two buildings--the cavernous former train station and the elegant Hôtel d'Orsay--the museum contains major representative works from the 19th century. While visitors flock there for the impressionist canvases by Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, Degas and Morisot, there are also paintings by Manet, Cézanne, Whistler, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, Vallotton and Maurice Denis. The Musée d'Orsay also contains art nouveau furniture, sculpture by Rodin, Aristide Maillol, Pompon, Bugatti, Claudel and Antoine Bourdelle, and an extensive photography collection. Van Gogh is the subject of this fall's major exhibition.

Musée du Louvre
Palais du Louvre, 1st arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 40 20 51 51 Open Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.; Thursday to Monday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; some collections open Monday until 9:45 p.m. Louis XV officially declared the Louvre a museum in 1768, and it quickly became one of the most important tourist attractions in Europe. There are now some 6.5 million visitors a year, so arrive early, or go in the evening, to avoid lengthy waits. You can also ask your hotel concierge for tickets. Once inside, you will soon see that the $1 billion the late president Mitterrand budgeted for the renovation was well-spent. Exhibition space has been increased; lighting, signage and presentation have been improved; and there are many more things to see than ever before. The Napoleon apartments, site of the offices of the minister of finance from the end of the 19th century to the early 1990s, have been restored to all their gilded splendor and opened to the public for the first time in more than a century.

The antiquities section has been reconfigured for easier viewing, and a number of the formerly open courts have been converted into glass-covered sculpture galleries showcasing the works of Pierre Puget, François Girardon, Houdon, Benvenuto Cellini, Michelangelo and Antonio Canova. The museum's permanent collection boasts five centuries of European painting, including the works of such masters as Donatello, Cimabue, Giotto, Albrecht Dürer, Hans Memling, da Vinci and Rubens. If you haven't already done so, be sure to check out the $1 million restoration of Veronese's The Marriage of Cana, whose original bright colors astonished many an art expert when they were revealed by cleaning. The Louvre's selection of French paintings from 1400 to the middle of the 19th century includes some of the best of Nicolas Poussin, Georges de La Tour, Charles LeBrun, Antoine Watteau, and Ingres.

You should also take a few minutes to study the buildings, perhaps from the terrasse of the Café Marly. They bear the imprint of every head of state since 1204, when Philippe August constructed a donjon and fortified buildings to protect Paris from the invading Normans. Charles V made the Louvre the royal residence, and François I razed and rebuilt the castle to house his Italian Renaissance paintings. Catherine de' Medici built what are now known as the Petite and Grand Galeries, and Louis XIII quadrupled the size of the palace he inherited. Napoleon Bonaparte filled its halls with plunder that arrived by the wagonload, and had Ns and the image of bees hammered into the outside walls. Louis XVIII replaced those with Ls and fleurs-de-lis. Napoleon III's new wings changed the museum completely. With the exception of the loss of the Tuileries Palace, burned by the Communards in 1871, the structure remained as it was until Mitterrand created the plan that would bring the Louvre into the 21st century, complete with the country's latest landmark, I.M. Pei's glass pyramid. The major show for the fall is "Roman Portraits in Ancient Egypt."

Musée Jacquemart-André
158 boulevard Haussmann, 8th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 42 89 04 91 Open Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This building was constructed by the family for whom it is named--and whose house it originally was--between 1860 and 1875. Its gilded reception rooms, music room, smoking room, intimate private quarters and extraordinary staircase alone are worth the visit, but the art collection makes the trip doubly worthwhile. It includes frescoes by Tiepolo, as well as works by Fragonard, Canaletto, Pajou, Houdon, Prud'hon, Robert, Thomas Gainsborough, Rembrandt and Frans Hals. The Acoustiguide is excellent; it brings to life the epoch during which Baron Haussmann redesigned Paris and made way for some of its grand boulevards and most beautiful apartment houses.

Musée National du Moyen Age, Thermes de Cluny (The Cluny Museum)
6 place Paul-Painlevé, 5th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 53 73 78 00 Open Wednesday to Monday, 9:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The centerpiece of this museum is the 15th century Unicorn Tapestry, which pays homage to the five senses and is probably the most celebrated work of its kind. The tapestry is in good company--filling the space are other beautiful woven objects, sculptures and a plethora of objects made of ceramic, enamel, bronze, silver, gold and ivory, all housed in the flamboyant Gothic building that Burgundy's Abbot of Cluny, Pierre Chalus, purchased in the early 14th century. In total, there are about 23,000 objects gathered from 15 centuries of history in the museum, outside of which are the 2nd and 3rd century Roman baths. Whether or not you're a fan of the Middle Ages, the popular concert series is a lovely way to while away a few hours of a fall afternoon or evening.

Musée Picasso
Hôtel Salé, 5 rue de Thorigny, 3rd arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 42 71 25 21 Open Wednesday to Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. One of the most beautiful houses in the Marais, the late 17th century Hôtel Salé (named for Aubert de Fontenay, the collector of the salt tax--salé means "salted") contains some 203 paintings, 158 sculptures and more than 3,000 drawings, notebooks and engravings, not just by Picasso but by Georges Braque, Henri Rousseau, Balthus, Degas, Renoir, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Miró, Alberto Giacometti, Cézanne and Courbet, all from the artist's personal collection. The museum was established in 1986, when the state inherited about one-fourth of the Spanish-born artist's works from the family in lieu of death duties. Among the most representative items are studies for Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, his Blue-period self-portrait and La Tête de Fernande, said to be the first Cubist sculpture. This fall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will lend the Musée Picasso numerous works from its permanent collection.

Musée Rodin
Hôtel Biron, 77 rue de Varenne, 7th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 47 05 01 34 Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Auguste Rodin worked in the 18th century Hôtel Biron, near the Invalides, from 1908 until his death in 1917. In his will, he left all of his works to the government, which owned the house. The beautifully restored interior contains a thorough chronology of his work. On a sunny day, however, the most lovely part of a visit to the museum is the garden. Restored in 1993 to its original, 18th century classic design, it provides a soothing, leafy backdrop for such provocative works as The Burghers of Calais, The Thinker, Balzac and The Gates of Hell. If you wish, you can pay for entry to the garden alone. It's a lovely setting for a casual lunch in the little café out back.

SHOPPING:
Colette
213 Rue St.-Honoré, First Arr.; 33-1/55-35-33-90; lunch for two $25. Check out the Pucci dresses and the latest Prada sandals on your way downstairs to Colette's café. There, servers as attentive as they are beautiful will bring you a sumptuous lunch and a mocha mille-feuille made by Ladurée, one of the best pastry shops in town.

Monoprix
48 Blvd. Haussmann, 33-1/48-74-46-06; 50 Rue de Rennes; 33-1/45-48-18-08. This is a chain of K-mart equivalents-but a step up because, hey, the goods are French. You'll find great buys on lingerie, the occasional Petit Bateau T-shirts and baby clothes, and all manner of too-cool-for-school supplies like smartly designed colored cardboard folders, bound notebooks, and pencils and pens that les étudiants français no doubt take for granted. Take a look at the Bourjois line of makeup, which happens to be manufactured in the same factory as Chanel's and sells for a fraction of the price. At the Rue de Rennes store, grab a carrot-and-apple concoction at the organic juice bar, and try the sandwiches or sushi rolls.

E. Dehillerin
18-20 Rue Coquillière, First Arr.; 33-1/42-36-53-13. The very best copper cookware here costs about half what you'd pay in the States-unless you splurge on shipping.

Pharmacie Fouhéty 26 Rue du Four, Sixth Arr.; 33-1/46-33-20-81. This is the place for 30 percent markdowns on all the products you find in French pharmacies: Phytologie hair products, Kneiss bath gels, Roc face and hand creams, cool toothbrushes, and Quiès wax earplugs (the best).

Clothes-Without Getting Skinned

Gammes de…
17 Rue-du-Temple, Fourth Arr.; 33-1/48-04-57-57. Last year's women's collections from Guy Laroche are 50 percent off (and half that price in January and September, France's official markdown periods).

Et Vous Stock
17 Rue de Turbigo, Second Arr.; 33-1/40-13-04-12. An outlet store for men's and women's sweaters, jeans, and jackets from $40 to $100.

A.P.C. Surplus
45 Rue Madame, Sixth Arr.; 33-1/45-48-43-71. Shipments of overstock jeans, jackets, shoulder bags, and more arrive from the main store of this stylish frock house, favored by film and design types. Prices range from $20 to $150.

Réciproque
88-123 Rue de la Pompe, 16th Arr.; 33-1/47-04-82-24. A giant consignment store for label addicts only! Signs everywhere in this seizième locale say NE PAS TOUCHER (don't touch), making the shopper feel like a child playing too close to a nuclear warhead. But if suits by Chanel, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent are your thing, and you're willing to pay up to $1,000 for one that's a few years old but in good condition-some with the tags still on-this is your place. Housewares and accessories (from Murano glass vases to designer bags and jewelry) are also for sale in several of Réciproque's eight storefronts on this street.

For a more relaxed atmosphere and a less overwhelming selection, try Dépôt-Vente de Passy (14-16 Rue de la Tour, 16th Arr.; 33-1/45-20-95-21), which is smaller and less expensive than Réciproque, and not as stuffy. Here, a pre-owned Chanel suit runs closer to $450, a Prada bag goes for $220, and a Lacroix evening jacket or YSL overcoat can be found for $200 to $300. A lined, three-quarter-length zebra-print coat (its label had been removed) was a mere $75, and there were Chanel earrings for $75. Only your wallet will know the difference.  

PARIS NIGHTLIFE
Nightlife in Paris is as lively and diverse as you would expect. Its reputation for live music has recovered over the last decade with the growth in popularity of world music - for which Paris is a centre second to none - and there is excellent jazz in numerous St-Germain and Les Halles clubs. The tradition of chansons - epitomized by Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel - endures too, and classical music and opera takes up twice the space of "jazz-pop-folk-rock" in the listings magazines. If you're just looking for a place to dance, clubs come and go at as exhausting a rate as in any other large city, but there are one or two long-established places that won't let you down; most clubs open around 11pm, some stay open until sunrise. For listings of what's on in the city, there are two weekly guides - Pariscope and, L'Officiel des Spectacles (Pariscope is the handiest with a small Time Out section in English).

If it's just a drink you're after Paris has bars and cafes proliferating on every street. Most of Paris' main squares and boulevards have cafes spreading out onto the pavements and, although these are usually the priciest places to drink, it can be worth paying the earth for a coffee for the chance to observe the street life. Using the terrace or seating inside the café means you will pay around double the price you would pay at the bar. If you find a bar with stool, you can get the best of both worlds. The Left Bank harbours some of the city's best-known and longest-established cafes on boulevards Montparnasse and St-Germain, while the presence of the univeristy means thee are plenty of places to drink around place de la Sorbonne and rue Soufflot. The Bastille is now livelier than ever as the new Opera and rocketing property values bring headlong development, as is Les Halles - though the latter's trade is principally among out-of-towners up for the bright lights. The Marais offers small crowded watering holes, and many gay bars; and there are many bars in Montmartre, while Menilmontant and Belleville are less obvious but popular drinking haunts. Revitalized, ironically, by the English, you'll also find wine bars, the best of which are long-established places serving food and decent wine by the glass - as well as establishments more geared to beer, most inspired by Belgian or British watering holes.

Les Etages -
A people-watcher's paradise, Les Etages is strategically located bang in the middle of activity central, and draws in a young and laid-back bohemian crowd. Although it's a tapas bar, I wouldn't recommend the food, but it's a fabulous spot to have a drink outside on the heated terrace.  

Les Coulisses -
Les Coulisses is a restaurant, bar and club on three floors perched on the summit of the Butte Montmartre, Paris's highest hill. As its name Les Coulisses (theater wings) suggests, it's an intimate space for friendly faces to meet, and the frescoed walls ooze a kind of thespian charm.  

Les Bains Douches -
One-time municipal bath, Les Bains-Douches is now a nightclub that has managed to retain its hotter-than-hot status for over a decade, attracting the rich and famous and hosting private parties for supermodels and pop stars.  

Le Fumoir -
This bar oozes elegance with its subdued gray walls and beige blinds, pulling in a dapper crowd who like to sink into the comfy leather sofas and choose from a sophisticated drinks list. Since you get great views of the Louvre at La Fumoir, why not pay homage to the most famous work of art it.  

La Fabrique -
Former beer distillery turned techno turf, La Fabrique offers an intense and varied electronic music program that has made it one of Bastille's hippest barsand it still brews its own beer, too!  

Fer a Cheval -
This tiny 19th-century style bar in the heart of the lively Marais neighborhood is void of all pretension, but still manages to pull in the Prada-clad poseurs. Its focal point is a large, old-fashioned clock, and the superb horseshoe-shaped zinc bar that locals flock around.  

Big Ben Bar in the Train Bleu restaurant -
Le Train Bleu is a restaurant and bar housed in the Gare de Lyon. Both restaurant and train station were built at the height of the industrial revolution, and most notably so, as part of the 1900 World Exhibition.  

New Morning -
After 20 years in business, this hot, smoky club is a mecca for jazz fans. Despite its loft-like appearance, New Morning retains an intimate feel, and there are plenty of corners in which to chat if the music doesn't suit your tastes.  

Le Paris -
After years in the tourist-trap doldrums, the Champs Elysées area is slowly making a comeback. Le Paris, probably the best of the many Costes-owned bars in the capital, is a fun place to either spend the night (there's decent French food and DJs on the weekend till 6 a.m.) or kick off a tour.  

Le Coeur Fou -
Many a tear was shed when a pair of college grads bought out this tiny, intimate bar, once the city's best Irish pub. Luckily, all was not lost: Le Coeur Fou was transformed into the most happening meeting place in the exciting Etienne Marcel quarter Â? and you can still get a Guinness draft.

PARIS RESTAURANTS
The great new hope among creative French chefs is at L'Astrance: Pascal Barbot, former assistant to Alain Passard (4 rue Beethoven, 16th arr.; 40-50-84-40; main courses, $21-$42). Vying with L'Astrance as the hardest place in town for gourmets to reserve a table is Hiramatsu, where a Japanese chef of that name outdoes most creative Frenchmen at their own game (7 quai de Bourbon, 4th arr.; 56-81-08-80; main courses, $40-$68).

In the grand tradition, two generations of the Vrinat family have made Taillevent the most reliable gourmet haven in Paris. Diners can expect suave comfort in a clubby environment and food that is state-of-the-art classic. The rack of lamb and the braised veal are rarely better anywhere (15 rue Lamennais, 8th arr.; 44-95-15-01; prix fixe, $130-$180). Laurent is the Paris power lunch venue. Try the veal tournedos with girolles, or the pot-roasted turbotin. In good weather, dine in the sheltered garden (41 ave. Gabriel, 8th arr.; 42-25-00-39; prix fixe, $130).

Besides its extraordinary Belle Epoque ambience and decor, Lucas Carton has three-Michelin-star food and service, with creative cooking by Alain Senderens (9 Place de la Madeleine, 8th arr.; 42-65-22-90; main courses, $68-$180). At Le Grand Véfour, where chef Guy Martin achieves such bold splendors as foie gras ravioli with truffle cream, the romantic decor goes back to the age of Louis-Philippe (17 rue de Beaujolais, 1st arr.; 42-96-56-27; main courses, $25-$35).

Gallopin delivers good-value classic food in a wood-paneled environment that dates to 1876 (40 rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, 2nd arr.; 42-36-45-38; main courses, $25-$30; u). Less formal and with heartier food is the old Hemingway haunt, Brasserie Lipp (151 blvd. St-Germain, 6th arr.; 45-48-72-93; main courses, $15-$26). Joséphine is a plain bistro with the best boeuf bourguignon in town and one of the best cassoulets. Everything else is just about as good (117 rue du Cherche-Midi, 6th arr.; 45-48-52-40; main courses, $12-$25).

The decor at Paul Chone could not embody plainer comfort, and the cooking, simple but totally controlled, brings out the best in the first-rate ingredients. Poule au pot is a house specialty. Robert De Niro eats here, as does Mick Jagger (123 rue Lauriston, 16th arr.; 47-27-63-17; main courses, $35-$45). Luxe, calm, and with a faint touch of voluptuousness, Le Petit Colombier is the haunt of discerning trenchermen with a weakness for game, roast beef, leg of lamb, and pot-au-feu au foie gras de canard. Politicians who want to eat better than they usually do chez Lipp dine here (42 rue des Acacias, 17th arr.; 43-80-28-54; prix fixe, $29-$55).

A focal point of high-end Left Bank life, Le Voltaire, a café cum opulent restaurant, has always been a lunch spot for art dealers and book publishers and a dinner favorite for fashionables of all sorts. It does a good job on straightforward dishes such as veal kidneys, grilled sole, and rib steak with some of the best pommes frites in town (27 quai Voltaire, 7th arr.; 42-61-17-49; main courses, $60-$80). In the 30 years that chef Robert Chassat has been doing the same food at Le Récamier, you would think he'd have gotten bored. Instead, he gets closer and closer to perfection, as with the mousse de brochet and the calf's liver â l'auvergnate. This is the gourmet restaurant of the literary set, and of Karl Lagerfeld (4 rue Récamier, 7th arr.; 45-48-86-58; main courses, $27-$42).

The city's most sophisticated people crowd into Au Moulin â Vent (a.k.a. Chez Henri) for unsophisticated but delicious dishes such as frog's legs with garlic, scallops, lamb chops, and steak (20 rue des Fossés St-Bernard, 5th arr.; 43-54-99-37; main courses, $22-$24).

Cheap Secret
L'Épi Dupin
11 Rue Dupin, Sixth Arr.; 33-1/42-22-64-56; lunch for two $35, dinner for two $51. The two-course prix fixe lunch is a bargain, considering the extraordinary quality of the food: beet salad with avocado and shrimp, scallops in a saffron infusion, snapper with sautéed leeks, all prepared by inventive chef François Pasteau. "So many of my clients are regulars that I want to surprise them with a new menu every day, and by creating a marriage of unusual flavors and textures," he says. He's not joking about the stream of regulars. If you want a table for lunch, reserve at least two days in advance; for dinner, at least 10.

Cheap Secret
Casa Corsa
25 Rue Mazarine, Sixth Arr.; 33-1/44-07-38-98; dinner for two $65. The all-Corsican staff at this bi-level, orange-walled restaurant-just a year old-presents lesser-known specialties from the 'le de Beauté (Corsica, of course), including zucchini-and-brocciu (sheep's cheese) tarts, scorpion fish in olive oil and tomatoes, chestnut-flour bread, and a long list of Corsican wines.

Le Gavroche is a tad folkloric but has the best bistro food for the money and rib steaks and frites you'll remember (19 rue St-Marc, 2nd arr.; 42-96-89-70; main courses, $11-$20; u). The best country food-ham, sausage, stuffed cabbage, and more-is at Le Quincy (28 ave. Ledru-Rollin, 12th arr.; 46-28-46-76; main courses, $20-$32).

Shoot me if I'm not PC, but I say that Frenchmen cook to impress while Frenchwomen cook to please. At Casa Olympe, one of Paris's most seductively innovative chefs, Dominique Versini, turns out sophisticated but hearty bistro food (48 rue St-Georges, 9th arr.; 42-85-26-01; prix fixe, $35; u).

Looking for mother's cooking? La Mère Cartet, who is approaching the age of 100 as I write, has long since hung up her apron and retired to the suburbs, and La Mère Adrienne has sold her place as well. Neither's restaurant is quite as fabulous as it was, but if you want to savor what Parisians ate at home before the days of sending out for pizza, bring a big appetite to Cartet (62 rue de Malte, 11th arr.; 48-05-17-65; main courses, $20-$25) or Chez la Vieille (1 rue Bailleul, 1st arr.; 42-60-15-78; main courses, $18-$23).

For hearty, inexpensive food in surroundings with character-and characters, including Jack Nicholson-try Aux Gourmets des Ternes, which serves classics such as leeks vinaigrette and chunks of grilled meat (87 blvd. de Courcelles, 8th arr.; 42-27-43-04; main courses, $12-$20; u). Rich Parisians' favorite cheap restaurant, Aux Fins Gourmets specializes in country dishes, including cassoulet (213 blvd. St-Germain, 7th arr.; 42-22-06-57; main courses, $11-$18; u).

The venerated places for fish include Le Duc, for dinner (243 blvd. Raspail, 14th arr.; 43-20-96-30; main courses, $28-$80), and Marius et Jeanette, for lunch (4 ave. George V, 8th arr.; 47-23-84-36; main courses, $27-$42).

The most parisien Italian restaurant, Stresa is tiny, expensive, and beloved of every celebrity, including Roman Polanski. The ravioli with white truffles is as good as it gets (7 rue Chambiges, 8th arr.; 47-23-51-62; main courses, $25-$35).

The perpetually chic Chinese restaurants are Tong Yen (1 bis Jean-Mermoz, 8th arr.; 42-25-04-23; main courses, $20-$25) and Davé (12 rue de Richelieu, 1st arr.; 42-61-49-48; main courses, $12-$27), but the most authentic is Sinorama, Chinatown"s inexpensive brasserie (135 ave. de Choisy, 13th arr.; 53-82-09-51; main courses, $25-$35).

Only tourists think that Montmartre is for tourists. Parisians consider the 18th arrondissement the city"s most convivial village. A mix of theater and movie people and more modest residents who"ve been happily entrenched for generations gives the quarter its life. The café where Amélie was shot is now full of tourists, but les vraies montmartrois get together for the plat du jour at Les Négociants, a wine bar (27 rue Lambert; 46-06-15-11; main courses, $10-$13) or at L'Entr'acte, a tiny restaurant full of paintings, where the food is simple but good and not too expensive (44 rue d'Orsel; 46-06-93-41; main courses, $9-$14).

Where to Eat

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK These days, the de rigueur dress code for an evening out is a pair of designer jeans (like the French brand Notify), so it stands to reason that casual restaurants are all the rage. Though they vary in ambience, these meat-and-potatoes places always have quality and authentic charm on the menu. With unadorned wooden tables, naïve painted murals, and a sound track of seagull cries, you might as well be in a simple fish shack in Brittany as at L'Écume St.-Honoré (6 Rue du Marché-St.-Honoré, First Arr.; 33-1/42-61-93-87; dinner for two $55). That's what owner Jacques Godin, who was raised in Normandy, had in mind. Order a dozen oysters (they have endless varieties), served with sliced rye bread and creamy French butter, or try the signature plateau de fruits de mer. • For a delightful lunch on the Rive Gauche, Le Comptoir (9 Carrefour de l'Odéon, Sixth Arr.; 33-1/44-27-07-97; lunch for two $48), run by Claudine and Yves Camdeborde, is unbeatable. This thirties-style bistro (complete with mirrored walls) seats just 20 inside and—in warmer months—another 16 on the sidewalk, and doesn't accept lunch reservations. But take this from a veteran: it's worth the hassle of waiting and not taking non for an answer. Order the grilled tuna, which comes with the crispest vegetables, or opt for succulent souris de gigot (lamb knuckle) served with semolina. Round out your meal with an indulgent cheese plate or double-sized pots de crème au chocolat. • For an affordable alternative to Le Voltaire (27 Quai  Voltaire, Seventh Arr.; 33-1/42-61-17-49; dinner for two $160), which parfumeur Frédéric Malle calls "the most grown-up jet-set bistro in Paris," head next door to the restaurant's café, "Le Petit Voltaire" (lunch for two $60). Aim for a corner table by the door and order the excellent, creamy vegetable soup and fluffy omelettes filled with morels and Swiss cheese. • Penelope Cruz has declared that Ferdi (32 Rue du Mont-Thabor, First Arr.; 33-1/42-60-82-52; lunch for two $75) serves "the best cheeseburger in Paris." The tartare-worthy ground sirloin, cooked medium-rare and topped with a thick layer of cheddar and Cheshire cheese, is available only at lunch, but don't worry if you don't make it till after sunset. In the evenings, the fashion-heavy crowd returns, its attention focused on Ferdi's tapas-style small plates and potent mojitos and margaritas. • Isabelle Adjani and Inès de la Fressange make a beeline for Farnesina (9 Rue Boissy d'Angla s, Eighth Arr.; 33-1/42-66-65-57; lunch for two $100) for excellent Italian food (think risotto with heaps of shaved truffles). The mozzarella di buffala is flown in from Naples every Monday and then ferried to town in a chauffeur-driven car.

HAUTE CUISINE, REINVENTED This city has always had a host of heavyweight restaurants: Taillevent, L'Arpège, L'Ambroisie, Le Grand Vé four. But a new breed of chef is rethinking the genre and has all of Paris talking. Dining at the Hôtel Crillon's Les Ambassadeurs (10 Place de la Concorde, Eighth Arr.; 33-1/44-71-16-16; dinner for two $490) is one of those flawless experiences. First, the 18th-century dining room feels otherworldly with its generous helpings of marble and gilt, flattering candlelight, and exquisitely laid-out silverware. Then there's the discreet service and the lavish array of delicious frothed-up sauces by chef Jean-François Piège. The cold and hot foie gras, served with peach compote or infused with hot peach tisane, is a winter must.

The tiny chocolate-covered ice creams served just before dessert are enough to melt even the most dyed-in-the-wool luxury-phobes. • Its caramel-and–muted gold décor gives Joël Robuchon's La Table (16 Ave. Bugeaud, 16th Arr.; 33-1/56-28-16-16; dinner for two $300) a Zen-like atmosphere. As at L'Atelier, his jam-packed tapas-style restaurant on Rue de Montalembert, portions here are small and ideal for the curious "I want to try everything" foodie. Thankfully, unlike L'Atelier, his newest offering takes reservations. Order the silky gazpacho of tomato, fresh almonds, and croutons topped with basil oil, or the succulent langoustines en papillote. • Making a reservation at Pascal Barbot's Astrance (4 Rue Beethoven, 16th Arr.; 33-1/40-50-84-40; dinner for two $360) needs to be done months in advance; the chef who earned his stripes at L'Arpège is that hot. Barbot takes the simplest ingredients and coaxes out their natural flavors with staggering results. A zucchini-and-feta tart becomes unforgettable, a dish of crab "ravioli" is deconstructed: paper-thin slices of avocado sandwich pristine crabmeat dressed with ginger and almond oil. And who would ever have thought that a combination of sweet clams with guinea hen could be such a triumph?

CLASSIC BISTROS: FIVE NOT TO MISS Retro-seventies red banquettes, brass lamps—what is it about the look of the traditional Paris bistro that makes you want to eat food that's hazardous to your health? This list of favorites covers everything from foie gras to steak frites to croque monsieur. Josephine Chez Dumonet (117 Rue du Cherche-Midi, ­Sixth Arr.; 33-1/45-48-52-40; dinner for two $120) is the place for seared escalope de foie gras cooked with white grapes and served with creamy mashed potatoes; the crispest confit de canard; and delicious desserts, such as the unctuous chocolate mousse and extraordinary Grand Marnier souf?é. The ?uorescent lighting is not for the vain, but the food never disappoints. • Don't be deceived by the décor at Le Duc (243 Blvd. Raspail, 14th Arr.; 33-1/43-22-59-59; dinner for two $200), which resembles the interior of a badly lit boat. Start with the delicate tartare of sea bass and salmon, followed by fresh langoustines served with ginger and fennel gratin, and ?nish with light-as-air île flottante. It's easy to see why this was President Mitterrand's favorite restaurant and why it continues to have a power-broker atmosphere, attracting regulars like French tycoon François Pinault and designer Diane von Furstenberg (a.k.a. Mrs. Barry Diller). • Christian Louboutin raves about the sophisticated cuisine at Petrelle (34 Rue Petrelle, Ninth Arr.; 33-1/42-82-11-02; dinner for two $130), such as ravioli stuffed with crayfish. Perhaps he's also drawn to the charming Victorian furnishings, age-defying light, and that just-stepped-into-a-château ambience. • La Coupe d'Or (330 Rue St.-Honoré, First Arr.; 33-1/42-60-43-26; drinks for two $18), bang opposite Colette, is the place to hang out, eat croque monsieurs made with Poilâne bread, drink café, and watch droves of gazelle-like fashionistas. Make them envious: order a scoop (or two) of the cult-status Berthillon ice cream.• In the Canal St.-Martin area, La Marine (55 Quai de Valmy, 10th Arr.; 33-1/42-39-69-81; dinner for two $75) turns on the charm: attractive turn-of-the-century interiors and a drop-dead gorgeous clientele. Try the red-mullet and baby vegetable mille-feuilles or the hearty, garlic-infused fish stew in white butter sauce.

 

For wine, cheese, cold cuts, and conviviality, try the limited menu of oldies such as boeuf bourguignon at Le Rubis (10 rue du Marché St-Honoré, 1st arr.; 42-61-03-34; main courses, $10-$11; u) or the cheese and ham plates ($4-$6) at Taverne Henri IV, in an ancient building on ële de la Cité (13 Place du Pont-Neuf, 1st arr.; 43-54-27-90; u).

In just under two years, Alain Ducasse has firmly established his eponymous restaurant at the top of the Paris culinary hierarchy. By applying his restless culinary creativity to the glorious traditions of haute cuisine, Ducasse has achieved a remarkable synthesis of memory and surprise that defines the art of French cooking today.

Because of its emphasis on harmony and classic flavors, Ducasse's cuisine is extremely wine-friendly, and sommelier Gérard Margeon has built a wine list to match the menu. Margeon seems destined to his trade; he was born in Burgundy's Hospices de Beaune. He has movie-star good looks and a story to tell about every bottle on the list. While his self-assurance occasionally comes across as condescension, he is an able guide to an extraordinary cellar.

The 1,600 selections, backed by 47,000 bottles, focus on France's foremost wines. The array of white Burgundies includes three dozen selections from the Montrachet family. The red Bordeaux feature a series of vertical collections of wines purchased directly from the top châteaus: 27 vintages of Haut-Brion, 25 of Latour, 13 of Pétrus (including the 1961 at $6,000). An unusually strong Rhône Valley section includes two dozen of E. Guigal's hard-to-find single-vineyard Côte-Rôties.

But the list is hardly parochial. There are more than 50 selections from California, including Marcassin Chardonnay and Grace Family Cabernet Sauvignon. Italy, Australia and New Zealand are all represented. An 18-vintage vertical of Vega Sicilia from Spain goes back to 1942 ($750). The only shortfall is at the low end; very few bottles are priced under $50.

Perhaps simple wines simply aren't appropriate for a dining experience where an appetizer of fresh morels is priced at $70 and the average bill for two people is $350. (The $155 six-course menu "Brillat-Savarin," named for the 18th century gastronome, is perhaps the most cost-efficient way to explore Ducasse's cuisine.) Ducasse volunteers the fact that his restaurant is the most expensive in Paris; he argues that if he didn't deliver the goods, people wouldn't pay the price.

In fact, it's tougher to get a table here than at any other restaurant in the city (except perhaps Pierre Gagnaire). Despite its grandeur, Alain Ducasse is quite small, with only 50 seats at the generous tables. There are nearly as many waiters as diners in the room. Though portions are modest by American steak-house standards, the extras--from the hot canapés that begin the meal to the stunning cart of house-made candies that ends it--are generous and beguiling. By the end of a meal that can easily last three hours, Ducasse has created a little world that can be very hard to leave.

Alain Ducasse aims for perfection. He has the vision and the talents--and his backers have the cash--to create a dining experience so seamless and complete that some may find it austere, even impersonal. But no other restaurant in Paris has such grand ambitions, and few in the world deliver on their promises with such consistent success.

Alain Ducasse
59 avenue Raymond Poincaré, 16th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 47 27 12 27 Open Lunch & dinner, Monday to Friday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, Carte Blanche Grand Award in 1998

Food 98 / Wine 96 / Service 98 / Ambience 95
Weighted Average 97

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Pouring It On

At Lucas Carton, chef Alain Senderens is committed to pairing his eclectic cuisine with France's best wines

Every top Parisian restaurant offers delicious food and great wines. Only Lucas Carton offers a great wine by the glass specifically chosen to match every dish on the menu. It's a daring break with tradition that makes this exquisite dining room the best wine bar in the world.

The restaurant presents an object lesson in the way new ideas slowly become accepted wisdom. It's located in the heart of historical Paris, next to the neoclassical Madeleine church. The dining room decor, created in 1902, is the ultimate in art nouveau--all sexy curves in blond wood, bronze and honey-colored velvet. These styles may appear conservative today, but both church and restaurant broke new aesthetic ground when they were built. Fiery chef Alain Senderens has followed the same trajectory from revolutionary to established star.

"I have always been fascinated by the interaction of wine and food," says the 58-year-old chef. "In the early 1970s, I put together a cheese plate and served it with only white wines. I was assassinated by the press! But I persevered, and now white wines with many cheeses are universally accepted."

Senderens develops his wine and food matches with his new chef de cuisine, Frédéric Robert (who comes by way of L'Ambroisie and Vivarois), and longtime sommelier Jerome Moreau. They vary the dish and open new bottles until each marriage is both surprising and satisfying. In fact, the harmonies that emerge between each dish and its wine seem more important than those that develop through the meal; Senderens' menu has less of a unified, personal character than those of most of Paris' other top restaurants. The influences range from contemporary Provence to ancient Rome, the ingredients from classic to exotic, the flavors from austere to bold. Wine remains the common thread.

Senderens' signature dish is canard Apicius, a duck roasted with honey and spices, inspired by the ancient Roman gastronome. On any given night, half the customers will order it. The chef struggles to keep the dish exciting by varying the balance of spices and the suggested wine with the seasons. But while any serious food lover should taste this once, it would be a shame to limit one's impression of the kitchen to this spectacular yet hardly subtle dish.

More representative of his sensibility is a whole daurade, baked in a salt crust and filleted at the table, served with fried zucchini flowers stuffed with herbs and a cube of frozen kalamata olive oil that, as it melts, makes the dish's only sauce. The intensity and purity of the flavors are breathtaking, and they are beautifully framed by the ripe fruit and sweet oak of a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château Boisrenard 1995. In contrast, three fat rougets are garnished with olives, capers and preserved lemon, giving the dish a livelier edge; another Rhône Valley white, a 1996 St.-Joseph from Bernard Gripa, has the lemony backbone to harmonize the assertive flavors.

Senderens asserts that the key to matching is in the garnishes. "If you look up lamb in any classic text, Bordeaux is the standard recommendation," he says. "But I can prepare a lamb dish that won't marry at all with Bordeaux." And indeed he has, serving roasted spring lamb with eggplant prepared three different ways--grilled, chopped with olives in a tapenade, and stewed over pasta. The earthy, smoky flavors of the vegetable are the keynote of the dish, and they blend perfectly with a rich, ripe earthy 1989 Château de Pibarnon, a red Bandol made from the Mourvèdre grape.

The restaurant has been providing such matches since 1985, and Moreau says that today 70 to 80 percent of his wine sales are by the glass. (Prices range from $8 to $25 per glass.) The wine service is impeccable: The wines are served at the proper temperature, presented before pouring, and repoured if the glass empties before the plate does. Of the 10 different wines I sampled at a recent meal, none tasted flat, as if they had been long open. And all worked better with their prescribed dishes than they did with others served during the evening.

One advantage of this policy is that it encourages diners to be more adventurous in their wine choices, moving beyond Bordeaux and Burgundy to more obscure--and often more interesting--regions (though all the wines suggested were French). One adverse impact, however, has been some degradation of the main wine list, which is smaller and less interesting than when it won a Grand Award in 1989. Still, it offers depth in Bordeaux and a strong selection of international wines.

Lucas Carton has the luxurious ambience and formal service standard of Paris' top restaurants (with prices that are higher than most), but the eclectic menu and unconventional wine policy make it a livelier, less predictable experience. New chef Robert has energized the kitchen, and the food is better than it has been in years. This contrast between convention and experimentation is a risky strategy that pays off for sophisticated diners, offering a winning combination of satisfaction and delight.

Lucas Carton
9 place de la Madeleine, 8th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 42 65 22 90 Open Lunch, Monday to Friday; dinner, Monday to Saturday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club Grand Award since 1989

Food 95 / Wine 93 / Service 94 / Ambience 98
Weighted Average 95

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True Romance

Tucked away in the Marais, L'Ambroisie offers clarity on the plate and subtlety on the wine list

The place des Vosges in the Marais quartier, with its royal history and formal architecture, radiates refinement and sophistication, yet children and lovers revel in its lush green gardens. L'Ambroisie, set in a cool corner of the square, embodies a similar mix of hauteur and insouciance.

The restaurant's three small dining rooms occupy the ground floor of one of the historic town houses, decorated with a sober mix of stone and tapestries. It's a quiet place for whispered confidences and romantic glances, and the servers maintain the formal atmosphere. This is luxury without opulence, a combination that mirrors the sophisticated, refined clientele.

Bernard Pacaud's food displays the same understated extravagance. The menu abounds with luxury ingredients. The amuse-bouche is a delicate blancmange of sole topped with a spoonful of glistening caviar. The chef's best dishes--like his dariole of foie gras, a light yet intense flan in a pool of sauce velvety with veal stock and butter, surrounded by fresh morels--are rich yet refined, beautifully reflecting the decor's combination of restraint and power.

The wine list fits the same bill. "I don't like aggressivity in a wine," says maitre d' and sommelier Pierre Lemoullac. "It doesn't fit a restaurant like this." His selections focus on mature, top-level Bordeaux and Burgundy, offering, for example, two dozen grand cru white Burgundies, a vertical of Château Pichon-Longueville-Lalande dating back to 1961 ($800) and a 1959 Château Latour ($1,580). Though only a few bottles dip below $65, 58 half-bottles offer flexibility.

But L'Ambroisie has a homespun side as well. Pacaud, 52, grew up poor and was trained in the bourgeois kitchens of Lyons; he has a deep affection for the humble ingredients of country food. A fillet of St.-Pierre takes a rustic depth from braised lettuce, bacon and long-cooked onions. A slice of rosy calf's liver is garnished with shallots and green beans. Regular customers know that even this aristocratic restaurant relishes the simple pleasures; when I was there, two businessmen at the next table feasted on cured ham, a green salad and a huge slab of beef, washed down with a bottle of young Hermitage.

It takes a while to warm up to L'Ambroisie; Pacaud himself admits that the first meal here is never the best. Paradoxically for such an extravagant chef, he claims simplicity and modesty as his guiding principles. And despite the classicism of his menu, Pacaud is one of the city's most innovative chefs, offering new dishes far more frequently than most. For those who appreciate refinement and clarity on the plate and can find comfort in a formal setting, L'Ambroisie offers treasures both luxurious and right down to earth.

L'Ambroisie
9 place des Vosges, 4th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 42 78 51 45 Open Lunch & dinner, Tuesday to Saturday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express

Food 97 / Wine 89 / Service 93 / Ambience 94
Weighted Average 94

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Lap of Luxury

Dining at Les Ambassadeurs in the sumptuous Crillon hotel turns anyone into an aristocrat

Few restaurants in the world can rival the aristocratic opulence of Les Ambassadeurs in the Crillon, the glorious 18th century palace in the place de la Concorde. It might even be intimidating, if the waiters weren't as friendly as they are formal. And it might be hollow, if the food wasn't as delicious as it is richly classic.

Chef Dominique Bouchet inherited two Michelin stars from his predecessor, Christian Constant (now at his own restaurant, Le Violon d'Ingres, on the Left Bank), and he has maintained the quality and even the style that made Les Ambassadeurs the premier hotel restaurant in Paris. Bouchet's menu features classic ingredients--lobster and turbot, squab and lamb, caviar and truffles--but assembles them with humble vegetables and bright flavors in a distinctive marriage of the rustic and the luxe. (A six-course tasting menu, $110, gives a good overview of the chef's style.)

For example, a deceptively simple cream of fava beans hides an intense gelée of spider crab. Full-flavored lamb chops are nicely framed by a profusion of artichokes and chanterelles. Duck is paired with rutabaga, squab with turnips and black radishes, turbot with cauliflower--in each dish, the flavors are bold, fresh and beautifully balanced. Bouchet, 44, formerly worked with Joël Robuchon, and his mentor's insistence on focus and purity are clearly in evidence.

The deep wine list emphasizes the classic side of the equation. The broad selection of Champagnes is reasonably priced, with many non-vintage bruts at $65. Verticals of top Bordeaux include 1961s from châteaus Mouton-Rothschild ($2,715) and Margaux ($2,165). But there are plenty of discoveries from the Loire and the Rhône at under $50, and the lineup of Trimbach Rieslings includes the great 1990 Cuvée Frédéric Emile, irresistible at $70. Sommelier Frédéric Lebel is passionate about Armagnac (he's publishing a book on the fiery spirit this fall), so save room for an astonishing after-dinner experience.

The extraordinary dining room is an active partner in the meal. The building, designed by architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel in 1758 for Louis XV, has been restored to full royal regalia. Elaborate crystal chandeliers hang from the immensely high ceiling, casting a honeyed light on a rich variety of colored marbles, glinting off the vermeil cutlery; elaborate silver candelabra give a warm glow to the heavy china and the smiles on your companions' faces. As the sun sets over the Seine and turns the columns in the place de la Concorde to gold, Les Ambassadeurs feels like the timeless heart of the City of Light.

Les Ambassadeurs
The Crillon, 10 place de la Concorde, 8th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 44 71 16 16 Open Lunch & dinner, daily Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club

Food 92 / Wine 93 / Service 96 / Ambience 97
Weighted Average 94

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Join the Club

Taillevent remains an island of conservative quality in both the full-flavored dishes and the stellar wine list

Contrary to appearances, Taillevent does change with the times. The dining rooms have recently been refurbished, and new abstract paintings add a contemporary feel. Young sommelier Nicholas Bonnot is a fine addition to the staff. But as long as owner Jean-Claude Vrinat welcomes his customers to this bastion of clubby conservatism, the restaurant will remain an island of stability and serenity in an unpredictable and inconsistent world.

Taillevent's menu has hardly varied in the five years I've been eating here (and its prices remain among the most reasonable of Paris' great restaurants). It still offers the most conservative and traditional dishes of all Paris' great restaurants. Snails braised with sorrel, fish sautéed with capers, and pig's feet with truffles would not be out of place on a 19th century menu. Though chef Philippe Legendre has replaced heavy cream-based reduction sauces with frothy herb-based emulsions, the overall effect is one Escoffier would have admired. These are full-flavored, generous dishes that were conceived and polished to be partnered with France's classic wines.

And wines there are in abundance; Vrinat's cellars stock more than 350,000 bottles, including all the great names of France. Like the menu, the wine list focuses on the classics (and, like the menu, prices are extremely fair). The red Burgundies reach up to a Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echézeaux 1957 at $600, but begin with a racy 1995 Joblot Givry at only $43. The red Bordeaux are thick in the top vintages, with a dozen 1989s, even more 1985s and ten 1970s. A 1989 Latour at $285 goes for about half the current auction price.

Wines from the Rhône, Alsace and the Loire are more limited, but a 1985 Chave Hermitage makes delicious drinking at $150. In a new addition, Bonnot has selected some intriguing country wines to spotlight on the menu, and has priced them all at under $40. But while the wine list format (which occupies two pages of the oversize menu) makes for easy navigation, it limits the selection to about 350 wines, which hardly hints at the treasures in the cellar. Serious wine lovers would love to peruse the whole inventory, if only to dream.

This conservatism is natural in a restaurant named for the man who published France's first cookbook, in 1379, and which has been in the same family for over half a century. Many of the waiters have been working here for 15 years or longer; they know their customers well, and their affability and skillful guidance keep the meal flowing smoothly, if with a bit more boldness than is common in formal French service. It's all part of the charm that keeps its regulars loyal. Taillevent might not be the first choice for foodies looking for the cutting edge, but it proves that fine dining can provide luxury and comfort at the same table.

Taillevent
15 rue Lamennais, 8th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 44 95 15 01 Open Lunch & dinner, Monday to Friday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Carte Blanche Grand Award since 1984

Food 93 / Wine 94 / Service 93 / Ambience / 95
Weighted Average 94

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Staying the Course

La Tour d'Argent sails on by offering the food that made France great--and the world's most extraordinary wine cellar

Michelin stars come and go; La Tour d'Argent, which traces its ancestry to 1582, sails on, indomitable. The Left Bank town house and its seventh-floor dining room with the breathtaking view of Nôtre Dame remains one of Paris' inimitable culinary landmarks.

Let's be honest. When you go, unless your face is familiar to the world--or at least to venerable owner Claude Terrail--you're not going to sit at the table in the prow of this great ship, all Paris at your feet. If you order the famous pressed duck, a recipe essentially unchanged since 1890, you'll be presented with a numbered certificate (mine was No. 877,740), but if the leg is grilled to charcoal, the condescending waiter will probably explain that most Americans like it that way.

But if you choose your food carefully, indulge yourself with arguably the best wine list in the world and let yourself be carried away by the pomp and the circumstances, you'll enjoy a dining experience that sums up the history of French haute cuisine.

The silver metallicized menu, almost a medieval relic itself, offers two contrasting cuisines. Dishes listed in red are contemporary creations of chef Bernard Guilhaudin, a disciple of the late Alain Chapel, one of the originators of nouvelle cuisine. Plump langoustines are wrapped in fresh pasta with cilantro and served with carrots and fava beans, a rich yet refreshing dish. But even at their best, these dishes seem somehow out of place in the setting. I recommend sticking to the classics, listed in black. They are object lessons in the heavy, yet harmonious style of the past. (And the duck is normally superb.) Long-cooked and subtle in flavor, they have the added benefit of marrying perfectly with well-aged, classic wines.

The true glory of La Tour d'Argent, besides the setting, is its wine. Englishman David Ridgway, who has been here since 1981, leads a team of 15 sommeliers, expert in every aspect of wine service, and every wine is served in appropriate Riedel glasses. As for the selection--well, if it's French, and you desire it, it's probably available, and reasonably priced. Wine lovers should request a tour of the extraordinary cellars, where half a million bottles sleep in cool darkness under the street.

La Tour d'Argent may not please the foodies looking for the cutting edge, nor the sensitive angered by slights of service. But for wine lovers and romantics, it's incomparable--the true embodiment of the glory of France.

La Tour d'Argent
15 quai de la Tournelle, 5th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 43 54 23 31 Open Lunch & dinner, Tuesday to Sunday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club Grand Award since 1986

Food 88 / Wine 99 / Service 90 / Ambience / 98
Weighted Average 93

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Personal Best

At L'Arpège, Alain Passard takes risks with his exotic version of haute cuisine--and they pay off

L'Arpège breaks the rules. Most grand Parisian restaurants content themselves with variations on classic themes, depending on the quality of their raw materials and impeccable techniques to carry their dishes. But at L'Arpège, chef-owner Alain Passard takes a more personal, more exotic and riskier approach to haute cuisine.

Passard begins with the classic centerpieces of langoustine, lobster and lamb. But he garnishes them with grapes, minted zucchini and acidulated beets, respectively, to create distinctive, even shocking dishes. Yet despite his exotic touches--including Szechuan peppers, licorice and honey--the menu coheres in a rigorous, harmonious palette of flavors.

Sweetness is one of the Breton chef's key themes. His signature amuse-bouche is a soft-boiled egg drizzled with maple syrup. The natural sweetness of langoustines is framed by the different sugars of the grapes and an onion confit. Sisteron lamb, rubbed with cumin, is served with a Moroccan-inspired puree of onions and dates. His signature dish is squab with a crust of candy-coated almonds. The dishes prove the power of this fundamental taste, yet differ enough in their underlying characters to keep the meal varied and appetizing from beginning to end.

The decor, too, is a very personal statement. The space is tiny, with no reception area or bar, and feels more like a chic jewelry or perfume shop than a restaurant. I prefer the luminous main room, its undulating pear wood panels inset with Lalique glass panels, to the even smaller, vaulted stone cellar. Low light and acrobatic service allow diners some personal space, but L'Arpège is the most contemporary, the least formal and opulent of Paris' great restaurants.

The wine list, a weak spot when the restaurant won its third Michelin star in 1996, has improved with time. It now boasts top-quality mature wines, including a vertical of Château Cos-d'Estournel going back to 1949 ($335), 14 vintages of Château Haut-Brion (the 1964 is $320) and even the rare Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 ($1,100). A better than average Loire Valley selection makes more harmonious matches with Passard's food, however, as do the well-chosen Rhônes.

Passard's culinary boldness may not appeal to more conventional customers. One night last spring, four Americans, disconcerted by the unfamiliar menu, ordered green salads, picked at their main courses and left before dessert. L'Arpège doesn't pretend to be a stereotypical French restaurant, but for those fascinated by the evolution of haute cuisine, it's a state-of-the-art laboratory that delivers instruction as well as sophisticated pleasures.

L'Arpège
84 rue de Varenne, 7th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 45 51 47 33 Open Lunch & dinner, Monday to Friday Cost Very expensive Credit Cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club

Food 95 / Wine 91 / Service 89 / Ambience 94
Weighted Average 93

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Past as Prologue

Steeped in the city's lore since the 18th century,Le Grand Véfour remains a dynamic place to dine

No restaurant in Paris has a more glittering past than Le Grand Véfour. Yet it remains one of the city's most exciting places to eat.

This valentine confection of a restaurant occupies a cozy corner under the arcades of the Palais-Royal, in the heart of the Right Bank. Completed in 1784, it immediately became the center of the city's emerging restaurant trade. The Café de Chartres was one of the first successes. It was acquired (and renamed) by Jean Véfour in 1820, praised by the gastronome Brillat-Savarin and patronized in the years that followed by such luminaries as Victor Hugo, Jean-Paul Sartre and André Malraux.

The restaurant's extraordinary decor dates largely to the 1850s, with crimson velvet banquettes, gilded mirrors and romantic paintings on glass panels. Nearly every seat bears a plaque honoring illustrious patrons, and a watercolor by former regular Jean Cocteau adorns the menu. It might have become a waxworks museum, but with chef Guy Martin in the kitchen, Le Grand Véfour still delivers one of Paris' best dining experiences. And at $57, his four-course lunch menu is one of the city's best values.

Martin, 41, is from the mountains of Savoie, in eastern France, and his menu features the solid fare of the region. An appetizer of melting Beaufort cheese and artichoke is hearty and soul-warming. Other local specialties include the delicate lake fish omble de chevalier flavored with laurel, thyme and brown butter. There are also an extraordinary selection of farmhouse cheeses.

But Martin's cuisine is hardly provincial. Ravioli stuffed with fresh foie gras and black truffles are rich and harmonious; a confit of Bresse chicken is lightened with garnishes of mint and cucumber; squid, served both marinated and fried and brightened with dried red pepper, has a jaunty Basque character. The unifying notes are generous portions, gutsy flavors and an imaginative use of herbs and spices.

The wine list is thoughtful, though not encyclopedic. There's a full range of Taittinger Champagnes (the company now owns the restaurant). The Bordeaux are a bit short, but most date from 1990 or earlier, including a few relics such as a Château Lafite Rothschild 1902 at $2,900; more realistically, there is a Château de Fieuzal 1989 at a reasonable $80. Sommelier Patrick Tamisier is a helpful guide, and enthusiastic about his broad choice of country wines, most at less than $50 a bottle.

Victor Hugo is long gone, but at least we can sit in his seat, finish a delicious meal with coffee and a plate of chocolates, and gaze onto the same lovely garden the great author enjoyed. It's the kind of pleasure that only Paris can provide.

Le Grand Véfour
17 rue de Beaujolais, 1st arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 42 96 56 27 Open Lunch & dinner, Monday to Friday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club

Food 94 / Wine 89 / Service 95 / Ambience 97
Weighted Average 93

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Local Color

The light touch of Guy Savoy and his restaurant's refreshing ambience make it the insider's favorite

Guy Savoy may be the favorite Paris restaurant of the Parisians. It's sophisticated without being stiff, well-known without being overrun by tourists, and offers food that's neither clichéd nor contrived. It's a relaxing place that leaves you satisfied and refreshed.

The restaurant is located near the Arc de Triomphe but tucked away from the bustle of the Champs-Élysées, and its small dining room is light and comfortable, if a bit bland. With its sleek decor accented with modern art, it could be one of the six bistros that Savoy has opened around the city, if it weren't for the luxurious tableware and the army of waiters.

Savoy trained with the Troisgros brothers in Roanne, and he's an ardent defender of nouvelle cuisine, which they helped create. In his hands, that translates to a willingness to use exotic ingredients to jazz up traditional dishes. Langoustines are grilled with lively accents of citrus peel and coconut; moist, tender daurade sits on a pile of black beans with a sweet, tropical fruit-based sauce.

Savoy clearly relishes vegetables. Two delicious dishes were epitomes of simplicity: a ragout of chanterelles and tiny purple artichokes, and a puree of artichoke and black truffles. And he's not afraid to break the rules in pursuit of flavor. When I complimented him on the truffles, despite the fact that they were out of season, he confided they were "the only frozen product I serve." Compared to other top Parisian chefs, Savoy uses less butter and cream; his flavors are bright and fresh. However, in this pursuit of lightness and purity, some dishes lack depth and focus.

When it comes to the wine list, the approach is also iconoclastic. Bordeaux is less important here than Burgundy, where the selection is very strong. There is some vintage depth--Château Palmer 1961, Château Latour 1934--but Eric Mancio, the expert and enthusiastic sommelier, admits that he keeps only a bottle or two of such rarities in the cellar. Mancio was the only sommelier in Paris to recommend Alsace whites and Rhône reds to accompany my meal, and he eagerly sought to find the perfect wines to balance my food, my tastes and my budget.

Guy Savoy's restaurant is not impressive in the way that Lucas Carton or La Tour d'Argent convey the wealth of historical Paris. And his food, too, is casual, compared with the palaces of haute cuisine. But he offers a distinctive and cosmopolitan dining experience, in a place where it's easy to eat well and enjoy yourself.

Guy Savoy
18 rue Troyon, 17th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 43 80 40 61 Open Lunch, Monday to Friday; dinner, Monday to Saturday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express

Food 93 / Wine 91 / Service 95 / Ambience 89
Weighted Average 92

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A Classical Theme

At Laurent, the menu echoes tradition in an alluring setting just off the Champs-Élysées

Just steps away from the Champs-Élysées, Laurent, a freestanding pavilion with a hidden garden, offers an alluring combination of urban sophistication and rural tranquillity. The fountain splashing on the terrace, the flowers scenting the air, the candles glowing on the tables create an air of romance and relaxation.

Chef Philippe Braun takes second billing on the menu to retired superstar Joël Robuchon, who now serves as consultant for several top Parisian restaurants. The master's influence is clear in the quality of the ingredients and the intensity of their flavors. A thick fillet of St. Pierre is grilled and served with a piquant sauce of anchovies and olives, accompanied by the buttery mashed potatoes Robuchon made famous. Medallions of veal and veal sweetbreads are tender and juicy, served with an abundance of morels and asparagus, and an intense reduction of veal stock and mushroom essence.

Braun clearly loves the classics. Escoffier would have approved of the rich vol-au-vent, puff pastry stuffed with the parts of a rooster most Americans would rather not identify, or filet mignon accompanied by béarnaise sauce. More exotic experiments are less successful. Cilantro makes an odd partner with codfish, and thin slices of rare tuna are drowned in soy vinaigrette. But overall, the chef's dishes are focused and coherent in their structure and flavors.

The extensive wine list is conventional in its approach. Bordeaux is its strong suit, with exceptional depth, including 14 different 1970s, Château Haut-Brion 1959 ($1,170) and Château Talbot 1929 ($870). The Burgundy section features top producers, such as extensive selections of Henri Jayer reds and Etienne Sauzet whites. The Loire, Alsace and Rhône selections are also commendable (Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 1990 is a find at $110). Though overall prices are high, sommelier Philippe Bourguignon has assembled a savvy selection of country wines that sell for $30 to $60 a bottle.

Laurent is deeply embedded in the city's history. The building may originally have been a hunting lodge for Louis XIV; it has been a restaurant since 1842, when architect Jacob Hittorff (who also worked on Ledoyen, across the Champs-Élysées) built what was then called the Café du Cirque. Its current name comes from the man who was its director in the 1860s. The latest refurbishment, in 1979, has only burnished its neoclassical splendor.

The only drawback--especially for foreign diners--is in service. Perhaps because the restaurant attracts a high-profile Parisian clientele, the waiters can be condescending toward customers they consider less sophisticated. Remember who is paying the aristocratic bill, and make yourself at home in this restaurant where echoes of royalty still hang in the golden air.

Laurent
41 avenue Gabriel, 8th arr. Telephone (011) 33 1 42 25 00 39 Open Lunch, Monday to Friday; dinner, Monday to Saturday Cost Very expensive Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club

Food 92 / Wine 92 / Service 89 / Ambience 96
Weighted Average 92

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Memory Lane

Chef Michel Rostang treasures the past, from his culinary objets to his time-honored preparations

One peek into Michel Rostang's cozy restaurant in Paris' quiet