58 Tour Eiffel Review

There are certain restaurants in which you need to manage your expectations. Meaning, don't walk in hoping to be wowed, overwhelmed or stunned. The result, I have found, is a better dining experience overall. Paris's 58 Tour Eiffel, the brasserie-style restaurant, on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower is one of those restaurants.

Why We Decided To Eat At 58 Tour Eiffel

We have never climbed any of the platforms at the Eiffel Tower while in Paris because, candidly, we didn't want to fight the tourists or wait in line. On our most recent trip, spanning November and December 2014, we decided to go for it but still didn't want to do the lines so we opted to eat at one of the restaurants, which also grants you access to the Eiffel Tower. We didn't want to do the over-the-top foodie destination that is Jules Verne (especially with a three-year old) nor did we want to do the buffet. Instead we tried 58 Tour Eiffel, knowing full well it would probably be mediocre food and poor service.

We were right about the food. The service? Not that bad.

Paris Travel Tips | VIDEO

"Paris is always a good idea."

Audrey Hepburn said that memorable line in the movie Sabrina. It's the truth. 

It's the truth. From the heat of summer to the chill of winter, the French capital consistently offers history, culture, diversity, entertainment and plain old fun. We haven't even talked about the food.

Where should I stay? What museums are worth my time? What stores should I visit? What day trips should I plan? Where should I eat? 

The Best Paris Restaurants Right Now

This blog post has moved over to my new website, FabFrenchFinds.com. 

Click HERE to read this story. 

Day Trips From Paris: The Champagne Region

If you're in Paris and have even the slightest interest in wine, making a day trip to Champagne should be on your list of "Must-Dos". The terrain is gorgeous, the wine and food are magnificent and it's a relatively easy region to access....once you figure out to get there.

The first time we tried to visit Champagne was in June 2013. I consulted a number of my friends who work in the wine industry and represent the likes of Dom Perignon, Moët & Chandon and Ruinart in the states for help. They told me it would be impossible to get into of the Champagne houses for a tasting. Taking that into account, we didn't make any advance reservations. We ended up visiting not one but two houses without any advance reservations on that trip but it cost us. A lot.

On Thanksgiving 2014, we visited Champagne again having learned our lessons: we made tasting reservations in advance for only one house and took the train to get there. It was a much more enjoyable experience and affordable to boot.

Visiting Champagne

There are 320 houses (and growing!) Champagne houses in the region. Gaining access to these houses is, for the most part, different from typical tasting experiences in the states. In Napa, for example, you can pop into most wineries without a reservation or make a reservation the day of your desired tasting. (Click HERE to learn about visiting Napa Valley with kids).  In Champagne, most tours are by appointment only and it is suggested that you make reservations a few weeks in advance.

This can be done easily online at the Champagne house's website or you could work with a tour company.

Getting to the Champagne Region

The 1st Time
When we went in 2013, we hired a driver to take my husband, my daughter and me from our rental apartment in Paris to Moët et Chandon in Epernay and then on to Tattinger in Reims. This cost us a fortune. Like $1,000 for the day. Jaw. Dropped.

A salon at Moët et Chandon

Granted our driver was able to finagle all three of us into Moët et Chandon and Tattinger without a reservation but the cost was ridiculous. (btw...and I almost divorced my husband over this).

The 2nd Time
In 2014, there was no way I was forking over that kind of cash for a private car. We booked two TGV tickets (our 2-year old daughter traveled for free) on Thanksgiving Day from Paris' Gare d'Est station to Reims, the older station in the heart of the city, which takes about 45 minutes. This cost about $92 per ticket. You can also take the train to the Champagne-Ardenne station in Bezannes. We met a couple from Houston on our train who bought a tasting tour which included train tickets, transfers to the chateaux and entry fees. They had priced out the package and determined it was comparable to piecing everything together on their own.

Reims train station

Having gone the private car route and the train route, I can wholeheartedly recommend using the train. Once you exit the main entrance at train station in Reims, there is a line of cabs waiting to take you anywhere. Beyond that, cabs are easy to get throughout Reims. Any restaurant or Champagne house will call one for you.

Visiting the Champagne Houses

For our visits to both Moët et Chandon and Tattinger in 2013, we did not have reservations. Our driver, Amadeus, was able to get us into a group tour at each house. These tours were informative and thorough but they were packed with about 20 people in each group.

The grounds at Ruinart

For our visit in 2014, we made reservation at just one house: Ruinart, the oldest house in Champagne producing the bubbly since 1729. They were quite specific as to when we could visit and at what time. We were invited to enjoy either a 10am or 2pm tasting.

When we arrived in Champagne, it was a cold, rainy, French day. Our cab took us straight to Ruinart which got us there around 9:30am. The guard at the gate would not let us in, even simply to sit and wait for our appointment. This annoyed the heck out of me. I pleaded with him in my bad French to accommodate my daughter, husband and me and let us just stand in a covered area out of the rain. He wouldn't budge. So we paid the cab driver to drive us around the city.

Moving on.

Once we did get into Ruinart at around 9:50, we were greeted by a lovely young woman named Kelly. There were only two other people on our tour, a couple from Brazil. This made for an intimate, educational and overall much better experience.

The Ruinart Visit 

Any chateau in Champagne is impressive but Ruinart was stunning. The house had recently been renovated but the "sprucing up" resulted in timelessly elegant French style that can withstand another 100 years.

There are 38,340 bottles of Ruinart aging here!

Sediment in a Ruinart bottle

We learned about the family history of Ruinart (started by Nicolas Ruinart), the reason behind its bottle shape (it results in a better product) and why Ruinart is in a class by itself (the Blanc de Blanc is made exclusively of chardonnay grapes, for one).

Climbing down to visit the caves at Ruinart

Riddlers turn 50,000 of these a DAY

Our tour took us deep into the caves beneath the beautiful Ruinart gardens where we saw a glimpse of Champagne's heritage. Ruinart bottles are aged on decades old racks, where riddlers twist them 1/8th of a turn daily. Kelly claimed Ruinart's two riddlers can manage 50,000 bottles a day!

The visit concluded with a tasting of our choice of two of four wines offered: Blanc de Blanc, Dom Ruinart, Dom Ruinart Rosé and R de Ruinart. I went with the R de Ruinart and Dom Ruinart.

Where to Eat in Reims

On our first visit, we had lunch on the patio at the popular Brasserie Flo centrally located on the main promenade. It's one of those places you can't miss.

For our second visit, we had a stunning lunch at Au Petite Comptoir. I couldn't tell you how to get there to save my life. Kelly at Ruinart drew directions for us but it's located on one of those typically French side streets that disappear the moment you blink. When I stopped at a police station to ask for directions, the station chief smiled and told me I was in for a phenomenal treat. God, I love how the French flirt! I simply ordered the specials. My daughter was asleep in my lap while my husband left his phone at Ruinart and had to run back there to grab it. While I enjoyed my meal alone, alas, there are no pictures to capture the experience as my phone's battery was dead. #1stWorldPains.

EVERYONE recommends Les Crayeres, the 3-star Michelin restaurant located in the Relais et Chateaux property, Chateau Les Crayeres. We couldn't get in there for lunch.

There are a number of decent places to eat on the main promenade in Reims, Les Basses Promenades.

If you're on the fence about visiting Champagne, don't be. Go! It's an easy day trip from Paris! 

France is full of stunning, historic and magical places. Champagne's beauty is in a class by itself. If you are in Paris you should, without question, try to visit this region.

My suggestions to approaching a day trip to Champagne: 

• Find a producer that interests you and start from there. I have always loved Moët et Chandon and Ruinart. I would love to visit Krug and Veuve Cliquot on my next trip.  
• Email the maison about reservations a few weeks prior to your trip. You will likely have pay at the time of booking. 
• Do some Googling about your trip to get a general sense of where you will be going. The train and cab route was a breeze but it might not be for you. 
• Tentatively schedule your day but bring an open mind. You never know where the day may take you. 
• Most maisons will accommodate children. Check, though, to ensure they do. At both Moët et Chandon and Ruinart they provided juice and snacks for our daughter. 

Find More Stories About Paris on TheGinaMiller.com:

• My Paris Travel Tips Video
• 5 Observations About Paris
• 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant Review
• How To Rent A Great Apartment In Paris
• The Best Paris Restaurants Right Now (4/2015)
• Paris Travel Tips
• How To Do Paris With A Baby
• Paris Travel Tips | VIDEO

Resources

• A definitive guide to getting to Champagne.
• Comité Champagne trade association - a US-based organization that has tons of useful information on Champagne.
• TGV - the train we used to get to Champagne.
• Reims Tourism Office
• Epernay Tourism Office
• Via Champagne Ardenne - a tour company that arranges visit to Champagne. 
• Ruinart
• Tattinger
• Moët et Chandon
• Brasserie Flo 
• Au Petite Comptoir
• Les Crayeres

5 Observations About Paris

Christmas carousel on the Place du Trocadéro next to the Eiffel  Tower

We're back from 10-plus days in Paris and are already planning a trip for 2015. Friends ask "Why do you continue to go back to a place you have visited so many times?"

Many reasons, really. In a foreign country, no matter what it is, you will always find something new to love and appreciate no matter how many times you visit. We enjoy revisiting favorite experiences like people watching at the George V hotel or visiting the Christmas markets. But we also enjoy discovering new places, like we did on our visit to Château de Fountainebleu.

Regardless, there are some things I distinctly noticed on this trip. Here are my most recent observations. Please tell me what you think in the comments section.

Better Kids Meals

We took our daughter, Jordan, with us for the third straight year. This was the first time she was able to eat pretty much what we did. At many restaurants, there are kid's menus but they're nothing like we have in the States. There isn't a chicken finger or mini pizza to be found. Most kid's menus consist of a steak or hamburger patty and potatoes, guinea fowl (offered everywhere), fish and vegetables or sausage and potatoes.

Jordan eating her steak and potatoes at Restaurant Astier

Jordan, who is going through the fussy eater phase, usually ate the steak and potatoes after filling up on a ton of bread. Interestingly, by the end of the trip she was much more interested in trying what we were eating. I had an epic seafood tower at Bar a Huitres on our last night. She wanted to try my clams as well as my husband's fish soup. I guess there is something to be said about French kids eating everything (I love the book, btw).

It's Not All Three-Course Gourmet Lunches And Wine

Don't be fooled that every French meal is a three course feast with wine. Parisians will eat a grab and go meal faster than you can break a baguette. Because of that, I think there's a real need for more fast-casual spots in Paris.

The checkout line at the Monop'

On multiple occasions when I tried to grab a quick lunch while walking the city, I ran into lines 20-30 people deep. At the popular fast-casual London export Pret-A-Manger, there were at least 50 people in line to buy a quick sandwich or soup. At the Monop', something akin to an upscale grocery store, the lunch line was at least 25 people deep.

This was at our local grocery store.

Other things I saw: diet food and the French version of DIY Mexican food, Old El Paso. I swear I could make a fortune opening up a Tex-Mex joint in Paris.

French Formality is NOT Rudeness

I have blogged about this before but the French get a bad rap for being rude. They are polite and expect more of the same. In the half a dozen times I have been there, on trips of 10 days or more, I have only encountered one rude waiter. One. That's it. For the most part, everyone has been cordial, warm and downright fun. Flirtatious, even.

RELATED: My Paris Travel Tips Video

A simple 'bonjour', 'au revoir', 'merci' and 's'il vous plait' go a long way. Take it a step further and practice your high school French. You will be rewarded with an impromptu French lesson and perhaps a new friend. Every time I spoke (really bad) French, it was appreciated and complimented.

They want politeness, manners and....

Dressing Up Still Counts

Despite how much more casual we seem to be getting as a society, people still dress well in Paris. Tennis shoes are a dead tourist giveaway. I wore Cole Haan and Alexander Wang booties with black denim jeans all over the city and felt fine.

I had an in-depth conversation about this with an Air France flight attendant. Her point was clear: their city is beautiful. They are a formal country and expect our appearance to reflect that. That is just one woman's opinion but her point is well-taken.

Interestingly, I didn't see a lot of makeup. I noticed more women sporting a natural face, not the done-up face I usually wear and see in Texas.

RELATED: 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant Review

Et Finalement, Everyone Smokes.

Yep, they still do. I saw a few e-cigarettes. They might be slowly catching on but the classic Marlborough Light still rules. 

What Do You Think?

Despite what any cynic says, Paris is still one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Being there is an inspiration. While the country is overwrought with exorbitant taxes and bureaucratic red tape, it's a magical place.

Le Village Royal, Paris

What do you think? Am I totally off or spot-on? What have you noticed in your travels abroad? Please share in the comments section!

Great Paris Restaurants You Need To Try

This story has moved to FabFrenchFinds.com. 

Click HERE to read it. 

Paris Travel Trips Or How To Meet The Man Of Your Dreams In France

Arc de Triomphe

I was standing in front of the Arc de Triomphe on one of those magical Paris November days: cool but not bone-chillingly cold. While crouched on the ground and angling for the perfect shot of the famous monument, I heard a man say "Pardon, madame."

"Oui, monseiur" I said, standing up to fix my eyes on one of the most beautiful human beings I'd ever seen. I'm talking Michael Hutchence at Wembley Stadium hot.

"Would you take my picture?" he asked, obviously noting I was some random tourist.

"Pas problem," I responded, trying to impress this Frenchman with my high school English and wishing this experience was happening to me about five years ago.

I snapped the shot. He asked for my phone number while I was in Paris, jolting me back to reality. That jolt was apparent.

"You are here on holiday?" he asked with a sly smile. "Or with the airlines?" he said assuming I was a flight attendant. This wasn't Mr. Michael Hutchence look-a-like's first rodeo.

"Um, actually," I stammered and looked my left. "I'm here with my husband and daughter", pointing to Jim and Jordan.

"Quelle tragédie," he said.

Yes, it was. On my fifth trip to Paris, my first with my family, I finally had the stereotypical "flirt with a Frenchman" experience. Oh, what could have been.

On The Bright Side
Thing is, it wasn't a tragedy. It was further proof of the city's allure. In Paris, you never know where the day will take you or who you will meet. The struggle of getting there, dealing with potential language barriers and the dollar's weakness in relation to the euro are ALWAYS forgotten when met with the beauty of a city that inspires romance and a sense of adventure.

At the Parc du Forum des Halles, November 2012

I have visited Paris and met neighbors from Dallas, oil barons from Dubai, new friends from Portugal and moguls from Austin. The city is one that breaks down those walls that we construct around us going through our daily existence.

Then there was the Michael Hutchence look-a-like. Damn....

Why Bring This Up Now? 
The husb, the kid and I are heading back to the City of Light this November (a great time to go). It will be the third straight year we've made the trip with Jordan.

It's gotten to the point where I am constantly asked about my favorite Paris stops. Those who take my recommendations are rarely disappointed.

Paris with Jordan & a new friend at the Trocadero, 2012

I believe that traveling well is a sport. In the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some of my favorite Parisian adventures with you. From where to eat and sleep to secret shops and brocantes, I'll be spilling all my Parisian beans. Pardon, haricots. I'll even tell you how to get to Normandy and Champagne, the latter being a monumentally more difficult affair than it should be.

Heading To Paris Soon? 
I've written about Paris a ton: Here's how to rent a Paris apartment.  Paris avec bebe. And with a baby again. Looking for a great app to keep up to speed with Paris happenings? Hotel Pavillon des Lettres has you covered. Just search "Paris" on my blog and you'll find a bounty of travel treasures.

Find More Stories About Paris on TheGinaMiller.com:

• 5 Observations About Paris
• My Paris Travel Tips Video
• 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant Review
• How To Rent A Great Apartment In Paris
• The Best Paris Restaurants Right Now (4/2015)
• How To Do Paris With A Baby
• Paris Travel Tips | VIDEO

Explore Some Favorite Parisian Finds

How Women are Changing the Travel Game

Love this story in Forbes about the influence women yield when it comes to travel decisions.  

Casa Batllo in Barcelona

"Women are fueling an explosive growth, making 80% of decisions and expected to spend more than $125 billion this year," writes author Cecilia Rodriguez

This reflects the norm in my life and in all the relationships I have had.  I have always been the one longing to get the heck out of dodge.  

Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England

What's also interesting is that the "average adventure traveler is not 28 and male but 47 and female, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. 

Why is that?  Is it because these women are facing an empty nest and experiencing an "Eat, Pray, Love" epiphany?  Perhaps.  

Whatever the reason, do it.  Travel is one of the few things that costs money but makes you richer.  And don't be afraid to do it alone.  I have done Barcelona, Paris, Israel and many domestic trips solo.  Sure, there are certain safety issues you must consider but the joys of solo travel range from self-discovery to being able to tell some great stories down the road.

Jerusalem's Old City

Travel Tips for the Single Gal on the Go
Read this for my travel trips for single women. 

So if you're on the fence about planning that trip this year, don't be.  Do it.  Life is too short not explore this wonderful world and experience the best of it. 

A Closer Look at The Parisian Diet

Eat sumptuous food and lose weight? On The Parisian Diet you can do it.

La Duree

Parisian Diet mastermind Dr. Jean Michel-Cohen is a popular French nutrition expert. He released a cookbook Light French Recipes: A Parisian Diet Cookbook here in May.  There are three phases to the diet:

• The Cafe Phase - a kickstart, lasting 8-10 days which includes plenty of liquids
• The Bistro Phase - a 2-3 week period in which you consume fiber and protein-rich meals
• The Gourmet Phase - the longterm phase you maintain until you reach your ideal weight. 

The main tenets of his diet are simple:

• Quality, not quantity - meaning smaller portions of food.  No supersizing.
• Savor your food and avoid mindless eating.  A meal is a ritual in which to celebrate, not chow down at your desk.  I have a bad habit of doing this. 
• Don't deprive - skip a salad if you don't love it!  Instead eat a smaller portion of something you love rather than a large salad you'll hate consuming. 

It's somewhat along the lines of Mireille Guiliano's French Women Don't Get Fat.

I tend to lose weight when I visit France (and any other foreign country, for that matter).  But what's interesting when I visit France is that I indulge.  Granted, we usually walk about five or more miles a day but there isn't one bit of restraint.  We eat cheese, drink wine, eat desserts, macarons and sumptuous, multi-course meals.   Here's the thing: the portions are small and the ingredients are fresh.

Here is a typical Parisian vacation diet, in pictures.

Breakfast

I visited Eric Kayser every morning to pick up pastries. 

This was my daily breakfast which is a departure from my normal routine of a green smoothie, oatmeal or toast and peanut butter.  We would get four pastries: one for me, my husband, my daughter and one to share.  Notice how these aren't huge.

Lunch

Lunch at Ma Cocotte

This was a normal lunch.  We would usually also have salad and dessert....and a few more glasses of wine.

Dinner
The final meal of the day was either one of two things: a blowout dinner or not much at all.

Dinner at Maxim's

Dessert at Maxim's

Treating my daughter like a queen! 

We celebrated my birthday in 2013 at Maxim's at around 10pm one evening.  Sure it's touristy but it was a wonderful experience.

Crepes, cheese, champagne and fruit for dinner

On other nights, after having a large lunch we would eat a smaller dinner featuring what you see above.  The thing about dinners in Paris is that there is no late night snacking, something I struggle with at home.  Once the kitchen is closed, it's closed.  No more food after dinner.

The ubiquitous bottle of wine

We had wine at almost every meal.  Generally a bottle split between the two of us.

Oreos! Mon dieu!

Don't think the French are perfect.  Look what I found at the grocery store...processed food!

The Takeaway 
The Parisian Diet isn't a new concept.  It's one that most nutrition experts advocate: eat real food, smaller portions of it, be mindful when you eat and enjoy your food.

Whether in Paris or not, that's something most of us can do every day.

What foreign eating principles do you like? I love the Mediterranean approach to eating. Please share your favorite foreign diet concept in the comments section.

Buy the Books Mentioned in this Post:

The Most Fattening Food Around the World

Part of the fun of travel is eating.  I believe that you can learn so much about a foreign culture by simply popping into bar, ordering a local drink and appetizers and chatting up the bartender and patrons next to you.  Those are truly some of my best memories.

Banana Nutella Crepes/image via Wikimedia

Some of those memories are made with some of the world's most fattening foods.  I would live on Nutella and banana crepes if I could.  This is a calorie nightmare though: Two tablespoons of Nutella is 200 calories (110 calories from fat), the crepe itself is fry-cooked batter and usually topped with whipped cream.  At least there's some fruit, right?  I'm going with that.

Paris, 2010

Not a sweet fan?  Try gruyere crepes like the ones I had in Montmartre one night.  I died and went to food heaven.

Other fattening travel foodgasms I've had?  The expected, like a typical breakfast of Churros dunked in jello-thick chocolate in Spain.  The most random?  A cheese-wrapped hot dog (or polser as they're called in Denmark) stuffed in a bun from a street vendor in Copenhagen.  Don't judge.  It was fabulous.

Smarter Travel lists 10 of the most fattening foods around the world.  It's such food porn, it's worth discussing. Breakfast Churros dipped in chocolate and Nutella crepes are both on the list.

Georgian Khachapuri/Image via Wikimedia

How about Khachapuri from Georgia?  It's a bowl of bread stuffed with melted cheese, topped with an egg and a large pat of butter.  It actually looks pretty good.

Aligot/Image via Wikimedia

If you're in France, you MUST try Aligot.  It's a mashed potato dish with butter, cream, garlic and melted cheese whipped together in gorgeous thick dish.  Don't ask about the calories.  Just don't.

Jalebi/Image via Wikimedia

Jalebi - this is a deep-fried dough that is soaked in a sugary syrup.  Eh, not so much.

Deep Fried Mars Bar/Image via Wikimedia

Perhaps the lamest one on the list?  A Deep-Fried Mars Bar from Scotland.  Please....that's just an appetizer at the State Fair of Texas.

Read the complete list here.

What About You?
Share your favorite travel memory in the comments section!

A Brilliant App to Help Plan Your Trip to Paris

The New York Times briefly mentioned this app produced by Le Pavillon des Lettres in Sunday's Travel section.  I was immediately interested.  I know the hotel well and thought it would do a good job with a digital offering.

I had no idea how thorough it would be.  I have paid for Parisian guide apps that aren't nearly as extensive.

The app has the obligatory hotel information and the weather.  Let's be honest, at the end of the day, it's a marketing tool.

It also had timely suggestions for events going on in the city.  This past Sunday it featured Chinese New Year's celebrations.

It offers fun itineraries for Paris with children featuring various shows and parks like Le Jardin d'Acclimation.  Here are my two cents on what to do in Paris with children.

It also suggested a Golden Age itinerary that can have you experiencing Parisian life like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald did in the 1920's.

This isn't necessarily groundbreaking stuff but it's packaged well, offers a quality offline map and features stunning photography.

If anything, it's a great diversion for times when you're craving a trip across the pond.  Which for me right now, is about once a day.