@bgut1. Just to note that, if your budget is generous, the Don Juan II dinner cruise is far more foodie and far less touristy than the others. I have only experienced it for free when Don Juan II was chartered by my company for business entertaining but was blown away by the very impressive quality of the food and the setting. It’s a very classy experience. I have taken other dinner cruises over the years (Ducasse, Calife, Bateaux Mouches) and can say that the Don Juan II was the most memorable. But I imagine if I had to pay for it on my own, I’d need a defibrillator when the bill was presented. https://donjuan2.yachtsdeparis.fr/
For a memorable traditional meal, I go to Chez L’ami Jean, and put yourself in chef Jago’s hands. Another approach is to find good places (I find Michelin Bib gourmand to be a pretty good site now that John Talbott is off the field). Another approach is to find places near sites you’re going to visit – Le Fumoir right by the Louvre, etc. I identify a number of those on my blog —“Where to eat near …”. Another place I love was L’Ebauchoir in the 11th, where there are a couple of choices, and the treatment of vegetables and sauces is remarkable.
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Daniel - Thank you for the recommendation. We were considering Bateaux Parisienne at a cost of $209 pp with wine included. This dinner cruise appears to be higher end at a cost of $220 pp so it is definitely in our price range. My only questions are as follows: 1) do you know if wine is included? 2) is the dress formal? We were only planning to travel with causal clothing; 3) Is there entertainment? Not a deal breaker but thought it was a nice added touch with the other cruise; and 4) while I like the spacing between tables and the outdoor deck, how doable will standing outside be in early November?
Read about Regis online (Eater Paris Essential 38 restaurants) and saw some videos on YouTube. The reviews appear to be good and the restaurant looks the part and seems like an easy quick stop for a tray of oysters and a bottle of Sancerre. Didn’t hear about Huguette and Seulement Sea until I started reading this board.
I think I was able to answer some of my questions. First it appears that wine, water and coffee/tea are not included. As for dress, jacket and ties are not required though in a few videos I found online, most people wear them. It also doesn’t appear to include entertainment. The only question seems to be how they intend to handle the cold weather on their deck. Also more importantly, they are either closed on 11/11 and 11/12 for the holiday or are fully booked.
Just to add that Chez l’Ami Jean is not purely traditional, but inventive as well. No precious plating or fancy surroundings. Always an eye toward modernity without losing sight of tradition. A memorable meal that cannot be duplicated elsewhere.
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In Paris, what you wear is far less important than how you wear it. Casual is fine as long as the look is well put-together.
Count yourself lucky. Usually, entertainment aimed at tourists is ultra-cheesy.
The only way to be sure is to email the operators of any dinner cruise you are considering and ask if the outside decks are available, heated and weather-protected in November.
I don’t know about Don Juan II’s reservations specifically but, in general, there are many reasons for a “no availability” result when trying to make online reservations. Some places do indeed close for the very sombre 11 Novembre holiday. Some have a very short 2- to 4-week reservation window and you are just too early, the venue could have been hired for a private event on the day you want, the reservation module the resto uses could be down. A few restaurants pretend to have no empty tables on any date but instead use a waiting list excuse for compiling marketing lists. You just never know. But never take the first “no availability” as the final answer. Try again closer to your date. BTW, unlike tourists, we Parisians rarely make reservations far in advance. Me, I usually make rezzies the day before or day of but have a plan b, c, d, and e in mind in case the resto is full. As I have said many times before, there are no unmissables in Paris. Every restaurant has alternatives that are better, just as good or almost as good. In your case, I’d also have a look at the almost-as-good Ducasse-sur-Seine and Le Calife for dinner cruises.
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Thank you Daniel and everyone else for chiming in with advice for my trip. I truly appreciate your help and hope I can return the favor for anyone looking for restaurant advice in my neck of the woods (NYC/New Jersey).
I’m sure I found Huitrerie Regis the first time thanks to either Lobrano or perhaps Paris by Mouth. Indeed, as the OP notes, it is still listed on The Eater 38, supposedly updated in July, under Lobrano’s byline, with the claim that they are “the best bivalves in Paris”, although it does not note that the restaurant has changed ownership and doesn’t source its oysters the same way. (FWIW I find Eater in most U.S. cities to be a reasonably reliable source, at least when the info is being kept up to date, as it does not seem to be in Paris now.)
I think pilgrim has it right re: reliability. I’ve been coming to Paris every year or two for a week or two, and before this year oysters would be my entire meal only once, and I thought Regis was really good, and didn’t think the sole sourcing a disadvantage, and I like the room during the day. The owner might have been a bit gruff sometimes, but I also thought the place had soul. And for me, at least, it didn’t bother me if there were mostly tourists (as they were rarely just tourists speaking English). So it was easy for me to return each year, and recommend the place to others.
I was at Huitrerie Regis for lunch again last week. The oysters were fine this time, though I think I preferred the ones under previous management a bit more. I got an assortment with some prawns. I swear the room used to be a little bit bigger (though I may well have this wrong). But I didn’t like the vibe nearly as much this time, mostly I think because I never saw the man behind the counter nor the waiter smile even once.
So for me, Huitrerie Regis is now no longer a must, and I preferred the oysters at Huguette (where the substantially least expensive oyster variety were one of my two favorites). OTOH if others in your party want cooked food, then Seulement Sea would be far preferable to Huguette, where we didn’t like our two cooked dishes at all.
I hope I am not over staying my welcome but I was hoping I can ask a few miscellaneous questions. Here goes:
- Transfer from CDG to the 9th arr. - taxi, Uber or private car?
- As mentioned above, we will be in town during Armistice Day. As Daniel noted, I understand it is a somber holiday and that some restaurants and shops will be closed or close early. I also understand that most museums will be open. Any advice on how to handle the day would be appreciated.
- Now for the crazy one - I have been reading some reviews about restaurants near our hotel (Opera) that mention the sight of mice. How common is it to see mice in restaurants and hotels? I have seen the movie Ratatouille but this is kind of unexpected and would most definitely ruin our time. There are rats and cockroaches in NYC but I don’t ever recall seeing any in restaurants and hotels. Out of sight out of mind.
Thank you.
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I sometimes use Uber to go to the airport, but coming into the city, taxi is easiest – just follow the markings inside the terminal and there’s always (in my experience) a taxi waiting. From CDG to the right bank, there’s a mandated rate of 53€ and don’t take any crap about add-ons for luggage or special days of the week – it’s 53€, period; if the driver persists, take a photo of the license and say you are going to send it to the mayor’s office. Tip is entirely optional. Also, be sure that you ignore the ripoff people trying to get you to take something other than a regular taxi – just follow the signs to the taxi stand and you want a car with the taxi sign on the roof.
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Normally, November 11 isn’t that big a deal in Paris, but since it’s on Friday this year, a few smaller restaurants and shops may close to take a long weekend. But there will be plenty of stuff open, so it shouldn’t be a concern to you.
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I’ve never heard of rat sightings in restaurants or hotels in Paris – please give us names. I would not visit any of them. I have on one or two occasions seen rats in the Métro and a few times in parks.
Just to add to onzieme’s remarks.
For the taxi from CDG to your hotel, print the exact name and address of your hotel plus a very prominent “53€” underlined and show to driver. Uber not a good idea because there is no official meeting point, occasionally surge pricing, and slower because they cannot use bus lanes like taxis can. Private car? A waste of money and often unreliable. There is also the RoissyBus. Not usually a good idea but you will be staying very close to the final stop on rue Scribe @rue Auber across from the side of the Palais Garnier, probably just a few minutes walk to your hotel.
And yes, tipping is optional. But none of this 20% crap. The most I’ve ever tipped a taxi driver for the ride from CDG is a few euros. If you insist on using a percentage, 10% would be very generous.
I doubt if there is a restaurant in the world that doesn’t have mice/ rats at some time. I have never encountered a mouse in a Paris restaurant, but it wouldn’t surprise me if I did. It’s just the luck of the draw. Certainly not the norm.
On 11 Novembre, there is a military parade on the Champs Elysées and a remembrance ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in the morning. There are severe traffic disruptions in that part of Paris (the place de l’Opera is a huge bottleneck) but things clear by 1pm. Some métro stations around the Champs Elysées are closed until about 1pm… the metro lines that serve them continue to run but just don’t stop at the closed stations. For you, I suggest a walk to the Louvre in the morning, checking out the museum and the delightful hidden gardens of the nearby Palais Royal. Maybe lunch at Juvéniles on rue Richelieu. There will probably be more French provincial and European tourists taking advantage of the holiday to have a long weekend in Paris. And fewer Parisians (also away on a long weekend). Some smaller shops and restaurants are closed but not many. As a tourist once you got out of the traffic-clogged Opéra district in the morning, you will hardly notice that it’s a holiday.
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@andygottlieb42. My main point is that, with so many places serving oysters in Paris (probably 100+) why should Régis be selected as a standout. And the answer is, of course, location location location (bowing to @pilgrim) smack dab in the middle of one of the most popular tourist ghettos. From my experience, the ambiance is much improved under the new owners (who, at least, don’t constantly mumble insults under their breath about the customers like the previous guy did). Not sure why the staff was so dour on your day but I found them charming and engaging (in French). I will admit that a lot of French, even if they are able to speak English, don’t always know how to be charming in English and sometimes retreat into a cold formality that is part of our norms of politeness with strangers.
I totally agree that Huguette is not memorable as a fish restaurant but it is very recommendable as an oyster joint because of the variety on offer. I’ll sneak in a recommendation for the petite friture (tiny fish deep fried and eaten whole… very Mediterranean) as well. It’s also a great “fun” place for younger tourists and families with teenagers or younger kids in tow.
There are oyster joints in or near St Germain des Prés that are excellent but relatively unknown to tourists. Opium La Cabane on rue Dauphine… amazing value and quantity. Le Mareyeur/ La Cantine du Luxembourg on rue Vaugirard across from « le Luco » park…. great value but sometimes a bit rowdy because it doubles as a sports bar. If you don’t mind a 10- to 15-walk, Bar à Iode on the boulevard St Germain in the Quartier Latin. Best of all, especially when you want to turn a platter of oysters into an event rather just something to eat, the landmark brasseries on boulevard Montparnasse… La Coupole (excellent variety of oysters but expensive), Le Dôme (expensive), and, my favourite, La Rotonde Montparnasse.
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We’ve always found Uber easy.
Coat-tailing Onz and Parn, taxis from CDG are eary to access, fixed price and reliable.
FWIW, I always snap a photo of the license of any vehicle before we enter. The only time I needed it was the time I didn’t bother to take one.
I am assuming its best to have cash as opposed to credit card for taxis? And while we are talking about cash and tipping, is there a norm for good service in finer restaurants? BTW, thanks for the idea of taking a photo of the driver’s license.
Another tip, ALWAYS ask for a receipt when paying the cabbie. Should you have left anything in the cab, it will supply contact details.
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We also take a taxi from CDG into the city and have always paid with a credit card.
Taxis are supposed to accept credit cards, but nine times out of ten, when I ask to pay with my card, they say the terminal is broken or even that they can’t be arsed to turn it on because it takes ages. In the case of longer distances like airport to city, they may be less prone to that sort of BS. I never take taxis anymore, even less to airports. Uber or its equivalents (Bolt, Freenow…) are less complicated to use.
However, traffic jams can be tiresome, and what I usually do when landing at Charles de Gaulle is either take a bus (Roissybus, a long drive, but it leaves you right at Opéra and is rather cheap) or a RER train which lets you get off at Opéra (Auber), Saint-Michel, Jardin du Luxembourg (get off the train, there’s an escalator at the end of the platform, and there you go), Port-Royal or Denfert-Rochereau, all pretty central, handy locations. The trains are in poor state but they do the job and are never interrupted by traffic, making them the fastest way to get to the city. Mind your wallets.
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Just my addition, tourist to tourist: taxis are easy &, as everyone else said, fixed rate & easy to find.
We have never seen any rodents in or around restaurants but, as Parn said, we also wouldnt be shocked to see them. The issue is an obvious one, but Paris seems to have a better handle on it than we do in NYC partially, I think, due to the big solid waste containers that are used.
Tipping advice for restaurants is all over the place. My own observation is that its more expected from American tourists than locals, but that no one working would be shocked to find nothing left or just a few euros. 5% seems to get a good reaction; 10% is a little much but appreciated and makes us (tourists from NYC) feel more comfortable given that we’re used to over 20% at home. Do what you wish — no one will run after you cursing. At least, not for that. 
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