After our experience on the Metro while transferring from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon (see earlier Paris Metro review) I was in need of a rest and a glass of wine. Having read the recommendation by the Man in Seat 61 I suggested to my husband that it would be a good place to wait for our train to Geneva. We found it without difficulty but saw that people were being turned away at the door but guessed that the restaurant was fully booked. We asked if we could go to the bar for a drink and were shown to a table there but on the way I gazed in awe at the decorations – art nouveau style, painted ceilings, gilding, mirrors, chandeliers – absolutely breathtaking. We were handed a menu and decided (well, I decided) that we should have something light to eat with our wine so we ordered a plate of charcuterie to share. It was delicious but expensive. If you have time for a meal the set lunch looks better value. Service was good, if a bit slow, but we had plenty of time. The toilets were at the end of the bar so I paid them a visit and they were also luxurious. I walked back to our table the long way round so I could have a good look at the restaurant before we left for our train; I didn’t have the nerve to take any photographs but there are some on the above websites. A very enjoyable experience although I think my husband is still getting over the bill. In retrospect the money we paid for the drinks and snack would have paid for a taxi transfer instead of the cheap Metro option.
“Click to see photos of the venue and the menu”:http://www.le-train-bleu.com
“Click to read what the Man in Seat 61 says about Train Bleu”:http://www.seat61.com
