Just when I thought every possible type of vehicle to tour Paris had been exhausted, a new clever one has hit the streets. After bicycles, tricycles and Velibs, buses, cars- including driving your own Maserati sports car or sitting in the uncomfortable back seat of a Citroen CV, Segways, rickshaws, and mini-trains comes Bustronome.
Bustronome is a humongous bus that serves multi-course gourmet lunches and dinners while touring the highlights of Paris. I was a little weary when I first read about Bustronome, thinking about how they could do something like that without causing a disaster, so I contacted them out of curiosity to sample a tour.
I chose the night tour, which started at 7:45 and arrived at Ave. Kleber right off the Place Etoile/Charles DeGaulle to meet the bus. Looming almost three stories and practically hitting the tree branches was a slick, shiny black behemoth. I boarded the bus and was shown to the elegant dining room on the second floor. The tables were set with fine china and in the center of the table was a Lucite structure to hold the glassware so that the drinks didn’t spill while the bus was moving, which put some of my fears to rest. I was immediately offered a glass of Champagne and relaxed before the bus took off, taking in the view of the Arch de Triomphe from the 360 degree view from the glass wrapped terrace above and beside me.
The bus left at 7:55PM and slowly circulated the streets touring the Champs Elysees, Trocadero, the Eiffel Tower (timed on the hour so we were able to see the glitter lights sparkle), the Champs de Mars, the Opera Garnier, Musée d’Orsay, the Grand Palais, the Hotel de Ville, the Grand Palais, and the Notre Dame. During the almost three hour ride a six-course meal was served which included a porcini mushroom custard, a sea scallop carpaccio garnished with grapefruit and pistachio, turbot fillet with a pumpkin and safran sauce, roasted veal with potatoes, Cabecou- a soft goat cheese from the Midi-Pyrenees, and a pineapple and passion fruit cheesecake. Although the menu was uneven in some spots, it was mostly good and the small portion size worked well. The bus moved at a slow enough place so that it never felt bumpy, even though the glassware rattled somewhat on the cobblestone streets and my worry that the bus would make a short stop and a pool of boiling hot cassoulet would land on my lap was now a passing thought.
Another thoughtful feature about the service was instead of having the historical information about the sites blaring through the speakers, on the back of the menu was a map of the various stops and you were given an electronic pointer so you could tap on each spot of the map and it would automatically dispense the history through a speaker in the pointer.
Bustronome is available seven days a week and offers two hour lunch tours starting from 12PM to 2PM for 95 euros per person with drinks including Champagne, wine, and coffee or tea or 65 euros without, and dinner service is 2.5 hours from 7:45PM to 10:15PM for 125 euros per person with drinks or 85 euros without. The good news is Bustronome can prepare a vegan menu and can also do private or customized tours.
I think Bustronome is a luxurious and relaxed way to see the city and I especially liked the night tour because it was more romantic and there was much less traffic.
http://www.bustronome.com
Christmas/Holiday Tour of Paris for 2014
Paris is magical during the holidays and I am happy to announce a special Christmas/Holiday Tour of Paris for 2014. Clients will experience the marvelous shop windows, gleaming outdoor lights, beautifully decorated trees, and festive Christmas markets. The tour includes a visit to Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores, the Champs Elysees Holiday market, the yummy gourmet shops Fauchon and Hediard on Place Madeleine overflowing with delicious holiday goodies, and the rue St. Honoré, with designer shops Hermes and Lanvin. To warm up, we stop for an authentic hot chocolate at one of the top Paris chocolate shops.
Tour times 10AM-1PM or 2PM-5PM
Cost: 225 euros for 1-3 people, 75 euros each additional person. Hot chocolate is not included in price. Email me at [email protected] to book the tour or for more information.
Tours will be conducted everyday from December 20, 2014 to January 5, 2015 except on Christmas and New Years Day.
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour
