Merci Fraussie for the report on these places and their details. Interesting and useful. I have noted the details for my next trip.
When I was staying in Rouen someone told me that is was “not the done thing” for a woman went to go to a bar by herself and just have a glass of wine. When I questionned this, it was not because it looked like she was looking to be picked up but rather that a woman only drinks alone like this if she is an alcoholic. It is not something that I had heard before. Would it be frowned upon to go to these lovely bars by myself for an apéro?
Fraussie
January 12th, 2012 at 9:32 am
Hi, I wonder if the person in Rouen was a man or a woman? I checked with Relationnel and he said you’ll have no problem in the big hotel bars. He also said that it’s a question of attitude. If you’re just sitting there with your glass of wine happily enjoying it, no one would imagine you were alcoholic. There are a lot of male prejudices around here still and sometimes you just have to do your own thing and ignore what people might think!
Nice article! The aperitif is something important in France! I am French but I have never been in a particular place for an aperitif. Most of the time it happens at home with friends and/or family. Is the aperitif something that you do in Australia sometimes? I’m going to move to Australia in a few weeks, for the first time. I guess you have a lot of different habits and it’s going to be interesting! 🙂
Fraussie
January 15th, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Hi Lucie. Thanks for stopping by! Having a drink with friends in a pub, often in a beer garden, is a big part of Australian life. It’s very much an outdoor country. Where will you be living?
[…] Tuileries Gardens on the left and some of Paris’ best known luxury hotels on the right – Le Meurice, the Saint James and Albany, the Brighton, the Régina – not to mention Angelina’s. The […]
Last night I followed your suggestion for an aperitif at Bar 228 with an Australian friend. I had previously been by myself when I was last in Paris. We had a wonderful time enjoying the atmosphere and the music from the piano and double bass. Each of us has pledged to go back again with our respective partners and with other friends. If it wasn’t for your blogpost we would never have discovered this great spot. Thank you.
Fraussie
January 4th, 2013 at 11:01 pm
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it again! I’ll have to try some more.
Pamela
February 19th, 2014 at 2:24 am
Hi Rosemary
Very late to this party. Just picked it up from F-book. many thanks, will definitely take note of your recommendations for our visit to Paris in June.
Some years ago we stayed for three weeks at the Residence Eiffel (the old villa was once Gustave Eiffel’s holiday home) in Beaulieu sur Mer near the Villa Kerylos (it was fabulous, right on the water, and very reasonably priced, sadly was sold and don’t think it exists any more). Demi-pension, so we used to dine on the terrace every evening looking across the pool to the Med and watch the sun set. Nearly all French guests and intrigued by Aussies (apparently very rare in years there), many befriended us. A lovely older widow suggested we try out all the luxury hotels in the early evening by going to “prendre un verre”. She said she and her husband always enjoyed places this way and she still did it alone sometimes. We followed her advice, it’s a lovely way to appreciate the ambience without having to spend a fortune. Best wishes, Pamela
Rosemary Kneipp
February 19th, 2014 at 4:22 pm
It was a French who first introduced me to the luxury bars as well. Sounds like you had a lovely time!
[…] diet going? I’ve managed to lose a kilo this week, despite the galette des rois, an apéritif at Le Meurice (where I stuck to the olives and nuts and ignored the cheesy things), dinner at Le Mesturet […]
Merci Fraussie for the report on these places and their details. Interesting and useful. I have noted the details for my next trip.
When I was staying in Rouen someone told me that is was “not the done thing” for a woman went to go to a bar by herself and just have a glass of wine. When I questionned this, it was not because it looked like she was looking to be picked up but rather that a woman only drinks alone like this if she is an alcoholic. It is not something that I had heard before. Would it be frowned upon to go to these lovely bars by myself for an apéro?
Hi, I wonder if the person in Rouen was a man or a woman? I checked with Relationnel and he said you’ll have no problem in the big hotel bars. He also said that it’s a question of attitude. If you’re just sitting there with your glass of wine happily enjoying it, no one would imagine you were alcoholic. There are a lot of male prejudices around here still and sometimes you just have to do your own thing and ignore what people might think!
Thanks for checking with Relationnel. It was a woman who made the comment but I will not be allowing it deter me visiting these beautiful bars.
Nice article! The aperitif is something important in France! I am French but I have never been in a particular place for an aperitif. Most of the time it happens at home with friends and/or family. Is the aperitif something that you do in Australia sometimes? I’m going to move to Australia in a few weeks, for the first time. I guess you have a lot of different habits and it’s going to be interesting! 🙂
Hi Lucie. Thanks for stopping by! Having a drink with friends in a pub, often in a beer garden, is a big part of Australian life. It’s very much an outdoor country. Where will you be living?
[…] Tuileries Gardens on the left and some of Paris’ best known luxury hotels on the right – Le Meurice, the Saint James and Albany, the Brighton, the Régina – not to mention Angelina’s. The […]
Last night I followed your suggestion for an aperitif at Bar 228 with an Australian friend. I had previously been by myself when I was last in Paris. We had a wonderful time enjoying the atmosphere and the music from the piano and double bass. Each of us has pledged to go back again with our respective partners and with other friends. If it wasn’t for your blogpost we would never have discovered this great spot. Thank you.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it again! I’ll have to try some more.
Hi Rosemary
Very late to this party. Just picked it up from F-book. many thanks, will definitely take note of your recommendations for our visit to Paris in June.
Some years ago we stayed for three weeks at the Residence Eiffel (the old villa was once Gustave Eiffel’s holiday home) in Beaulieu sur Mer near the Villa Kerylos (it was fabulous, right on the water, and very reasonably priced, sadly was sold and don’t think it exists any more). Demi-pension, so we used to dine on the terrace every evening looking across the pool to the Med and watch the sun set. Nearly all French guests and intrigued by Aussies (apparently very rare in years there), many befriended us. A lovely older widow suggested we try out all the luxury hotels in the early evening by going to “prendre un verre”. She said she and her husband always enjoyed places this way and she still did it alone sometimes. We followed her advice, it’s a lovely way to appreciate the ambience without having to spend a fortune. Best wishes, Pamela
It was a French who first introduced me to the luxury bars as well. Sounds like you had a lovely time!
[…] diet going? I’ve managed to lose a kilo this week, despite the galette des rois, an apéritif at Le Meurice (where I stuck to the olives and nuts and ignored the cheesy things), dinner at Le Mesturet […]