Le “Dodo Manège” aux Jardin des Plantes
  • 30
  • Jun
  • 2012

“Where else but Paris can a kid ride on an extinct beast? On the “Dodo Manège” carousel in Paris’ Jardin des Plantes they can ride on not only a dodo or a triceratops, but also a horned turtle (tortue à cornes), a glyptodon, a thylacine, or a sivatherium. There are also a few non-extinct animals (panda, elephant, ostrich, gorilla) on this carousel concerned with the evolution of species.

The carousel is beautifully painted with a jungle scene and 12 individual vignettes (around its top) showing some fascinating animals like lemurs, pangolins, and armadillos, as well as scenes from the Jardin des Plantes itself.”(from itinerantprofessor.blogspot.com)

Twenty years ago Jean-Jacques Harel made this carousel for his 2 year old son. He is a photographer specialised in animals and worked for the Museum of Natural History, but he is also an expert on extincted animals.

The Jardin des Plantes,  57 rue Cuvier, 2 rue Buffon, 36 rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire, place Valhubert 75005 Paris.

Septime
  • 27
  • Jun
  • 2012

From the blog : parisbymouth

Chef Bertrand Grébaut climbed the ranks at L’Arpège before going on to earn a star of his own at Agapé at the tender age of 27. He was awarded a 10,000€ grant from Evian-Badoit to realize his vision for Septime, where he said he wanted to “democratize” haute cuisine. The 26€, three-course lunch menu goes a long way to reach this goal, and so does the warm but professional service. Expect beautiful, seasonal cooking, pristine ingredients, and a fine list of natural wines to match.

Septime, 80, Rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris, tel 01 43 67 38 29, M° Charonne, Reservations : book one or two weeks in advance

Fish La Boissonnerie
  • 23
  • Jun
  • 2012

Before becoming a bistro it was actually a fish shop and to keep the memory of this, the facade has stayed the same with its tiled mosaics, which is still very apt considering that seafood is very prominent on the menu and is filled with specialities such as smoked salmon, shrimps, caviar, monkfish, steamed mussels, oyster beignets, etc.

Popular both with the locals and tourists alike, the menu itself changes daily with what produce is available, so there is always going to be something different to tempt your taste buds, plus there are set menu options, an A la Carte menu and there are always daily specials written on the blackboard.

Obviously because Fish la Boissonnerie is also like one of the wine bars in Paris as well, with the very extensive wine list comprising not just French wines, but wines from all over Europe and a vast range of the wines being served by the glass, plus the daily specials for a very reasonable cost, this is yet another reason why it is so popular.

Fish La Boissonnerie, 69, Rue de Seine, 75006 Paris, tel 01 43 54 34 69

Frenchie
  • 20
  • Jun
  • 2012

Gregory Marchand’s bistro is one of the hardest reservations to land in Paris, which is why the lively bar he opened in June has become so popular. since it takes walk-ins only. It’s a great way to sample his superb modern French cooking. Go early or prepared for a long wait.

Frenchie, 5-6, rue du Nil – 75002 Paris – tel 01 40 39 96 19, M° Sentier, open from 19h – 22.30h