It is almost impossible to avoid the guidebook technique in discussing the gastronomic riches of the Ile-de-France. There is so much to see in the province of the capital of France—cathedrals, châteaux, forests, and old towns—that one has an irresistible urge to couple a famous country auberge with its historical surroundings. What is the epicurean solution to a day in Versailles, a week end in Barbizon, or a visit to the cathedrals north of Paris? Where should you lunch if you go to the races at Chantilly, or if you motor down the banks of the Seine, or if you Suddenly decide to wander through the majestic stillness of the forest of Fontainebleau? The much emphasized tie-up between gastronomy and teurisme could hardly have a better illustration. So even if the ensuing paragraphs have a faint blush of Baedeker about them, I hope you will overlook the fact and bear with me, for there are some names to treasure truffled in this text,
One expects the environs of Paris to be studded with interesting side trips, and it is. Within the small confines of the lle-de-France arc the two most celebrated palaces in France, Versailles and Fontainebleau, and other châteaux almost as impressive-Pierre-fonds, Saint-Germain, Chantilly, Compiègnc, and Rambouillet. There are dozens of less obvious châteaux-Gros Bois, Pampierre, Malmaison, and Vaux-le-Vicomtc, for example, which provide mild adventure off the beaten path and a good country inn for your rustic lunch. The northern half of the lle-de-France is generously sprinkled with dihedrals—Saint—Denis, Senlis, Soissons, Mantes, Laon, and Noyon-all worth a visit and all within the orbit of a gastronomic lour. Then, there are the beautiful race tracks in the Paris region. Farther out are the forests and beyond them the open countryside, each with a distinct appeal. How can this help but turn into a treatise on spending a day or a week end away from the cacophony of Paris?
Of course, the appeal is not always touristic. The exacting gourmet who refuses to dilute his gastronomy with architecture and milling sightseers can make a pilgrimage to Bougival or Donnemarie-en-Montois, for example, and concentrate on the splendors of fine cooking alone. The two romantic young people who value a sylvan bower far more than a château courtyard or a cathedral nave will find ecstasy and superlative food, if it happens to interest them, in the idyllic Barbizon hotels bordering the forest of Fontainebleau. The noise-weary visitor in Paris who yearns for a tranquil dinner on the bank of a river somewhere has only to ask the taxi driver to take him to Chennevières, a quiet village on the Marne. There he will find L'ECU DE FRANCE, a rustic auberge whose riverbank terrace has been a favorite with Parisians since the 1880's. As you can see, there is something for every taste.
Getting down to technicalities for the briefest possible moment, the Ile-de-France is made up roughly of four dépatements -Seine (Paris), Seine-et-Oise, Aisne, Oise. and heller than half of the Seine-et-Marne. which falls partly in the Champagne. The Ilcdc-Francc may be the most populous province in France, but it is amazing how soon you emerge from Paris into the open country. Small wonder that Paris is deserted on a warm Sunday.
There is a distinct regional cookery in the outlying fringes of the Ile-de-France, but it is by no means pronounced. as is the case in Béam, Périgord, or Provence. It seems safe to generalize and to state that, by and large, the Ilc'de-France luxuriates in the pure French cuisine. free from the affectations of Paris-and what could be better? When this series appears in book form there will be a plump chapter on regional dishes from the Ilc-de-Prance. For the moment space limits this toothsome discussion to a few days' trips and week ends out of Paris, all with gastronomic overtones. Here, by département, are some of the better ones:
Bougival (Seine-et-Oise)
The very topmost rank among the several fine outlying restaurants within taxi distance of Paris has, for several years, been occupied by the HOSTELLERIE DU COQ HARDY, in Bougival. It has become a legend, and few informed visitors with distinguished palates miss it. Bougival is an inconspicuous village on the Seine, not far from Saint-Germain, and it is conceivable, but unlikely, that a tireless tripper could combine the châteaux of Malmaihison, Saint-Germain, and Versailles with a luncheon in the Lucullan Bold Rooster. That is entirely too much for one day, for this fabulous establishment is an experience in itself and is likely to be a lengthy one. A cheerful While Horse Inn type of place on the riverside 2nd heavily banked with luxurious motor cars, the Coq Hardy is quite irresistible once you are past its threshold. You dine under the trees in a bower of blossoms when the weather is fine. Otherwise, a choice of handsomely appointed dining salons awaits you. But the reputation of the Cot] Hardy rests on something more substantial than begonias and Louis XVI chairs. Its cuisine is quite beyond reproach and equal to the best in Paris. The service is impeccable and attentive, the wines noble, the prices understandably high. It is hardly fair to select one specialty in preference to another, but here arc four memorable ones: pâté chand maison, gratin de homatd à la Newberg. pottlet à la brocbe, and gâtean an abocolat. With a crisp Mcursault and a soul-warming Château-Lafite they make up a dinner not to be soon forgotten.
Pontchartrain (Seine-et-Oise)
Perhaps we have overlooked something, but it appears from fairly close inspection that Versailles offers scant encouragement to the discriminating diner. Of course, there is one superb hotel, the TRIANON PALACE, which for the moment shelters our most eminent envoy, Ike himself. But for the observer who wishes to combine a visit to the matchless Palais de Versailles with an equally matchless luncheon the pickings seem slim. That would be a lamentable situation, indeed, but luckily it can be avoided if you are willing to make a western detour to L'AUBERGADE, in the town of Pontchartrain, about ten miles beyond Versailles. Ten miles is a lot, unless one is richly rewarded for the effort, but many a French gourmet would walk, not ride, those extra ten miles just to bask in this temple of wonderful cooking. Located on the western outskirts of the (own, L'Aubergade (the “g” is hard) is the type of inn you read about in novels—gay, rustic,bedecked with flowers, filled with interesting people. Its rose garden and tree-shaded terrace are a joy to behold, and its large provincial salle à manger has room for everybody in dubious weather. But, naturally, the masterful cuisine of the patron-chef,Monsieur Ogier, is the Auberrgade's ultimate badge of distinction. Here is an ex-Parisian who confines himself to the cuisine de grande classe alone. His dishes are remarkable, with a strong touch of his own individuality. As an hors-d'oeuvre, you might try his petiss oignons à la grecque,a sizable platoon of small cooked onions reposing in a rich sauce spotted with peppercorns and Corinth raisins and pointed up with curry. Then there is a bewildering choice-—quenelles, sole, lobster, crayfish, sweetbreads, chicken, steak, all sublimated in the chef's skillful and sophisticated manner. Monsieur Ogier is also an expert in that classic transformation of the potato—gratin daupbinois.With complete confidence that American visitors will be enchanted by its atmosphere, its food, service, and fair prices, we recommend L'Aubergade with enthusiasm. Pontchartrain lies along the road to Chartres, and L'Aubergade is an ideal stop if you are motoring to or from the cathedral city. Closed on Wednesday.
La Roche-Guyon (Seine-et-Oise)
This charming and unpretentious village on the banks of the Seine is a favorite with Parisians seeking the country air and a quiet place to do their Sunday fishing. Perched on the chalk cliffs, which loom above the village, is a frowning dungeon almost a thousand years old. It is the last remains of a château-fort which once sheltered Francis the First and his court. There is another reminder of stirring days in La Roche Guyon—a simple stone tablet marking the spot where a solitary American soldier fell when the town was liberated in 1944. On the trip from Paris you pass through Mantes, where a noble cathedral stands among the nibble of the recent war. It is well worth a visit, even if its windows are now boarded up. For the epicurean apex of the fifty-mile trip to La Roche-Guyon, you will find, facing the village square, a hospitable auberge called AU VIEUX DONJOHN. This is a place with a sympathetic, family like atmosphere and cooking which is down right delicious. Monsieur and Madame Lanty are friendly and solicitous and they have their own special way of preparing sole and young chicken. Their pâté maison is illustrious. Prices arc very fair, and the wine cellar holds some treasures. If you share the Lantys' weakness for animals, you can also make the acquaintance of two French poodles, a trio of cats, and a canary. There are a few comfortable rooms for an overnight stop,
Carrières-Sous-Bois (Seine-et-Oise)
Visitors to Saint-Germain-en-Laye are confronted with a rainbow of dining places, from the proud PAVILION where sauce béarnaise was invented to modest little open-air places on the place du Château. We think that you will be happiest in this neighborhood if you try the AUBERGE DE LA TERRASSE, in the wooded village of Carrières-sous-Bois, about two miles north of Saint-Germain. Here on the edge of the forest is a picturesque old building, once a dependency of the château, which was transformed into an inn as far back as 1782. It is framed in verdure, free of mosquitos, famed for its regional wines and dishes from the Touraine and the Franche-Comté. Its shaded terrace is a seraphic spot to enjoy a quiet and superlative country luncheon, only fifteen miles from Paris. Monsieur Sannequin's poulet gratiné à la franc-comtoise leaves me bereft of superlatives.
Dampierre (Seine-et-Oise)
For decades one of the classic one-day excursions from Paris has been the valley of the Chevreuse, a verdant bit of countryside below Versailles. Without being sensational. the trip is notable for its charming villages, moss-grown abbeys, half-forgotten chapels, and for one quite exceptional château, which many people miss, the château de Dampierre. This formal brick structure is very much in the grand manner and was built in the seventeenth century by the Due de Chevreuse. Mansard was the architect, and the famous Le Notre laid out the beautiful gardens. The exquisite interiors can be seen every afternoon except on Tuesday. Few structures in France offer as revealing a picture of the fastidious way of life in the time of the Louis'. For many years the gourmet's choice in the valley of the Chevreuse has been the AUBERGE SAINT-PIERRE in Dampierre, the oldest and most epicurean restaurant in the region. Monsieur Bréard, a genial and experienced host, carries on an old tradition with grace and good taste. His cuisine is refined and generous, and his wines arc good. Here is a pleasant place for a quiet stay in the country, surprisingly close to Paris.
Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne)
This famous city has an atmosphere all its own, apart from its incomparable palace and forest. At present, it is a top-drawer military headquarters, of course, and its streets are brightened with a scattering of uniforms from countries participating in the Atlantic Pact. A good proportion of G.I.'s are among them, and the cafe trade has taken & spurt. But such a rare assignment is too good to he lost, and you never saw such well-behaved soldiers. American lads and lasses from the art and music school installed in one wing of the Palais de Fontainebleau lend an added touch of youth to the old lown. You may find that Fontainebleau gives you a slight touch of nostalgia.
Strangely enough, the inquiring gourmet has no better luck in this famous town than in Versailles. After trying four of them, I feel safe in saying that its hotels are so-so and their food is banal. You have to go to the edge of the forest of Fontaineblcau to find a truly Commendable cuisine. Mere, about four miles north of the town, is LE GRAND VENEUR, a rather showy roadside auberge whose wide dining terrace opens out on the forest. For less favorable weather there is alarge and inviting dining salon. The food is very good, a little expensive perhaps. The wines arc well chosen and the atmosphere is cordial. The clientele is well-upholstered and outwardly content with the world. One finds one's self lost in conjecture about the status of sonic of the lithesome blondes, but we mustn't stray from gastronomy!
Barbizon (Seine-et-Marne)
Another way to “do” Fontainebleau is to combine it with a week end six miles away in Barbizon, the village made famous by Millet, Rousseau, Ziem, Diaz, and other painters of the now-famous Barbizon school. Painters aren't numerous now in this village at the edge of the forest, but Batrbizon has been adopted with even greater enthusiasm by discriminating week-enders. There probably isn't a more seductive spot for a quiet vacation in the Ile-de-France. Its hotels are delightful, particularly LES PLÉIADES and the BAS-BRÉAU, two woodland shrines which just couldn't be more attractive. They both have a succession of sheltered gardens where you can dine or read or relax. Their rooms are furnished with unusual good taste, In fact, they don't seem like hotels at all. Somehow you absorb the feeling that you arc a house guest, and the vulgar matter of paying for things is forgotten for the moment. In view of the wonderful food and service and such idyllic atmosphere, the resultant charges arc, in fact, quite reasonable. Traveling can be tiresome sometimes. Paris can be fatiguing, especially during a heal wave. A placid vacation in the verdant calm of Barbizo is probably the most pleasant antidote that the Ile-de-France can offer for travel fatigue.
Chennevières (Seine-et-Marne)
For scores of years, discriminating Parisians with a yearning for tranquility have been dining on the banks of the Marne at the HOSTELLERIE DE L'ECU DE FRANCE, located in the little outlying town of Chcnnevièrcs. It is only a few miles from the heart of the city, but the change in atmosphere is total. The Marnc indulges in a bulge at this particular spot, giving the effect of a lake framed in verdure. Somnolent fishermen sit in flat-bottomed boats. Swans drift about. An occasional insect makes a circular ripple on the surface of the river.
In this drowsy setting, L'Eeu de France has installed its dining terraces at the water's edge, and they are charming indeed. Under the trees, protected by Striped umbrellas, a well-bedecked clientele savors with obvious relish the varied specialties of Monsieur Brousse. The escalope de veau an gratin seemed particularly good, but there was also a tempting choice of steaks, langoustes, ducks, and chicken in diversified dress. The service, by alert maids in black and white, was excellent. This is a year-round restaurant. A large and picturesque dining salon lakes care of the repose-seeking Parisians during the rainy season.
Donnemarie-en-Montois Seine-et-Marne)
The Parisian epicure with a new Citroen, Simca, or Peugeot 203 likes to huild his Sunday around a good fifty-mile drive in the country with a notable restaurant as his midday reward. This fact makes Sunday a prodigious occasion in the lives of everyone connected with the AUBERGE DU MONTOIS, from the patron-cbef down to the wrinkled old lady who shells the peas. This auberge is an unassuming spot, adjoining the rounded towers of the Porte-de-Provins in the hinterland town of Donnemarieen-Montois. But on Sunday the eager voluptuaries crowd the dining room and overflow into the garden. The reputation of Monsieur Barraud's gastronomic menu has spread widely during these post-austerity days in France. He offers a truly extraordinary prix fixe repast, from the first nibble of spiced sausage to the final triumph of an iced dessert. The crowning glory, however is based on the humble rel, transformed by the magic of the art of the pâtissier into a divine creation called pâté d'anguille a la facon du ptieur. Now don't sit there and tell me you don't like eel and never will! Not. at least, until you taste this remarkable sublimation of the slithering fellow. Monsieur Barraud takes voting eel, bones them, and piles them up horizontally, like cord wood. By a genuine tout de forcehe encases the group in a rich, flaky crust, which comes to the table hot and beautifully brown. The pâté is sliced crosswise and is accompanied by an unctuous cream sauce. It comes close to being the Dish of the Year as far as this provincial expedition is concerned. It might be wise to try the Auberge du Montois on a weekday, but don't miss it!
Senlis (Oise)
The historic treasures of the Oise outweigh its gastronomic riches, but the food-conscious traveler still finds a haven, and a good one, in (he larger towns. One of them is Senlis, an Old World site which is particularly gratifying to lovers of antiquity. There are still traces of its Gallo-Roman origin, and its twelfth-century cathedral is one of the noblest in France. Its château where the kings of France from Clovis to Henri IV maintained a resilience, is rather dismantled, but there are interesting churches galore. More than enough, in fact, for some churches have been converted into carpenter shops, movie houses, and market places'. Senlis is only a few miles from Chantilly, and the two can be combined in a day's trip from Paris. For your luncheon, in the course of such a pleasant excursion, look no farther than the HOTEL DU GRAND CERF, located on the main highway which runs through Senlis. It is a smiling establishment, built on classic lines with a beckoning bar and a well-lighted area devoted to dining salons and a garden. The owners are attentive, the food is good, and the wines are more than adequate.
One of the natives of Senlis told me of the local amusement at the rapid change which took place in this hotel alter the Liberation. It was filled with German officers all during the occupation, and two sentries stood constantly at stiff attention at the front door. After their abrupt departure, the management had barely time to clean the hotel and change the linen before officers from the American Ninth Air Force moved in. Two sentries no longer flanked the front door, but close scrutiny revealed that there was an American sentry on duly, all right. But he was in the lobby, sitting in a wicker chair and reading the Stars and Stripes. The individualistic French loved it!
Chantilly (Oise)
This cheerful, sophisticated lown, whose name has become synonymous with whipped cream, is equally celebrated for its château and for one of the most beautiful turfs in the world. Each spring the French Derby is run here, and the fervent thoughts of millions of Frenchmen are concentrated upon the result. A stupendous lottery is tied up with the race, and a new set of millionaires is created in an afternoon. The château de Chantilly, set in an imposing moat, is now a museum, and an extraordinary one. From one of its rounded pavilions the famous Condé rose diamond was stolen a few years back. The famed Le Nôtre designed the gardens, and the moat is populated with aged carp whose advanced years are a matter of debate. The guides like to tell you that some of them cate from the time of Louis XVI. Chantilly seems to be a place for superlatives. Its immense stables, built by Louis-Henri de Bourbon in the early eighteenth century, are the most impressive in France. When you come upon them, you are close to the best food in Chantilly, for there is an attractive little auberge built close to the towering walls of the King's stables. It is LE CYGNE ROYAL, known as favorably for its picturesque setting as for its painstaking cuisine. A trifle expensive, and hopelessly crowded on race days—when Senlis is your best bet—it is quiet and charming at other times. Here is a fine place to order the classic poulards de Bresse à la Vallée d'Auge.
Pierrefonds (Oise)
Back in the dim centuries Pierrefonds was a watering place, and it still has the atmosphere of a little country spa. The village is completely dominated by its huge château, originally built in 1395 and restored in the nineteenth century by Viollet-le-Due, with Napoleon III footing the bill. It is a less sympathetic restoration than some undertaken by the great archaeologist, perhaps, but its fantastic magnitude—eight rounded towers and an immense court of honor-is no less impressive. The village of Pierre-fonds sleeps at the base of its château, as quiet a country town as you could hope to find. For anyone seeking a week's complete tranquility after a strenuous trip, for example, I can think of no more satisfying spot than the HOTEL DE RUINES. This is a simple, clean, comfortable country inn, whose charm is due largely to one massive tree which covers a whole courtyard and shelters dozens of diners. The proprietor of the Hotel des Ruines is cordial and considerate, the food is very good, the wine cellar is well stocked, and the prices arc most reasonable. There is hardly anything to do but walk in the little town, but if you bring your own books along, there is boundless quiet and shade in which to enjoy them. For a passing luncheon on the way to Compiegne the Hotel des Ruines and its all-sheltering tree offer every enticement.
Beauvais (Oise)
World War II descended upon the old cathedral town of Beauvais with tragic intensity. It was an early casualty, and one of the worst. The center of the town was wiped away, but the mere mass of the cathedral was enough to save it. Today, the cathedral, whose apse is the loftiest in Christendom, is in fair condition, but the rest of Beauvais is rising very slowly from its ruins. Most of the business establishments are housed in temporary wooden buildings. This is the case with the best dining place in Beauvais, tha RESTAURANT CHÂTEAUDRIANT. This was a leading temple of good food before the war, and Monsieur Defrance's deft cuisine has not suffered one bit, even if his colorful old restaurant has been reduced to rubble. In his present headquarters at 32, rue Gambetta. you will find an excellent luncheon, probably the best in the northern part of the Oise, coupled with good service and fair prices.
Soissons (Aisne)
The département of the Aisne offers few epicurean highlights, but there is one good oasis in case you make a trip to this cathedral town and its neighbor, Noyon. Both of the cathedrals in these towns have been restored in recent years, following serious damage in both wars. It is heartening to observe what excellent restorations have been made under the direction of the Ministère des Beaux-Arts. The neighboring hilltop cathedral of Laon suffered less and remains one of the most noble in France. This trio of medieval cathedrals is well worth a trip, and Soissons offers both a good overnight stop and a restaurant with delectable food. This is the HOTEL DU LION ROUGE, a modern, very comfortable hostelry whose solid reputation has not wavered for decades. Its culinary accomplishments are prodigious and are due to the personal direction of Monsieur Rétoré. a top-fight maître queux and an authority on wine. In Soissons, you are far enough from Paris to encounter some purely regional specialties. and Monsieur Rétoré prepares them with a master hand. His coq an Bouzy is a wonderful variation of an old theme, arid his terrine de foie de volaille soissonaise makes an epic bers-d'oeuvre. His prices are considerate. Isn't that nice?
Checklist for French Provinces Available
For those fortunate gourmets who are sailing or flying to France this summer, we have assembled a handy checklist of the restaurants and hotels recommended thus far by Samuel Chamberlain in “An Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces,” which began in GOURMET in March, 1949. We will be happy to send you this checklist at your request.