Monday 13 July 2026

This year, ten tears after the terrorist attack in Nice on 14 July, the French Government decided to split the Fete National celebrations into fireworks at le Tour Eiffel on 13^th and the parade on 14^th, with a memorial Fete in Nice in the afternoon and evening of the 14^th. That way top dog Macron could attend both. He did and was very presidential.

So, we caught the direct line 14 Metro from here in Chevilly Larue to Paris Montparnasse on Monday afternoon, to spend the night in a nice airconditioned hotel. The plan was to have a late meal in the evening and walk to the Jardin Luxembourg as a good spot to see the fireworks over the Tour Eiffel at 11.00 pm.

The new Metro train was clean and well airconditioned and the walk to the Mercure Montparnasse Hotel, was along surprisingly quiet Paris streets. Then we discovered that the room offered was not the room booked. No balcony with a view, you see. Lady P soon sorted them out, sort of nicely.

An upgrade to the Mercure Sorbonne 4* Hotel, closer to the action and a star up from the previous, proved not only to have a balcony, but was a decidedly nicer, up market, boutique property. We happily got out the champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, which we had wrapped in a cool bag and brought with us, and had it on the balcony.

The plan was to get to the gardens and secure a spot overlooking the Tour Eiffel but firstly a nice dinner. Now, we had been twice to Restaurant Colvert in the 6th^e but once it was full and the other time closed. Lady P had managed to get there during her Paris Olympics visit however and was keen to take Flashy there.

As is the case with Parisians, we asked the reception lady to book for us for 9.00 pm. Just to be sure.

Having secured a booking, we changed into our Paris casual chic attire and walked off to Colvert. Luckily we had booked eh? There were four other people in the restaurant.

Following the advice of the waiter, we decided on the five course mystery dinner.  “So, what’s on the menu, monsieur? Says Flashy. “Well, it’s a surprise”, the waiter says. “So, how can I decide on the wines,” replies Flashy.

The waiter was about to say just order a bottle of vin blanc, when Flashy said, “How about a glass or two of white with the first three courses, then reds with the rest?” And that’s when the waiter got really excited. Clearly, he had us all to himself and could read us like a book.

“Would you like to start with Champagne,” he says. “We just had a bottle, monsieur.” “Another?” We settled for a non-alcoholic cocktail and a glass of Petit Chablis.

The Chablis was so good, as the courses came, Flashy had two. Proper sized glasses too, not the 12cl tasters often supplied in France.

First course was Stracciatella di bufala in a cold tomato consume, topped with sliced fennel. This was delicious and served with garlic toast.

Second course was sardine fillets over fresh peach segments and a hazelnut garnish. Ajo blanco was then poured over it all. Excellent. So was the glass of Provencal Rose, which a certain diner had large sips of.

The rock ling fish came next, with eggplant caviar, pomegranate stuffed chard leaf and a saffron velouté. All very French and nice, except the fish was a tad bland.

The red was a Bordeaux blend and excellent. The chicken course was accompanied by tomato puree, potato and artichoke pieces. All very prettily plated and all portion sizes small enough to feel well fed but not stuffed. Clearly not the Tully Motel.

The finale was dessert. Our cheeky waiter suggested a strawberry liqueur to accompany the pavlova with mint and berries. Both were actually enjoyable.

We had been there for 1.5 hours and it was now 10.00 pm. Lady P’s cunning plan to go back to Jardin Luxembourg, entailed an easy walk - to their locked gates at 10.59 pm. We could see the long alley through the trees to our intended place to watch the fireworks, through the 8 foot, spike topped locked gates and no one in the gardens. A not-advised security measure we guessed.

Hurrying back to our hotel, we watched the show on TV. Pretty spectacular and a much better viewpoint. We’ll do it live next year, now we have the research done.

Our Champagne.

Stracciatella di bufala in a cold tomato consume, topped with sliced fennel

Sardine fillets over fresh peach segments and a hazelnut garnish, now floating in Ajo Blanco.

Rock ling with eggplant caviar, pomegranate stuffed chard leaf and a saffron velouté.

The excellent red wine.

Chicken accompanied by tomato puree, potato and artichoke pieces.

Mint and berry pavlova.

Fireworks (and weird drones).