Monday 21 to Wed 23 September 2026

Great weather continues but no sign of the builders. Discussions turn to when they might finish and if they will get caught by late rain. The only bright spot is that Willy is a bit of a weather whisperer, so we will see.

Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 September 2026

This is our trip to Paris for a few days, using our residual Home Exchange points. It’s a very easy drive to Gare Surgeres, park the car in the new car park, and 2.5 hrs on the TGV to Paris Gare Montparnasss. Then a little walk to our very charming garden apartment in the 14em Arr, close to the resting lion at the catacombs. We have three full days in Paris, essentially to catch up with friends from Australia (la Chaine) and NZ (a couple of Karitane nurse friends of Lady P).

The highlight was the Saturday lunch at Restaurant Guy Savoy, overlooking the Seine on the Left Bank. Bailli of the Great Barrier Reef Bailliage, Anne Pleash and Bailli Honoraire, Flashy himself, had agreed to have lunch at Guy Savoy. Anne is in town for a management course and it is her 8th anniversary of her English Channel swim and it’s Lady P and Flashy’s 17th anniversary of that famous dinner degustation at Guy Savoy in 2009. Now that calls for Champagne!

Guy Savoy (73) is still working the pass and he greeted us on arrival. He has personally been awarded the Legion d’ Honneur; the Prix du Rayonnment Gastronomique Francias; and recently inducted into the Academie des Beaux-Arts Francias. The restaurant has many international awards, including number 1 in the world on le Liste for 15 consecutive years; 3 Michelin Stars; 5 Gaut Millau Toques; 5 Forbes Stars and 5 AAA Diamonds. It is listed above Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon’s restaurants and well above the Scandi heroes Frantzen and Geranium.

As is the case with these top restaurants, performance and service, incredible fit out and a massive brigade are as evident and memorable as the food. Guy’s (can I possibly call him Guy? Chef perhaps?) glassware, crockery and cutlery are all bespoke. Artisans and artists are as much his passion as is food. The plating is a work of art in itself.

So, having settled into a window table and toasted with Champagne, we chose the six course degustation with matching wines. These came with a three amuse bouche in betweenies and a sommelier with a heavy hand.

The ladies spotted a table of cute young French guys sitting behind us. Students of gastronomique perhaps? Nah, it was Guy’s grandson and his mates out for a free lunch. Guy was rightly proud but quietly insisted they keep their jackets on.

Now for the journey:

Private label Guy Savoy Champagne

Amuse of Towers of Paris – cold cucumber soup, confit cucumber, transparent tulle

Bursting tomato in summer colours, crispy leaf

Muscadet Sevre & Maine ‘Ld’Or 2023 Domaine Luneau-Papin

Supreme of chicken terrene foie gras, artichoke with truffle vinaigrette

I.G.P. Ile de Beaute ‘L’ Altru Biancu 2022 Yves Leccia

Bluefin tuna with caviar, Breton ragout

Amuse of lentil jelly, artichoke cream and caviar

Pouilly-Fuisse 1er Cru ‘En Servy’ 2022 Famille Paquet

Raw and cooked lobster on coral, violin courgette with verbena, lobster leather

Artichoke soup with black truffle and layered truffled mushroom brioche and truffle butter

Duck candy amuse

Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2022 Domaine Charvin

Spatchcock duck

Peach-rosemary iced beer amuse

Alsace, Muscat Vendanges Tardives 2018 Domaine Mure

Dessert trolley – fig tart, plum clafoutis, petit fours

Coffee

Cleansing Champagne

This of course, was the highlight of our Paris visit, along with the Pope and thousands of visiting Catholics and we wandered around the 14th, taking in the vibe. Although, we did eat more basic food, including a nice dinner with Linda and Julie, Lady P’s Karitane nursing friends from the 1970’s. Apparently, there are photos of them in their nurses’ uniforms. Sorry, I can’t seem to find them.

The man himself


Most enjoyed raw and cooked lobster


Towers of Paris starting amuse bouche






Lentil jelly, artichoke and caviar
Bursting tomato


Chicken, foie gras artichoke and truffle
Bluefin tuna, caviar and Breton ragout


Artichoke and truffle soup
Duck candy amuse
Duck spatchcock
Cucumber amuse sorbet
Peach and rosemary iced beer


Stunning fig tart




Guy Savoy and grandson





Comments

  1. Graeme13 October 2026 at 21:35

    I started to read this blog but got bored halfway through, must time for a visit to a military museum, maybe one celebrating France's military victories.

    ReplyDelete

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