Five Top Tables: The Best Restaurants to Try in Paris Right Now
Welcome to Five Top Tables, a new column from Bloomberg Pursuits to guide your dining decisions in London, Paris and other finance capitals around the world.
A critical question for any traveler to Paris, and even some locals: What are the best places to eat? It's been a century since the events of Ernest Hemingway's memoir A Moveable Feast. 'You got very hungry when you did not eat enough in Paris,' he wrote, noting the lure of people who 'ate outside at tables on the sidewalk so that you saw and smelled the food.' That sentiment still rings true, and is especially satisfying, if you know where to go. That's where we come in—to help you find the tables worth your time (and euros) in one of the most visited cities on the planet. No reservations? No problem. On a budget? We've got you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Couple's five-star easyJet honeymoon 'ruined' after turning up to 'total shambles'
A couple who booked a luxury honeymoon complete with a luxury "swim up" room allowing direct access to the hotel's swimming pool were bitterly disappointed to find mysterious brown stains on the patio's sun-beds when they arrived. Honeymooners Phil and Hannah Perkins, from Newport, South Wales booked a £1,080 easyJet package to historic Rhodes, Greece, in May. They had been hoping for a quiet romantic break, but were greeted on arrival by the sound of building work. Phil, 57, said: "We didn't really expect any problems, with it being a five-star resort," but it soon became clear that the hotel was undergoing extensive remodelling. He continued: "You had trucks coming through with cement and you had to move your beds to make way." READ MORE: Weight loss injections linked to potentially fatal side effect and 10 deaths, UK drug watchdog data shows READ MORE: River Island reveals location of 33 stores set to close by next year - full list Phil said he put up with the disruption for a day or so, but when it became clear that it wasn't about to end, he tried to contact easyJet's holiday rep, only to be told they weren't available. He said the noise and disruption completely wrecked their honeymoon. "It was constant," he said. "I watched them put some glass railings above the relax pool and there were people in the pool while they were putting the glass panels in. Phil added: "I thought 'This is not right.' There was concrete everywhere. It was just in shambles. It was constant drilling, banging. I told my wife, 'let's go to the bar and leave this relaxed nonsense', there was a bit of music and we wanted to chill, we thought the music would drown that out, but we could hear no music. "It was all day every day, it was unbelievable, I've never experienced anything like that. It was a proper building site." But the first, and perhaps most unpleasant sign of trouble was when the couple first entered their luxury swim-out room and saw brown stains on the sun-beds. "We booked a swim-out room, for a little bit of extra," Phil said. "When we got to the room, I opened the curtain to see the swim-out area, and the beds were really grimy and dirty. "I understand people use tan lotions but it was just brown, they were full of marks we didn't really want to see. It needed a good clean up, hence why we didn't go in there." He said that he had tried to take a philosophical approach, but the resort staff were no help at all. "I get things can go wrong and you can't please everybody but I'm easily pleased," he said. After the disappointed newlyweds arrived back home, they complained to easyJet who offered them a £281 refund, which the couple initially refused, until it was increased to £381. An easyJet holidays spokesperson told the MEN: "We're really sorry to hear that Mr Perkins was unhappy with his experience, especially on such a special holiday. "Once Mr Perkins returned home and got in touch with us, we immediately offered a partial refund. Our team has since been back in touch with Mr Perkins to apologise for his experience and offer a further refund, which was accepted "
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
140,000 EV Drivers issued warning as summer holidays could cost them £981
Electric vehicle (EV) drivers have been warned of a potential £981 in fines ahead of travelling across the channel. This summer, over 1.75 million British drivers are expected to head to France by road, but in a major shift, more than 140,000 of them will be behind the wheel of an EV. 78,750 of them will travel in their own EV, while a further 62,192 are expected to rent electric cars locally. Read more: State pension £11,973 warning to anyone turning 65 soon George Penny, EV Charging Expert and Director at The Solar Co, is warning British holiday-goers about six costly EV mistakes that could leave them almost £1,000 out of pocket if not avoided. George said: "Over a dozen French cities now have clean air zones in place meaning all vehicles, including electric ones, must display a Crit'Air emissions sticker when driving through these zones. It can be easy to assume that as an EV will produce zero emissions, a sticker isn't required, however travelling without one could land drivers an on-the-spot fine of up to €180 (£155). "Crit'Air stickers cost just €4.61 (£4) and are valid for the lifetime of the vehicle. They apply in the majority of France's urban tourist hotpots, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Bordeaux. It's the driver's responsibility to order the sticker online ahead of travel, though some travel firms or membership services may offer to do so on your behalf." George explained: " Many French EV rental companies require vehicles to be returned with at least 80% battery charge. Falling short of this could mean a €35 (£30) fee - something that often catches out British car renters unfamiliar with the policy. "Always check your hire agreement and budget time for charging before your return, and be sure to plan how and where you will charge up the car battery before returning it to the rental office to avoid hidden charges." George stated: "Charging up before you cross the channel can significantly cut costs if you're planning to travel via Le Schuttle - the EuroTunnel route that connects Folkstone and Calas. The ultra-rapid 210kW and 50kW chargers at Le Shuttle terminals in Folkestone and Calais offer quick charging of between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on your vehicle, as well as great value. "At £0.50/€0.50 per kWh, these chargers are up to 35% cheaper than the UK average of £0.80 per kWh for pay-as-you-go charging. A full charge here could save drivers up to £15 compared to UK forecourt rates. On the return journey, prices drop further still at the Calais terminal - just £0.43 per kWh." George said: "Driving at faster speeds can have an impact on your EV's estimated mileage. With motorway speed limits often 10mph higher than in the UK, driving at typically 80mph in France can lead to a drop in mileage of 15%. "Driving at these higher speeds uses more energy, meaning you'll need to charge more frequently. For those accustomed to how their EV operates in the UK, it can be a shock to find out your battery is draining faster and could mean you don't make it to your location. "Drivers who run out of charge mid-route may be forced to call for roadside assistance or emergency towing, with average roadside call outs in France estimated to be €792 if not covered by insurance." " George warned: "Despite 30 European countries now allowing UK blue badge holders the right to access disabled spaces with their usual permit, EV drivers that use their blue badge for disabled parking in France can face fines of up to €135 (£115) this summer. "French legislation only accepts the EU Disability Card or the French Carte Mobilité Inclusion (CMI) as a valid disabled parking badge, and is yet to follow European counterparts in enabling the widespread use of British blue badges in parking spaces across the nation." George explained: "EV drivers subscribed to France's automatic toll collection system, Télépéage, are entitled to a 5% discount on motorway tolls. You'll need to sign up for an electronic badge and register your EV with the toll provider in advance - but it's a quick process and the discount is applied automatically at the toll if your vehicle is registered as electric. "With the typical French toll fees amounting to €1 per 10km, a return trip to the South of France by car could set you back up to €205 in toll fees, meaning spending a few minutes registering your EV beforehand could save you €10.25 "If you're looking for electric vehicle charging installation points within UK homes, visit The Solar Co for support and advice on a range of solar solutions."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
US Trips to Japan Surpass Paris for Hot Summer Vacation Destinations
(Bloomberg) -- Travel between the US and Japan is emerging as a rare bright spot this summer for American carriers, easing the blow from a lingering drop in demand for domestic flights. US Renters Face Storm of Rising Costs US State Budget Wounds Intensify From Trump, DOGE Policy Shifts Commuters Are Caught in Johannesburg's Taxi Feuds as Transit Lags Mapping the Architectural History of New York's Chinatown More than 1.5 million seats are scheduled to fly from the US to Japan during June, July and August — a 6.4% increase from a year ago, according to aviation data analytics firm OAG. Tokyo ranks second only to London and above Paris, which landed third on online travel booking site Kayak's list of most popular destinations this summer. 'Trips to Japan are really in fashion right now,' United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said in an interview with Bloomberg Television, calling it one of the airline's 'hottest destinations' for the summer. 'Everybody is trying to take the family to Japan. I'm not sure we'll have enough seats, to be frank.' United is one of the biggest beneficiaries as it flies more flights — and passengers — to Japan than any other US carrier. But American Airlines Group Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. have increased the number of seats they're flying to Tokyo this summer to keep up with demand. Those Pacific routes and other international service have bolstered revenue at the biggest US airlines, helping to insulate them from a sudden slump in domestic air travel over the past few months that has pinched carriers focused on serving destinations in the US. Long a cost-prohibitive port of call for budget-minded American travelers, a multi-day stay in Japan has become much more affordable as a result of lower airfares and a favorable foreign exchange market. So it's suddenly back on top of many travelers' bucket lists. 'If they're looking for value, given where currency is on the yen side, going to Japan right now makes a lot of sense,' said Conor Cunningham, a Melius Research analyst. The yen has tumbled against the dollar over the past four years and isn't far from its weakest levels in almost four decades. That has depressed demand for outbound travel from Japan, but increased purchasing power for inbound American visitors. One-thousand dollars gets travelers almost 146,000 yen now. In June 2019, the same amount was worth roughly 108,000 yen. 'It can make a huge difference to the demand for a destination,' said John Grant, chief analyst for Luton, UK-based OAG. The number of US visitors to Japan climbed nearly 30% through May from a year earlier, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Travelers from Japan to the US rose just 3.5% over the same period, data from the International Trade Administration shows. Filling the Gap Traffic between the US and Japan is still below pre-pandemic levels, but it's begun to catch up quickly over the past two years. For US airlines, the pronounced uptick in travel to Japan this year couldn't come at a better time. Bookings for domestic flights dropped precipitously early this year and have been slow to recover. US domestic travel volumes last year exceeded the previous highwater mark of 2019, according to airline industry trade group Airlines for America. But that bullish mood changed earlier this year soon after US President Donald Trump first announced plans to impose widespread tariffs. Uncertainty about the economy and potential trade wars eroded demand quickly, surprising US carriers that had forecast continued strength into 2025. As a result, many withdrew their full-year financial guidance in April, signaling caution about bookings for the remainder of the year. Most recently, JetBlue Airways Corp. last week said it would hasten cost cuts by eliminating more flights, delaying aircraft updates and parking planes due to weaker-than-expected demand. At the same time, a prolonged post-pandemic surge in Americans' trips to key European destinations has begun to wane. Summer capacity from the US is down 1.8% to Great Britain and 0.4% to Germany as of June 5, the latest data available, according to travel bookings app Hopper. Some of that Europe fatigue has spurred interest in other global destinations such as Tokyo. 'People are saying, 'I did Europe, now I want to do something different'' and choosing Japan, Peter Vlitas, executive vice president of partner relations at Internova Travel Group, said in an interview. 'And there are a bunch of new travelers who want to go there and it's driven by the strength of the dollar.' American Airlines Group Inc. will fly 11% more seats because it's using a larger Boeing Co. 777-200 between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Tokyo's Narita Airport, and it added a flight last June between New York's John F. Kennedy International and Haneda, a spokeswoman said. American partners with Japan Airlines Co. to coordinate flights between the US and Japan. JAL is increasing seats on its flights between the countries 12% this summer, according to OAG. Onik'a Gilliam, 54, is planning a two-week visit to Japan from Seattle next month with her 15-year-old daughter, who is a big fan of anime cartoons. 'It seems like everybody is going to Japan,' she said. 'I'm also living a very much 'you only live once' mentality lately. Things are pretty chaotic in the world right now, so I'm just making the choice to go out there and do it.' A lawyer who splits her time between Seattle and Puerto Vallarta, Gilliam said tickets for her first trip to Japan cost less than when she initially considered making the trek back in 2023. 'It was surprisingly not as expensive as it had been,' she said. Delta has increased the number of seats it's flying in the market nearly 7% for June through August over 2024, including a 20% jump in Delta One and Delta Premium Select seats, the airline said. United isn't increasing its flights or capacity even though its US-to-Japan summer bookings are up 15% over 2024, a spokesperson said. The Chicago-based carrier already flies to Japan up to 20 times a day, including 17 flights to Tokyo, two daily to Osaka and one flight a day to Nagoya, Japan's fourth-largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. All Nippon Airways — United's code-sharing partner — is trimming seats by 2.2%. Cheaper tickets have spurred more American travelers to cross the Pacific Ocean. Average prices on long-haul routes to Asia — which includes Japan — are running 11% below last summer, according to Booking Holdings Inc.'s Kayak. Average round-trip airfare to Osaka is down 9% this summer to $1,309 and 3% lower for Tokyo flights. Los Angeles-based Brian Wu has been taking advantage of low-cost flights to Japan and the weaker yen. The 23-year-old already has visited the country once this year and is planning two more trips this fall. Wu says the cost of flying to Tokyo from the West Coast is about the same price as a ticket to New York, and that meals in Japan have cost him as little as $3 based on favorable foreign exchange rates. 'These prices not only drive my decision, but also my peers' (decisions) to go to Japan,' the machine-learning research engineer said. Asians Avoid Japan The influx of Americans is making up for a sudden dearth of visitors from Japan's neighbors in Asia. Airline bookings from Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong have dropped since April — with bookings from the latter plunging by an average of 50% versus a year ago, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence analysis of ForwardKeys data. Among the reasons: Fear about the possibility of another huge earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan like the 2011 natural disaster that left more than 20,000 people missing or dead. That stems from the circulation on social media of a soothsayer's prediction for such a calamity this summer in a popular Japanese comic book, or manga. Meanwhile, in recent months Japanese travelers have continued to book trips to the US, bucking a trend among some Canadians and Europeans of avoiding the US to protest Trump's border and trade policies. Load factors, or the percentage of seats filled, are in the high 80% on flights to the US, and there's been no drop-off in demand during the summer, Japan Airlines Managing Executive Officer Ross Leggett told Bloomberg News in New Delhi early this month. Even so, overall traffic from Japan has been held back by the yen's dramatic reversal against the dollar and it remains well below pre-pandemic levels. Last year, some 3.9 million passengers booked travel from Japan to the US, down from 4.7 million passengers in 2019, according to Cirium. Inside Gap's Last-Ditch, Tariff-Addled Turnaround Push How to Steal a House Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Apple Test-Drives Big-Screen Movie Strategy With F1 Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
