SIX WEEKS since I posted last, wow – it seems like ages.
What happened meantime?
A trip to Germany, and some other places in Europe, then back home
to Uruguay, via Spain and Panama. An exhausting but exciting adventure.

Just in Germany I traveled over 5500 kilometers by car to see
what I have never seen before and to be where I have never been before.
So much experienced, discovered and seen, I could write a year or more about.
Sitting here now, back home, thinking and not knowing where to start.

 This extraordinary building I’ll describe in a later post.

Meantime I added to my categories the category TRAVEL, because I like to share
with you many experiences in many different countries during my more then
60 years of traveling around.

It will not be another travel guide, just tips what to see or discover besides
the well known destinations and sightseeing’s. Places where I felt happy.
Meantime you know that I love fine dining and history and/or searching for
historic backgrounds to my posts. May be it will inspire you.

Here one example to start with:  Paris, France.

Every tourist in Paris will see the Eifel tower. But how many of them will visit
„Le Train Bleu“ ?  The Eifel tower build 1889 as the entry gate to the world fair.

View of the Exhibition Universelle , Paris 1889.

It is worth to visit Le Train Bleu, an art nouveau gem in Paris, a wonderful atmosphere to dine. Build inside the Gare de Lyon for the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris.

A legendary place in Paris : from 1900 to the present.

Paris was about to receive a major new Universal Exhibition in 1900.

  The 1900 Paris exhibition view.

After the Saint-Lazare train station in 1889, it was the turn of the Gare de Lyon to take the appearance of a palace, and in particular to magnify the new PLM Company (Paris Lyon Marseille) terminal, which operated lines of the Southeast network at the end of the 19th century. The project was entrusted to the architect Marius Toudoire, who built the 64 meters belfry (the Clock-Tower) and the monumental facade of the station.

Gare de Lyon today,  facade with the massive clock tower and inside the platforms, exchange for  the TGV’s.

  Le Train Bleu, 1st floor, inside Gare de Lyon.

History.

The Management of the railway company wanted to build a prestigious buffet, symbol of travel, of technical innovation, of comfort and luxury. The project was given to the same architect, who built the buffet in the building at the center of the station.
The station’s buffet was unveiled in 1901 by the President of the Republic Emile Loubet.
In 1963, Albert Chazal renamed the buffet as « Le Train Bleu » (the Blue Train), honoring the legendary „Paris-Vintimille“ train with its destination the Côte d’Azur.

  
Contemporary drawing and original photo of „The Blue Train“, the famous „Le Train Bleu“..

Anecdotes.

Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot, Jean Cocteau, Colette, Jean Gabin, Marcel Pagnol and many other famous people were regulars of the Train Bleu, while several movie scenes were filmed there: „Nikita“ by Luc Besson, „Place Vendôme“ by Nicole Garcia, „Les vacances de Mr Bean“ by Steve Bendelack as well as „Filles Uniques“ by Pierre Jolivet.

Peoples good old friend – comedian Rowan Atkinson, better known as Mr. Bean, dining at Le Train Bleu.

Historical monument and decoration.

Gildings, carvings, mouldings, chandeliers and frescoes cover all the walls of the restaurant, giving it the appearance of a museum of the 1900s. Twenty seven French artists, some awarded with the Prix de Rome, have worked on this unparalleled decor.
The 41 paintings mounted on canvas were painted by the most prominent artists of the time: François Flameng, Henri Gervex, Gaston Casimir Saint-Pierre, René Billotte, etc. They illustrate views of the main cities and sceneries viewed from the PLM Company trains during the 20th century: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Orange, Villefranche, Monaco, Nice, Saint-Honorat, the Mont-Blanc massif, etc.

The impressive Restaurant, with center bar, before renovation.

Along with these bright reminders of the railway sceneries are several portraits, some of the PLM Company’s employees, such as Gustave Noblemaire (General Director), and key figures like Sarah Bernhardt, Réjane or Edmond Rostand.
To preserve this rich heritage, a privileged witness of the Paris of the 1900s, the Train Bleu was classified as Historic Monument in 1972 by Jacques Duhamel.
Le Train Bleu was recently renovated (summer 2014), resuming to its former glory.

And here after renovation in 2014.

Fine dining a la „Le Train Bleu“ – past.

Wonderful designed Menu Card, art nouveau style, from our first visit in the 1980’s.

I like to show you all pages of this vintage menu card, because prices are still
in French Francs and showing the impressive menu and wine list.

We went with 8 people for dining then and everyone had a different dish,
starter – main – dessert. Plus lot’s of excellent wines. It was expensive, yes,
but not one of us was disappointed.

The modern menu looks a bit different, a bit „loveless“, more functional-businesslike.
But, you can bet, the quality of food is still First Class, worth to indulge. I could
not help myself to order „Gigot d’agneau de Sisteron“ again, which I choose 30 years
ago the same. Fantastic then and a dish of heaven now. See pics and click to size up.

Fine dining a la „Le Train Bleu“ – present.

   
Still chic outside, looking a bit poor inside – modern. May be I am too nostalgic.

Some must-haves and representative dishes of the Train Bleu will be served on the new
menu. Still the leg of lamb, carved on a trolley in front of the guest, the tartar seasoned
at your table, the „homemade“ semi-cooked duck „foie gras“, the „homemade“ smoked
salmon, the roasted Foyot veal chop, the rum „baba“ cake, etc.
First I couldn’t decide between turbot and lamb, but since turbot is available for two
persons only, my three course menu was chosen. See pics down here. Gourmets heaven.

Oeuf mollet façon florentine, champignons en duxelle, girolles en fricassée.
Boiled egg florentine way, champignon duxelle, and chanterelle mushroom fricassee.
Wish, we could buy mushrooms like this in Uruguay.

Livraison journalière de poisson : Le turbot servi entier à la grille pour 2 personnes.
Daily fresh fish delivery: Turbot served whole, grilled to perfection, for 2 people.

Gigot d’agneau de nos régions rôti, servi à la tranche. Leg of lamb, carved in front of
you. The gratin de pommes, potato gratin with a cheese cream sauce is a main dish of
it’s own. This combination, my absolute favorite !!

Profiterole géante, glace vanille de Madagascar , sauce chocolat grand cru.
Giant cream puff with vanilla ice cream and Madagascar chocolate sauce „great growth“.
Even I, as a main course lover – no need for dessert, call this one „insane“.

In some ways this type of place is what makes Paris such fun. It is a grand, ornate,
historic place. Thank goodness they didn’t tear it down in some 50s remodeling.
The food is excellent and even fast if necessary. There is also on ground level a
„Le Train Bleu Express“, if needed.

  Another view after renovation in 2014.

If you have time between trains, by all means go, enjoy and indulge yourself.
If you don’t, you might even wish to make a special trip to eat here. I did !!
Wish, we had a restaurant like this in Atlantida, instead …… I would be there
every night – double weighted after a few weeks and bankrupt in no time !!