Top Of The Paris Peninsula

Mark and I had to move out of our apartment on a Friday so we had a lot of time to say goodbye to Paris before our flight home on Monday.

I had been a little bit obsessed with the Peninsula Hotel since it opened after its four-year restoration a year ago. Check out this video to see why I was so enamored of this gorgeous hotel that was restored with such attention to detail and authenticity. Even my obsession, however, could not allow me to justify the cost of a night there. We did, however, venture to the rooftop bar one afternoon, and then to the enclosed rooftop restaurant the next day for lunch.

It doesn’t cost a centime to walk into the lobby and admire the stunning glass sculpture entitled “Dancing Leaves”. The 800 hand-blown glass leaves represent the sycamore leaves that shade so many Paris streets. They appear to be blowing in the breeze and landing in the lobby, and the effect is breath-taking.

The flower arrangements were understated in a towering kind of way.

The downstairs Bar Kleber looked so cozy. I totally kicked myself for not ever meeting Mark there. His office was just a short walk up the street.

We headed up to the roof bar on a Saturday afternoon, where the view was mighty fine but the sun was mighty hot.

The terrace is part of the lovely l’Oiseau Blanc, a restaurant with a retractable roof, where we enjoyed an elegant lunch the following day. L’Oiseau Blanc was named after a French bi-plane that disappeared in 1927 while attempting to make the first non-stop flight between Paris and New York. The aviation theme of the restaurant is classy and not at all over-the-top.

Even making our reservation only the day before, we scored a very nice table (number 25). In face, according to a recent article in Conde-Naste, we enjoyed the nicest view of any of the tables for two. It was next to the most coveted four-person table, Table 17, in the corner. Now you can ask for them by number when you make your own reservation!

I loved the plates even before they had any food on them.

When I was looking up the hotel information for this post I noticed that Google describes this restaurant as “Down Home Cooking”. Hmmmm- not at my home, Google.

Here were the “Down Home Desserts”:

I loved the little propeller on the left!

The bathroom, though keeping with the aviation theme, was nicer than any one I have ever used on Air France.

Just outside the window on the far side of the restaurant was this model of l’Oiseau Blanc.

And just off its left wing was this excellent view of the Eiffel Tower.

If you are in the mood for some Down Home Cooking, head on over to the Peninsula Hotel and ask for Table 25. It will be a meal to write down home about.