LE TRAIN BLEU... MORE THAN A RESTAURANT, A MYTHICAL PLACE, A PARISIAN LANDMARK

Le Train Bleu is one of those mythical addresses that only Paris can boast. A Belle Epoque setting that has remained intact in all its magnificence. Built for the 1900 World's Fair as part of the new station of the Paris-Lyon railway line, the new restaurant on the second floor of the central building was christened Buffet de la Gare de Lyon.

As you may remember, one of the most important scenes in Luc Besson's film Nikita takes place in its halls, when the protagonist, the beautiful Anne Parillaud, discovers that she has been invited to the luxurious restaurant for the sole purpose of proving her skill and courage by killing someone. But it is not about the film that I want to tell you about. You will certainly remember the magnificence of the setting, of those dining rooms decorated with exceptional taste, somewhere between baroque and art-deco: it is Le Train Bleu.

The magnificent complex, in perfect Second Empire style, was grandly inaugurated on April 7, 1901, by then President of the Republic Emile Loubet.

On the vaults of its magnificent halls, more than forty paintings by famous artists of the period depict landscapes and cities served by trains departing from the Gare de Lyon. Precious gilded wood decorations and large mirrors add splendor and beauty to the elegant halls. As you can well imagine, this is not a cheap restaurant, but should you feel like visiting, a simple coffee or an aperitif to be had in the Algerian or Tunisian salon on either side of the main entrance will allow you to take a cheap look at this marvel of Parisian architecture. It was not until 1963 that the Buffet de la Gare de Lyon changed its name, becoming Le Train Bleu in homage to the luxury train that connected Paris to Ventimiglia as it traveled along the French Riviera from Marseille to the Italian border. And it was also that train that inspired a famous novel by Agatha Christie.

Then, in 1972, then-Minister of Culture André Malraux had the restaurant Le Train Bleu classified among the Historic Monuments of France. In more than a century of existence now, this famous Parisian restaurant has not ceased to attract travelers of all nationalities, famous Parisians and celebrities from around the world.

Isabelle - Spotlight

Bonjour, my name is Isabelle. At my parent’s, a week didn’t go by without a social gathering. It may have been a garden-party, a bridge party or a diner dance. No caterers, of course, everything was homemade! With my sisters, we learned how to put different spreads on toast, the right way of course, arrange the flowers for the tables or decorate the buffet, to say the right thing to each guest or organize an elegant picnic. As appropriate, I learned etiquette during these receptions and also had “savoir-vivre” lessons. Today, I work in public relations in Paris and the education that I received is of great use. I’ll give you several very Parisian tips…