I'm traveling overseas for the first time (and potentially only time) - to paris - for the christmas holiday. I've been following the paleo lifestyle for about three months and am loving it. I have about 10lbs to lose to get to my ideal weight. Now, if you were planning such a trip - 5 days in paris - how much would you indulge? what would you eat? should I have that morning croissant? afternoon baguette? indulge one day - five days - not at all? I want to enjoy this once in a lifetime experience but also don't want to have regrets.
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A once in a lifetime trip to Paris? Eat. Eat well. There's no need to start your morning with six baguettes, but don't be afraid to enjoy the delicacies that you may never have the opportunity to eat again. There's nothing to regret. A 5 day trip in the grand scheme of your entire life isn't nearly enough to do any lasting harm, so step off the guilt train and make every single one of those days count as best you can. Your diet -- and your journey to better health -- won't stop because of it, and any additional weight you bring back to the States can be all the more motivation to keep going. :) Practical Paleo to the end! |
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I just returned from France yesterday, and since the country has arguably the best food in the world, I'd say sample and enjoy! Foie gras, patè, duck confit, cheese, escargot, mussles - they are all your friends, delicious, and don't have to be eaten with bread (although, who can resist dipping a piece of baguette into that luscious garlic butter the escargot is cooked in?). Food and wine is very reasonably priced in France if you are not eating at a tourist spot. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time! |
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I would focus on all the good paleo-friendly stuff (escargots, fresh veggies, etc.) and definitely have a baguette, a croissant, and some nice desserts. I'm gluten intolerant so I myself would try to have these things later in the day, so if I bloat out, it'll hopefully happen when I'm going to bed so I don't have to feel bad when I'm doing the vacation-y stuff. If I weren't gluten-intolerant though, I. Would. Go. Buckwild. Chocolate croissants every morning, dessert every night, etc. I'd get my eat on at every opportunity and get back on track when I got home! Hope you have a wonderful trip; regret nothing! :) |
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I go to France a lot and it's always a no holds barred experience. Saucisson, cheese, pigeon, the breads and baked goods, wine and espresso, loads and loads of fruit and vegetables in shapes we rarely see any more here in the States. Dive in and relish the trip. Paris is fantasy, come back to reality when you return to the states :) Some of my favourite places in Paris: Les Fines Gueules and Juveniles Wine Bar. The neighborhood where these are located is really wonderful so just wander around - lots of galleries to walk through. Pierre Herme for Macarons - make sure to get truffle!, and for the rest I just wander and follow my nose and view the lines. Longer the line the better. And when you get that warm baguette and are outside, press it just once against your cheek, break a big piece off, breathe deep that delicious scent, and enjoy. |
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Paleo in Paris....land of Lascaux... I'd go with moules frites, entrecôte, steack frites, and as much cheese as you can afford. Sausages. Pates. The French are big on meaty, fatty foods. Not just baguettes and tartes. Along those lines, the more paleo pastries would be madeleines, macarons and meringues. You can google the ingredients of these, which are low in flour, and use more eggs, almond meal and coconut. But since it's the holiday, at least sample some of the buche de Noel you'll probably be offered. One thing I forgot. Walk your butt off while you,re there. Take an umbrella and waterproof shoes, and buy yourself an impermeable. I lost 25 lbs living in France and it wasn't because I was starving myself. |
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Everybody gets a plus 1 from me...great answers. Live... Eat drink and be merry...it's Paris. The Catacombs are a must. They make the bones you see at Disneyland (in almost every ride) look like child's play. Some can sneak in and stay overnight drinking French coffee, wine and reading Edgar Allan Poe to each other till morning. Bon Voyage mon cheri. Remember, when you die(if you are a decent person), it's not the things you did that you regret, it is the things you didn't do...so DO IT. |
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Well i am a bit of culinarist but i would sample all i desire :) |
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My favorite dish is escargots bourguignonne. That's snails in a butter, garlic sauce. Yum. The hardest part is not using the bread to sop up the extra juice! Also you can get bone marrow just about anywhere -- another favorite of mine. Steak frites is a staple in most restaurants. It's pretty easy to sub a vegetable for the frites. Enjoy! If you do wine, it makes everything in France even better! I so envy you and wish I were going. Enjoy! |
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good dark chocolate |
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Definatly go to see Les halle. Taste Pierre Hermes world famous macarons. Taste Poilanes bread. Try some bistros, in dark allies :) There is so much good stuff, so far removed from any SAD food crap. Not paleo, but you only live once. It would be sad to go to france and not to really sample local food. Some inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM2IU1DSEDU&feature=related |
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This is once in a lifetime. Eat what you want and enjoy it. I can tell you from experience that is the only way to do it. Otherwise you will end up totally stressed out because you can't find the "right" foods and you won't enjoy this beautiful experience. And five days isn't going to make or break you. It might even help you break through to your weight loss goals. That's exactly what happened when I made my ten day trip to Russia. I ate everything I wanted during that trip, including lots of cheesecake. And, my weight loss actually sped up when I got back home and started back with my normal eating plan. Sometimes you just need to shake it up a bit to get things going again. Remember too that worrying about your food all the time is stressful and stress doesn't help weight loss. Live life and enjoy. |
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I have been in France myself for about a week during the last vacation, and I almost completely ignored paleo, I gained about 3.5 kg, which is not that hard to lose again. Those few extra days should not really make a difference. A few local suggestions, next to the obvious/expensive dishes which contain foie gras,truffles et huitres:
Edit: I forgot a few important ones:
Hmmz, I am getting hungry as I am typing this; time to stop ;) Regarding wines, I usually ask the house-wine, as a good restaurant is bound to have some good house-wine. If you want to be able to take some time for your dinner, make sure you are not in the first shift (around 6.00PM, as most restaurants are bound to have multiple shifts per evening), or go to one of the more expensive ones... I think the biggest thing is to enjoy yourself while you are there; after all those few days should not really make a difference after all... (Just be careful on the café parissienne; I once had stomach pains after drinking like 5 of them in 1 afternoon ;) ) |
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The best dish (Heart of fillet of beef fried with pepper, flamed with Armagnac) at the best restaurant in Paris (La Coupole) for the lover of fine art; http://www.lacoupole-paris.com/fr/ |
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