The five best Irish bars in Paris
Date: 03/12/2007
Dear Europe Fan,
Brittany, in the west of France, has always kept in touch with its Celtic roots—if anything these have strengthened over the years. A Breton-language TV channel is steadily gaining viewers, and the St. Patrick’s celebrations that traditionally rock the region have now spread to Paris. Although the big concert and fez noz (that’s Breton for “party”) at Bercy isn’t until March 24,* there are smaller events scattered around the capital on the night itself, and the crêpe restaurants in the Breton district of Montparnasse are sure to be lively.
If you're in Paris on March 17, read on for the five best Irish pubs in town. But for something altogether fishier, we go to the Somme in northern France before considering a forgotten corner of central Italy for an affordable hideaway.
I hope you enjoy this issue of The European. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!
Bests,
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Leigh Fergus
Editor, The European
*The St. Patrick’s Night concert usually includes Celtic cousins from northern Spain, Scotland, Ireland, and Canada, and is followed by a big shindig lasting well into the early hours. See www.interceltique3c.com/en/actualites/ for details.
P.S. Watch out for our new “classifieds” section, starting soon. If you’d like to advertise a rental property in Europe or if you’re looking for a house share or a home exchange here, just drop Maria Savage a line at: theeuropean@internationalliving.com
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Celebrating St. Patrick's in Paris
by Leigh Fergus
1. The longest-running Irish pub in Paris—and very possibly France—is Kitty O’Shea’s, near the business and shopping area of l’Opéra. Opened in 1986 to look like the original pub in Dublin, the décor is authentic and was transported from Ireland. Named after the mistress of Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the movement for Home Rule for Ireland, this is a friendly, lively pub, especially popular with the rugby crowd. As the final matches of the Six Nations* rugby tournament are on St. Patrick’s Day this year, you can be sure this bar will be bursting with fans jostling to get a view of play on the giant screen. Come here for good Irish home cooking (including homemade Irish stew, beef and Guinness pie, full Irish breakfast with fresh soda bread, and salmon from Connemara) as well as traditional live music. (The bar staff speak English.)
Kitty O’Shea’s, 10 rue des Capucines, 2nd arrondissement. Nearest Métro station: Opéra. Tel. +33 (0)14015-0030; website: http://kittyosheas.com/kitty_paris.asp
2. Connolly’s Corner, in the Latin Quarter, is a smaller, homelier affair, with a friendly if rough and ready atmosphere. The tradition of snipping off the ties of first-time visitors continues (you can’t miss these ragged trophies hanging from the ceiling), so don’t go in your best suit. You can find darts and regular music sessions here, as well as the three main Irish stouts: Guinness, Beamish, and Murphy’s. Connolly’s is an unpretentious pub, and good craic and live music is guaranteed on St. Patrick’s.
Connolly’s Corner, 12 rue Mirbel, 5th arrondissement. Nearest Métro station: Censier Daubenton. Tel. +33 (0)14336-5540
3. Quigley’s Point is another of my favorites because of its handy central location by the downtown Les Halles shopping mall, opposite St. Eustache church. Dark and calm in the early evening, it’s a good place to meet friends for a chat before heading out to a restaurant, movie, or club—unless you want to soak up the sporty atmosphere that develops later when the matches are shown on the flat screen. Live music is planned for the night itself.
Quigley’s Point, 5 rue du Jour, 1st arrondissement. Nearest Métro station: Les Halles. Tel. +33 (0)14508-1704
4. If you’re in Paris for work, The James Joyce near the Porte Maillot exhibition center is a good place to relax with colleagues over a glass and lunch. Little brother to Kitty O’Shea’s, you’ll find the same no-frills service and beer here, but in a smarter setting, with a more suited crowd than the other four bars. No special events are expected on St. Patrick’s Day—apart from more of the serious business of drinking.
The James Joyce, 71 boulevard Gouvion St Cyr, 17th arrondissement. Nearest Métro station: Porte Maillot. Tel. +33 (1)4409-7032
5. For a trip to the west coast of Ireland without leaving France, head for The Quiet Man. This cozy bar hosts regular music sessions, many of them featuring traditional Irish music, and the ambiance is as authentic as can be. It’s typical of the bars that can be found on the west coast, and, of course, the origin of the name needs no explanation. A traditional live band will play on this special night.
The Quiet Man, 5 rue des Haudriettes, 3rd arrondissement. Nearest Métro station: Rambuteau. Tel. +33 (1)4804-0277
*The Six Nations rugby tournament is an annual sporting event involving Italy, England, Scotland, France, Wales, and Ireland.
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A legend for St. Patrick’s: Tragedy in the Welsh mountains
by Steenie Harvey
As you’d expect from a Celtic country, the mountains of Wales groan with superstitions. For example, the summit of Cader Idris mountain has a rocky hollow resembling a seat. Legend has it that if you spend all night in this seat, you’ll either be found dead, raving mad, or touched with poetic genius.
Wary of turning into a corpse—and perhaps even more wary about being reborn as some latter-day Dylan Thomas—visitors in search of myths these days are more inclined to head for Beddgelert. This village huddles below Snowdonia’s mountains in north Wales. In the Welsh language, Bedd means “grave.” Gelert was the favorite dog of Llywelyn, the last true Prince of Wales.
Dripping with blood
According to folklore, Gelert was left to guard Llywelyn’s baby son while the Prince went hunting. When Llywelyn returned, he found the cradle empty and the dog's mouth dripping with blood. Horrified, Llywelyn drew his sword and plunged it into Gelert’s side. Seconds later, the baby was discovered sleeping below the cradle—and a dead wolf lay beside him: Gelert had killed the wolf, not the boy. The Prince hurried back to his brave dog, who licked his hand as he died.
The story about Llywelyn and his dog may be true, but Gelert’s grave certainly doesn’t date back centuries. A savvy Victorian innkeeper created it in an effort to attract tourists to Beddgelert village.
A morbid curiosity in dead pets is not the only reason to come here, however. Beddgelert is in Snowdonia National Park and would make a good base for walks, mountain biking, climbing, or taking the rack-and-pinion railway up Mount Snowdon, the UK's highest peak south of the Scottish border. The largest man-made attraction within striking distance is Caernarvon Castle.
Four wheels will get you there
Public transport is not reliable and you would need a car to get here. Check the village website for more information: www.beddgelerttourism.com
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Shrimping for lunch
by Madeleine Zhang
A homely seaside town just two hours’ drive from Paris, Le Crotoy’s reputation for the freshest seafood is immediately clear from the wide choice of busy restaurants by the port. Families also visit for the bird-watching on the sand dunes, the war memorials, and the miniature steam train—and to hunt for their own shrimps on the beach. But, if you didn’t bring your nets, Les Tourelles serves a great lunch.
A colored sandcastle
With its bright seaside look, like a sandcastle that has been colored in, this restaurant offers a pleasing contrast to its nearby rivals, and the deck outside has an unobstructed view of the beach and bay. A cauldron of their piping hot moules marinières and fries makes a filling starter, followed by a giant platter of seafood that glistens with oysters, hearty whelks, glossy black winkles, sweet-fleshed delicate spider crabs, prawns, tiny tender grey shrimps—to be eaten whole—with mussels, clams, and razor clams. Everything is ultra-fresh and, for less than 70 euro ($90) for two, it’s hard to imagine a better lunch venue.
Although seafood strongly dominates, there are other dishes on the menu, such as hare stew or braised duck for carnivores--and vegetarians are catered for, too. Three-course set menus are available for 21 euro ($28) and 31 euro ($42), without wine. The wine list is compact and features one or two curiosities—the white Beaujolais, for example, is a revelation.
My only complaint was the slowness of service (I visited last March). I wasn’t in a hurry, but if you have ravenous children in tow, ask how long the meal will take before sitting down.
Les Tourelles, 2-4 rue Pierre Guerlain, 80550 Le Crotoy; tel. +33 (0)32227-1633; e-mail: info@lestourelles.com; website: www.lestourelles.com/hotel.php?Nlg=en
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A fixer-upper for less than $60,000 in Italy? Look in the wild heights of Abruzzo
by Angelo Manzo
The southern central region of Italy has a rich, if much forgotten, history. Home to many of the hard-working peasants who migrated to the Americas in the last century, it was a hard place from which to seek a living. Today, people are beginning to come here for their vacations, and are realizing that the old abandoned houses that dot the landscape can make good fixer-uppers.
The Abruzzo region is located where the highest peaks of the Appennines meet the Adriatic. Its people are known for their independence, dignity, and resourcefulness: the solid stone houses in the countryside were built over the years with the large stones that the women lugged back each day after working in the fields.
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Coming down from the mountains
One reason to come here is for the sheer beauty of the land. The wildest region in Italy, Abbruzzo has three natural reserves (Abruzzo National Park, Majella National Park, as well as Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park), and 28% of the region is protected parkland. Traditions die hard in these rocky mountains and valleys: You can still see the annual ritual of shepherds bringing their flocks from their mountain pastures. The area bubbles with natural springs, and wolves and bears still roam the woods. Added to these natural resources are wide sandy beaches, a sunny climate, and snowy slopes for winter sports, making the region an attractive destination for outdoor fans and sports-loving vacationers.
Cultural highlights
The area has its share of culture, too. The town of Sulmona is the birthplace of the classical poet Ovidio Nasone, otherwise known as Ovid, and Pope Celestin V spent years as a hermit on Mount Majella. Secinaro was the site where a meteorite fell during the battle between the emperor Constantine and Maxentius—its great flash of light leading Constantine to claim he had seen the sign of the cross.
Property is affordable here. Fixer-uppers can be found for less than 50,000 euro ($60,000): One example is a 700-square-foot two-storey house in Cocullo for 40,000 euro ($53,000), requiring work on the interior. Current offerings for habitable homes range from a 500-square-foot, restored one-bedroom house in Secinaro for 60,000 euro ($79,000) to a working seven-bedroom B&B in Majella Park with nearly 3 acres for 500,000 euro ($655,000).
[Editor’s note: Angelo Manzo works for Domus-Italia, www.domus-italia.net and can help you buy or sell property in Abruzzo, Italy. His e-mail address is manzoangel@tiscali.it]
Further Reading:
Unhappy that your life has become all work and no play? Then maybe it's about time you got to sample the sweet life— la dolce vita. And nowhere is life sweeter than in Italy - Europe's most sensational and seductive country.
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