wheelchair friendly | Vegetarian Experiences in Paris

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La Chope Champerret brasserie

Published

on March 18, 2009

in 17th Arrindissement, brasserie, Meat Eating Friends, popular, restaurant, salad and wheelchair friendly

. 1 Comment

What do you get when you cross a traditional French brasserie with excessive American portions? You’d get La Chope Champerret, a restaurant in the 17th arrindissement.

It was shocking to see these huge salads for the first time. Not that it stopped me from ordering them, mind you. There’s enough cheese on them to sink a battle ship! And my gut is a combination of a frigate and a destroyer!

But this is France and food is about quality over quantity. So I’m happy to report the salads are just as tasty as they are huge. I’ve had the Sequine with a poached egg and chevre tartines, as well as the Parisienne (without the ham). The Parisienne’s cheese count was downright obscene and I loved every minute of it.

I’m still on a damn diet so I haven’t tried the crème brûlée, but I’ve been told it is to die for. I’ve also seen someone with the cafe gourmande that looked decadent.

La Chope Champerret is right next to the Porte de Champerret metro exit (line 3). It has patio seating and only a small step to enter. I don’t know what the bathroom situation is like, but it seems pretty wheelchair friendly.

La Chope Champerret: 143, Avenue de Villiers (17°); 01 43 80 80 64; Metro: Porte de Champerret; Brasserie

Overall: 4/5
Location: 4/5
Taste: 4.5/5
Service: 4/5
Vegetarian Friendly: 4/5
Vegan Friendly: 3/5
M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Accessible Restaurants in Paris

Published

Ted

on February 24, 2009

in wheelchair friendly

. 2 Comments

I was asked recently for advice on vegetarian restaurants that were wheelchair friendly. It’s funny, one of my areas of expertise is making web sites accessible, but I never gave much thought to the restaurants I review. Is there a truly accessible restaurant in Paris?

I would likely say there is no such thing. Most Paris restaurants have terrible web sites filled with Flash movies that lock information away from users. Sure, it is possible to make Flash accessible to screen readers, but I wouldn’t expect to much from these. I’ve never seen braille menus in Paris. Most buildings in Paris have at least a small step before entering and the bathrooms are in the basement.

Accessible Restaurant Options in Paris

There is a restaurant that treats everyone as if they were blind. Dans le Noir diners are served in total darkness by people wearing night-vision goggles. Braille menus are available and it’s probably not filled with steps. They even have a vegetarian menu.

Your safest option for a meal and accessible bathroom is probably the foodmall inside the Louvre. It’s not very exciting—in fact its much like the food court in any major American shopping mall. However, there are elevators, easy access from the metro, and certainly a bathroom without steps (I haven’t checked). The food is ok and there is a good variety. It’s a good choice when you want something basic and don’t want to hastle with finding a restaurant with vegetarian options.

You’ll also find restaurants in modern buildings more appropriate. They’ll probably have better sidewalks, fewer steps, and bathrooms that are more wheelchair friendly.

I’ve started going back to my favorite restaurants and looking at how wheelchair friendly they are. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Chez Lili et Marcel has a ramp at the front door instead of a step and their bathroom is on the main level (it is a tight fit though).

Non-Accessible Vegetarian Restaurants

I should point out some popular restaurants that are not going to work with wheelchairs. Potager du Marais is extremely tight and the only option would be sitting outside on their narrow sidewalk. Grenier de Notre-Dame is also a tight restaurant on multi levels in an ancient building.

Most of the restaurants I’ve gone back to have a small step to enter and no wheelchair bathroom access. Life is much easier in Spring and Summer when the tables are brought out to the sidewalk and everyone eats under the setting sun. Please leave a comment on any of the Paris Vegetarian restaurant reviews with your viewpoint on its accessibility. Do you know any good restaurants I should add to an accessible vegetarian restaurant list?

Dans le Noir: 51 rue Quincampoix (4°); info@danslenoir.fr; tel: 01 42 77 98 04; fax: 01 42 77 98 07; Metro: Les Halles ( ligne 4 et 1 ),
Hôtel de ville ( ligne 1 et 11 )
Etienne Marcel ( ligne 4 )
Rambuteau ( ligne 11 ),
Châtelet-Les Halles (lignes A, B et D); Restaurant

Boulangerie Gana – A traditional, organic bakery

Published

Ted

on June 7, 2008

in 20th Arrindissement, boulangerie, organic, popular and wheelchair friendly

. 0 Comments

I recently when on a self-guided tour of famous boulangeries and patissiers in Paris. Most of these were located in the heart of the city. Boulangerie Gana was the only place I needed to travel away from the inner circle for. And it is worth the trip.

I’ve been to many boulangeries in Paris, but none struck me like Gana. It’s a powerful mixture of friendly service, busy bakers, and a stunning array of bread, pizzas, and pastry on display. The food is not decorated, spotlighted, gilded, or placed on a feather cushion.

This is solid, traditional food that makes you salivate as soon as the smell hits your nose.

Gana has been celebrated for their traditional bread making. You won’t find frozen dough delivered in the middle of the night at this bakery. This is French bread the way should be. I dare you to make it back to your home without biting a corner off of the bread. The crust is crisp and the interior is light and chewy.

Vegetarian and Vegan food

Gana is a boulangerie. It’s not a cafe or restaurant. It serves fantastic bread and desserts. They also have some amazing looking pizzas and tartines to snack on. However, you won’t find a huge assortment of vegetarian or vegan lunch items. I’m sure they have sandwiches available during the week, but I didn’t see any on my Saturday trip.