Paris: Le Train Bleu

My first journey to the French Riviera was aboard a high-speed TGV train, from Paris in the north to the city of Nice on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The train departed from the Gare de Lyon railway station where I'd hoped to get a glimpse of Le Train Bleu, the station's posh belle époque restaurant. It didn't happen on that trip to France but I added 'dining at Le Train Bleu' to my travel bucket list.

Gare de Lyon, Paris

Nine years later, I finally dined at Le Train Bleu. The iconic restaurant opened in 1901 as the station buffet. In 1963, it was named for the legendary Blue Train, an overnight luxury train that once served the French Riviera. Today the dining room's sumptuous decor is a reminder of a glamorous bygone era of train travel.

The day of my reservation at Le Train Bleu was a hot one and the sun streaming in through the windows made the location of our table a little too warm for comfortable dining. The friendly and welcoming staff quickly moved us to the other side of the room.

Now happily ensconced with my menu at a cooler table, I ordered a starter and vegetarian pasta. The colourful Scottish Salmon was home-smoked and the best I've ever tasted, accompanied by fresh asparagus spears and a tasty mustard sauce. The Giant Ravioli was filled with spring vegetables and covered in a thyme and lemon emulsion. The meal (plus two glasses of rosé from Aix-en-Provence) came to 97 euros and was definitely worth the splurge!

Scottish Salmon

Giant Ravioli with Seasonal Vegetables

While enjoying this delicious meal, I remarked that I wished I could buy a goblet with the restaurant's logo. My ever-observant friend noticed a display case of souvenirs so I brought home two wine glasses (29 euros and boxed for travel) to remember my bucket list dining experience at Le Train Bleu.

For more information on this unique Parisian restaurant, visit the Le Train Bleu website.