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Writer's pictureValerie Swanson-Parmentier

Visit Paris like a Native with Miss Valerie

Updated: Mar 28, 2022



Among the most beautiful secrets of Paris, Café Marly is not a place that is easy to chance upon but once discovered, it is particularly addictive. Located beneath the arcades of the Louvre, it is the perfect blend of a Parisian brasserie and a literary café, where you can relax on the terrace and enjoy the view of the pyramid. A unique and iconic place, closely linked to culture and luxury, Café Marly offers original and elaborate dishes. You can enjoy cocktails while watching the sunset or you can savor meats and grilled fish while sitting in the lounges overlooking the sculpture rooms of the Louvre Museum.

Models, journalists, fashion designers, and others, in short, “the Paris jet set”, come to this sophisticated restaurant.


Parmi les plus beaux secrets de Paris, le Café Marly n'est pas un endroit facile à trouver mais une fois découvert, il est particulièrement addictif. Situé sous les arcades du Louvre, c'est le mélange parfait d'une brasserie parisienne et d'un café littéraire, où l'on peut se détendre en terrasse et profiter de la vue sur la pyramide. Lieu unique et iconique, intimement lié à la culture et au luxe, le Café Marly propose des plats originaux et élaborés. Vous pourrez déguster des cocktails en admirant le coucher du soleil ou vous pourrez savourer des viandes et des poissons grillés assis dans les salons donnant sur les salles de sculptures du musée du Louvre. Mannequins, journalistes, créateurs de mode et autres, bref, « la jet set parisienne », viennent dans ce restaurant sophistiqué.


Café Marly : 93 rue de Rivoli – 75001 Paris – 1er (premier) Arrondissement

Metro route: Follow line M1 & M7, stop at metro stop: Palais Royal / Musée du Louvre

(LE LOUVRE, remember that it was the Royal Palace before 1789, then the French Revolution turned the Palace into a museum)

Click here for Online French Classes with Miss Valerie, Talk soon! Or if you have any questions about the French Language or regarding your trip to France. À bientôt!


ENJOY A BREAK FROM THE LOUVRE MUSEUM WITH STUNNING VIEWS.

HOW ABOUT A STUNNING SUNSET (coucher de soleil) and ENJOYING THE LOUVRE BY NIGHT (la nuit)?

Or AN ELEGANT BREAKFAST (petit-déjeuner) before strolling in the Palace of the French Kings (rois) and Queens (reines)?




My advice: You will know how to get the attention of the waiter or waitress by addressing them as Monsieur or Madame/Mademoiselle, s’il vous plaît, instead of the outdated Garçon and Mademoiselle is starting to fade away. And you can always just say: “s’il vous plaît”, while raising your hand to get the waiter’s attention.

MENU EXTRACT OF THE RESTAURANT CAFÉ MARLY

~~~~~~~~~~

MAIN COURSES - PLATS PRINCIPALS

28,00 €

Saumon fumé (smoked salmon)

32,00 €

Velouté de potiron, crispy bacon iberico (pumpkin cream soup)

33,00 €

Carré d’agneau rôti (roast rack of lamb)

40,00 €

Magnifique côte de veau (magnificent vealed shop)

32,00 €

Cabillaud, sauce Tom Yam

35,00 € (cod)

Filet de bar grillé, beurre citronné (bass grilled fish fillet)

28,00 €

The new Marly cheeseburger, bacon iberico

13,00 €


DESSERTS

Fin moelleux au chocolat (fine chocolate fondant cake)

14,00 €

Traditionnel clafoutis aux cerises (traditional cherry clafoutis)

14,00 €

Tarte fine aux pommes, boule vanille (apple tart, vanilla ice cream)

14,00 €

~~~~~~~~~~


ORDERING YOUR MEAL IN FRENCH


LE DÉJEUNER - LUNCH


To ask about the “menu du jour”, you will say:

“Quel est le menu du jour?”

(what is the menu of the day?)

Pronounce it as KAYL AY LUH MUHNU DU JOOR?


or more simply: “Le menu du jour, s’il vous plaît?

Pronounce it as LUH MUHNU DU JOOR, SEAL VOO PLAY.


My advice (mon conseil): ask in any restaurants for “le menu du Jour” (the menu of the day)

It is always fresher as served only on that day, and it turns out also to be more economical (around 18/24 euros per restaurant) and you get: C'est moins cher = it's less expensive - Pronounce it as SAY MOWAINH CHER.

- Une entrée (appetizer)

- Un plat principal (main course)

- Un dessert


If you would order à la carte (ordering individually), it will be more expensive. C'est plus cher = it's more expensive! Pronounce it as SAY PLUE CHER.

C'est cher = it's expensive - Pronounce it as SAY CHER.


Let's order something =

We are going to order ON VA COMMANDER ... ONH VA KOMANDAY


I would like JE VOUDRAIS .... JUH VOODRAY


“Je voudrais la salade niçoise, s’il vous plaît.” I would like salad Nicoise, please.

Here is a traditional Salade Niçoise


My advice: For the wine, always ask the house wine, LE VIN DE LA MAISON (le vin de table) (but not at Marly), it's cheaper and it has to be good as otherwise, the restaurant will be closed as Frenchies adore their wine, Bacchus!




Cultural note: Le Vin de la Maison, is typically a more basic quality wine, uncomplicated everyday wine – most likely blends are still well-known grape variety like

Cabernet Sauvignon, Pronounced as KABAYRNAY SOHVEAKNEEYON

Merlot, Pronounced as MAYRLOW (* don't say the t at the end please)

Chardonnay, Pronounced the same

or Sauvignon Blanc. Pronounced as SOHVEAKNEEYON BLAN (* don't say the t at the end please)


* At 80% the consonant is not pronounced at the end of a word in the French Language unless it's an English name, like jazz, basketball, football, hamburger, ....)


Cultural Note: Le vin de la maison is traditionally served in a pitcher, called - UN PICHET DE VIN


“Je voudrais le vin de la maison, s’il vous plaît.” (I would like the house wine, please.” )


3 DIFFERENT WAYS TO ASK FOR WINE:

“Je voudrais un pichet de rosé, s’il vous plaît.” (I would like the rosé house wine, please.” )

“Je voudrais une bouteille de vin rouge, s’il vous plaît.” (I would like a bottle of red wine, please.” )

“Je voudrais du vin blanc, s’il vous plaît.” (I would like some white wine, please.” )


My advice: order a water pitcher - UNE CARAFE, this is what we do as it is free (tab water) unlike

the Mineral Water Eau minérale (Évian) or Sparkling water Eau gazeuse (Perrier)


" Une carafe d'eau, s’il vous plaît.” (a pitcher of water, please)

" Une bouteille d'Évian, s’il vous plaît.” (A bottle of Evian mineral water, please)

" Un Perrier, s’il vous plaît.” (A Perrier, please)

or " Une bouteille de Perrier, s’il vous plaît.” (A bottle of Evian mineral water, please)


Cultural note: In France, we do not serve water with ice cubes. And nobody is checking on your water, you have to serve yourself. Not for wine tough.

If you would like ice cubes you will have to ask for them in this manner:

"Vous pouvez m'apportez des glaçons, s’il vous plaît.” (Can you bring me ice cubes, please)

Le café — Coffee

Le thé — Tea

La bière — Beer

L’eau — Water

Le vin — Wine


I would like JE VOUDRAIS .... JUH VOODRAY


“Je voudrais un café , s’il vous plaît.” I would like coffee, please.

“Je voudrais du thé, s’il vous plaît.” I would like some tea, please.

“Je voudrais de la bière, s’il vous plaît, une heineken”I would like some beer, please, an heineken

“Je voudrais du vin, s’il vous plaît.” I would like some wine, please.


Now that you’ve successfully ordered drinks, it’s time to order that food. Here are some phrases that will help throughout the rest of your meal:

Je voudrais I would like

Je n’ai pas choisi I haven’t chosen

Un moment, s’il vous plaît One moment, please

Une minute, s’il vous plaît One more minute, please

Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez ? — What would you recommend?


If you order a steak, your waiter will ask you Quelle cuisson?” (How would you like your meat cooked?)

Rosé Rare

À point Medium

Bien cuitWell done


Now that you finished your meal, it is time to say:

C’est terminé I/We have finished

L’addition, s’il vous plaît The bill, please




LE PETIT-DÉJEUNER - BREAKFAST


Un croissant — A/one croissant Pronounce it as UNH CROASSANH

Un pain au raisin — A/one raisin bread Pronounce it as UNH PUNH O RAYZIN

Un pain au chocolat— A/one chocolate bread Pronounce it as UNH PUNH O CHOKOLA


I would like JE VOUDRAIS .... JUH VOODRAY


“Je voudrais un croissant, s’il vous plaît.” I would like one croissant, please.

Do not pronounce that T at the end of croissant to sound like a tru Frenchie.

"Ah! Et un café , s’il vous plaît, avec une carafe d'eau, merci!”

Oh! And a coffee please, with a pitcher of water, thank you!

Do you remember how do you ask for the check? …….

“L’adddition s’il vous plait”


Now have a great time BON APPÉTIT! and BON VOYAGE!


Voici un plan de Paris simplifié:

Now let's look at how to say what you know or have visited in Paris:


To reply to "DO YOU KNOW?" = "VOUS CONNAISSEZ?" Pronounce it as VOO KONAYSSAY

You will say:

I know JE CONNAIS Pronounce it as JUH CONNAY

JE CONNAIS LA TOUR EIFFEL JE CONNAIS LE LOUVRE


To reply to "YOU VISITED?" = "VOUS AVEZ VISITÉ?" Pronounce it as VOO ZAVAY VIZITED

You will say:

I have visited is J'AI VISITÉ Pronounce it as JAY VIZITAY

J'AI VISITÉ LA TOUR EIFFEL J'AI VISITÉ LE LOUVRE

plan-paris-arrondissement

TO SIGN IN FOR FRENCH CLASSES WITH MISS VALERIE, C' est par ici (It's over here!)

Or just contact me if you have any questions about French Language or for preparing your trip to France.



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