Salut Steemit Friends!

In a post last week, I gave you a tempting preview of this very special Parisian dining experience that I'm excited to share with you today. I cordially invite you to join me for a taste of the "high life".

During a short springtime visit to Paris, I had the great fortune to both indulge and refine my culinary palate at two world-famous Alain Ducasse restaurants; Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athénée and Le Jules Verne. Today we'll lunch at the latter.

If you're not already familiar with this Michelin-star awarded restaurant, then allow me be the first to inform you that dining at the Jules Verne takes contemporary French haute cuisine to new heights and altitudes. Quite literally... quelle surprise!

The entrance is located at the South Pillar of the Eiffel Tower and the restaurant is perched on the second floor at roughly 125 meters high (or about 410 feet).

Having stuffed my belly completely full from an extravagant breakfast service at the Plaza Athénée, I opted to wear a blousy silk top and "comfy yet dressy" bottoms to enjoy the lunchtime tasting menu. As a foodie enthusiast in Paris, yes, I need stretchy attire options.

Do be aware that the Jules Verne has a dress code. For ladies, I'd advise at a minimum to dress smart casual chic. Men are encouraged (but not required) to wear a tie and jacket. Wear comfortable walking shoes but leave your sneakers behind at the hotel. After all, it's fun to pretend to be a Mr. / Ms. Fancy (Stretchy) Pants everyone once in a while!

Also, Le Jules Verne is by reservation and I suggest booking well in advance. It's a hot spot and snagging a last minute reservation can be tricky. Book online through the restaurant's website or make a request with your hotel's concierge desk asap.

Le Jules Verne entrance. Image courtesy of Tripadvisor.

The luxurious dining experience begins upon your arrival! You'll be greeted by a concierge at the entrance and then whisked up and away in the restaurant's private elevator to the second floor.

After a brief wait our table for two was ready and we were comfortably seated. Regardless of where your party is seated in the dining room, you'll be floored by the breathtaking panoramic views!

Image courtesy of Le Jules Verne

The "new" Jules Verne opened its doors in December of 2007 after 17 months of surveying, 11 months of implementation and development and 120 days of construction. The restaurant will be celebrating its tenth year anniversary late this year.

In case you were wondering, yes, Jules Verne was the French novelist who authored the adventure novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

I was astounded by how carefully every detail of the interior design of the restaurant has been planned and crafted... right down to the sculptural plating. Not only does its fascinating form serve a purpose it's also an elegant objet d'art.

Conceived by Pierre Tachon (and produced by the famous French porcelain maker, J L Coquet) the design of the "Structure" serving plate is inspired by the base of the tower. It is available for purchase on the Alain Ducasse website.

And you can view this same "structure" design throughout the space. Take a peek below at the coffered ceiling!

We chose to experience the lunch tasting menu with select wine parings for our meal. The culinary journey begins with an amuse-bouche.

Alas, I was enjoying my meal and the view so much that I forgot to document the first few courses! However, I did capture what I thought was the crème de la crème.

The main entrée was salmon marinated with lemon, caviar and vodka with a floral garnish. The edible petals looked almost too pretty to eat!

While waiting for the last course, I decided to stretch my legs a bit and discover more of Le Jules Verne. Here's the view of the kitchen staff hard at work.

It's rumored that a bust of Auguste Escoffier (the father of modern French cooking) oversees production in the kitchen. My iPhone clearly did not capture that!

Getting a closer glimpse of the sweeping views of Paris!

Delighted to find that my favorite dish had arrived while I was off exploring.... Mmmmm...

My dessert was a pineapple upside down cake with almond ice cream, fresh sliced coconut and a touch of passion fruit…c'est magnifique!

The Champ de Mars as seen from the restaurant's private observation deck.

The long line to view the tower that we avoided by dining at the Jules Verne.

More of the spectacular view!

Like many fine dining establishments, Le Jules Verne sent us off with a parting gift of petite sweet treats - gourmet Madeleine cookies. They made for a great snack later while seeing the sights of Paris.

I can't imagine a better way to experience both the Eiffel Tower and a delicious meal in Paris than dining at Le Jules Verne. And if you read the recent headlines, Presidents Macron and Trump thought so too!

Thanks for commenting, upvoting and resteeming this post! I hope you enjoyed this delicious foodie adventure. Until next time...

Bon Appétit!

Michelle

xx

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