What to see in the 12th arrondissement

Dine underneath golden chandeliers, historic murals and ornate rosettes in Paris’ 12th arrondissement

I think anyone who is planing a trip to Paris, whether it’s their first time or their tenth, wants to find that one special place to have dinner. A place to come together with friends and family to celebrate coming to Paris! A place that will live in their memories forever. Trust me when I say, Le Train Bleu is that place.

It is more than just a restaurant; it’s a historical institution, an ode to the romance and flamboyance of the late 19th century. Situated inside the Gare de Lyon, (it’s all the way upstairs) it is an indispensable part of the train station’s identity, having been in operation since 1901 when it served as a dining destination for voyagers on the famous ‘train bleu’ express. It was one of Paris’s first grand palaces renowned for its cuisine and elegance. It’s these elements, along with the monumental frescoes, the gilded adornments, and the sense of timeless grandeur, that continue to dazzle its patrons.

The restaurant offers different menu options that are available for lunch or dinner. You can order à-la-carte, or you can select one of their fixed priced menus. Seven courses will cost around 120€ per person. When I had dinner here, my friend and I did the seven course menu. My friend is pescatarian and they were very accommodating by substituting any meat courses with a seafood alternative. You can expect to see dishes like marinated octopus, seared sea bass, grilled sole or lobster. If you’re a carnivore you will be delighted with their classic meat options. You can find menu items like free-range Basque style chicken, grilled steak, beef tartare or roasted leg of lamb carved table side. They also offer a three course option for 75€, or you can just do the roasted leg of lamb from the table side carving trolley for 55€ per person. This comes with Dauphinoise potatoes and a dessert.

If you choose to order à-la-carte, both the seafood and meat options, as a main course, run around 35€ -50€. I only saw one vegetarian entrée of Girolle (a chanterelle mushroom) and pea fricassee, which is a delicious mushroom stew. Dessert options include things like lemon soufflé, crêpes suzette, or peach and verbena pavlova. You can add wine pairings to the fixed price menu for 40€, this is typically three glasses of wine, two whites and one red. There is a fixed price children’s menu for 29€ that includes an entree, a dessert and a drink. One thing to note if you want to order from these menus, the restaurant does close between lunch and dinner from 2:30PM – 7:00PM.

It’s pretty amazing to indulge in the full experience in the dining room, but if you don’t have time or don’t want to spend the money you can still go in for breakfast or an afternoon drink. One of my favorite things to do when I’m staying in this area is to pop into the lounge bar for a coffee and an omelette after an early morning run (yes, in my running clothes!) The lounge bar is open from 7:30AM to 10:30PM and is a much more casual area of the restaurant. No reservations needed here. Breakfast items include omelettes made from organic eggs with your choice of filling. Choose from smoked salmon, bacon, ham or sautéed mushrooms. Omelettes were 13€ when I was there recently, which I think is pretty reasonable. And your coffee comes with a Madeleine! They also have croissants, crepes and assorted fruits and cheeses.

If you’re not a morning person you can still enjoy the more casual lounge area later in the day or in the evening. Sip on wine or Champagne (by the glass for 25€ ) along with your choice of a charcuterie board for 19€ or an assorted cheese board for 16€ or their luxury Caviar board for 85€. Again this is all in the lounge bar, so no reservations needed, but availability is first come first served. You’re not sitting right under the murals when you’re in the lounge area, but if you get one of the tables in the hallway you can still have a good view of them.

So if you’re catching a train from Gare de Lyon and you have a little time to kill, Le Train Bleu is a great place to sink into a comfy leather chair, enjoy a coffee or a glass of Champagne and take in all the grandeur of one of the most spectacular spots in Paris.

If you’re not catching a train or staying close by you can easily get there on the metro. From Saint Germain go to Mabillon station and get off at Gare Austerlitz, it’s a half mile walk from there. From the 9th arrondissement near Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette Haussmann you can go to Madeleine station and ride 3 stops on the 14 line to Gare de Lyon. Or, if you’re coming from Montmartre you can get on the metro 12 line at Abbesses station toward Mairie d’Issy and get off at Saint Lazare, from there you can then get on the 14 line to Gare de Lyon. And if you’re staying in the 11th arrondissement near Bastille or in the 3rd in the Marais, or even the 5th you could easily walk to Le Train Bleu. From Notre Dame it is a mile and a half, and just over a half mile from Bastille, from the 5th it’s just across the river from the Jardin des Plantes via Pont Austerlitz.

Some of my favorite places in the city are in this arrondissement including one of my favorite splurge hotels. The Courtyard Marriott Gare de Lyon I love this hotel so much because of its amenities and its location. It is right next door to the Gare de Lyon train station. I was able to stay here for several nights last year with some of my Marriott points and it was absolutely wonderful. There is a very nice restaurant and bar onsite. The rooms are large and very modern. I had an Eiffel Tower view room and I was able to lay in bed at night and watch the tower light up. Click here to book. One of the best places to walk (or run) in Paris is only 5 min away from Gare de Lyon, the Promenade Plantée. One of my favorite new restaurants, Bamboche is also really close by, and OLGA wine bar, where you can sit and enjoy a variety of natural wines paired with amazing cheese and charcuterie or a sandwich.

The question I get asked most often by people planning a trip to Paris is “what part of the city should I stay in?” I think the 12th arrondissement is a great choice. There are so many wonderful things here, including Le Train Bleu.

Le Train Bleu
1st floor Gare de Lyon (one floor up from the ground floor and there is an elevator if needed)
Place Louis Armand, 75012 Paris
+33 1 43 43 09 06
Lounge Bar hours: 7:30AM to 10:30PM No reservations
Restaurant hours: 11:15AM – 2:30PM and 7:00PM to 10:30PM

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