Sunday, June 21, 2015

Dreaming of France -- Hotel Breakfasts


Please join this weekly meme. Grab a copy of the photo above and link back to An Accidental Blog. Share with the rest of us your passion for France. Did you read a good book set in France? See a movie? Take a photo in France? Have an adventure? Eat a fabulous meal or even just a pastry? Or if you're in France now, go ahead and lord it over the rest of us. We can take it.

Recently on a France tourism website, I saw advice that visitors should skip the hotel breakfast.
In the small French hotels where we have stayed, I would definitely advise otherwise. Breakfast usually costs 7-8 euros, and it's definitely the right way to start a morning of sightseeing.


Sit down at one of the small rectangular tables and the server is sure to ask what you would like to drink. I always answer cafe au lait or if I'm in Paris, cafe creme. They'll bring a pitcher of coffee along with a small pitcher of steamed milk. 
Ah, see. Already better than getting a cup of coffee in a crowded cafe.


You can mix the coffee and the milk, and it equals a few cups of coffee. 
Earl asks for tea and they bring him a pitcher of tea. 
Next comes the basket of croissants and rolls, along with jam, butter and sometimes cheese.


A croissant each, a roll each and we're prepped for a day enjoying France. 
When we don't eat in the hotel, we often have trouble finding breakfast. We can easily find coffee in a cafe, but if we want a croissant or a pastry, we have to get in line at a bakery. 
Either way, that breakfast ends up costing us more for less food. 
Have you ever had a good breakfast in France? Do you eat in the hotel or find a restaurant?

Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Please leave a comment and visit each other's blogs, too, so you can get your fix of France dreams.

9 comments:

Esme said...

As much as I love everything French-they stink at breakfast. I love croissants-however I also like eggs and some protein. Italy and the rest of Europe has amazing breakfast but in France, they charge so much for bread and croissants. The best breakfast I had was in a b and b in Lyon. The madame set out candles, with meat and cheese and flowers for me. I was in heaven. On one trip I went to a different bakery for my croissants. On my last trip there was an amazing bakery a few steps away-so I started getting up in the morning and getting my croissant fresh.

Just Me said...

Yummy.

Sally Tharpe Rowles said...

I love French breakfasts but then again I am not big on heavy American breakfasts so that might explain it. If staying in a hotel it really depends on the hotel. I do often skip it & have mine in a cafe. I find either is a very nice way to start the day.

Louise said...

We usually stay in apartments in Paris, and I switch from yoghurt (on my good days) to croissants and chouquettes (on the other good days). Going out to a grand hotel is a magnificent (if expensive) breakfast- we had breakfast at Le Meurice once- magnifique and definitely recommended. I can see how an inhouse breakfast in a country hotel is worth it but in cities I normally have a list of bakeries ready to try.

Paulita said...

But if you buy a croissant or pastry from a bakery, where do you eat it? The French do not eat on the streets and eating in the hotel room seems so American. If you have an apartment, I guess that makes sense to bring in pastries. Hmmm.

Sim Carter said...

I love croissants but too many carbs for a steady diet. Is it bad form in France to sit on a park bench with a croissant and a yogurt or some fruit? Personally I think a nice ripe banana is a beautiful beginning to any day:)
Sorry, no Dreaming of France post today; I got all caught up with my newest British telly obsession, Poldark on Masterpiece. It's, um, Masterful!

Paulita said...

Sim, Yes, it's looked down upon to eat in public in France. The feeling is that one should sit at a table and focus on the meal.

Leovi said...

What a great breakfast! Delightful!

sillygirl said...

We generally have breakfast at the small hotel we stay in in Paris. We order one hot chocolate and one coffee with cream and then do our two cups of a mix of each. I love the croissants and bread and butter but it is too much on the carb side. Just have to walk more and have a piece of cheese in my pocket.

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