I am heading to Paris tomorrow for a week long trip and was wondering where I should run (and eat) while I am staying there. Does anyone who has been there or has lived there have any tips on either? I will be staying at the Hilton near the Eiffel Tower so runs that start close to that location would probably be best. I am willing to travel further for good food.
Thanks
I saw your title and thought that maybe some Germans were in France…the French run, the Germans eat…
I dont really know Paris well, but I spend a day there once in a while. I usually eat in the quartier Latin (no particular restaurant) and run in the streets near the canal, the Cathedral, Louvre, quartier Latin, etc. Theres a really big park near the Eiffel tower that is really nice to run but I dont remember the name. When you look at a map, you cant miss it, it’s really big and north of the tower.
Enjoy your stay in Paris.
I was there this July for the Tour, I enjoyed running up and down the Champs in the morning as well as running through the garden in front of the Louve. Run before 9:00 am, after that it starts to get crazy.
Dave in VA
I was there a year ago and basically just went out the door and ran and ran! It was a great way to see a lot of stuff!! I don’t know any particular routes, but I don’t think you can go wrong just making it up as you go! 
Out your door and around the Champs du Mar at Tour Eiffel; along the Seine; early along the streets.
From last year: I found the Paris running spot! Le Jardin du Luxembourg, which is one block from my new hotel (moved from the Novotel over by Tour Eiffel to the Place de l’Odeon, in the 6th arr.) The Jardin has nice dirt paths all over and a 1.3 mile loop around the whole thing. Bathrooms, a snack shop for water and policemen on duty, plus great people watching.
Eating…
Stay off the main tourist track, which means most of those restaurants in the Latin Quartier. Instead, head off on a side street and find a local neighborhood spot.
A recommendation, again from last year. This place was near le Jardin du Luxembourg:
I am sitting here waiting for my dinner at La Gueuze–La Maision de la Biere!! The house of beer. I didn’t notice when I walked in. Seriously! They have about 100 kinds of beer, both pression (tap) and in the bottle. I’m having a Trappist Achel. Pretty damned good. So is the entree (frisee). And the main (beeftek dauphinoise). I love Europe.
For a bit of a splurge, I suggest La Mediterraneé Restaurant (place de l’Odeon). I ate there my last night in Paris last year. Menu was:
Radishes and great, crusty sourdough bread on the table.
Entree: Pressed leeks with goat cheese and tomatoes. Cold. Almost like a terrine. Excellent!
Main: Perche grilled and over spinach with a bit of a beurre blanc sauce. Delicious!
Demi-bouitelle of a Macon Villages blanc. Quite nice.
No dessert.
Man, I LOVE Paris!!!
clm
lived in paris 3 years, loved it there, but one warning if you’re going to go running there:
people don’t curb their dogs. there’s $h*t all over the sidewalks. Kind of paris’ worst-kept secret. So watch your step if you’re just running on the sidewalks.
The Jardins de Luxembourg are a great place to run, but you could go closer… if you’re near the eiffel tower, you’re near the river and i think that over there you could get pretty far just running along the river. (i know you can do that over in the 5th, not sure about the 7th where you’ll be). also, you’re right by the champ de mars, that’s probably a good place to run…
tons of good restaurants, tons of bad ones in paris. i usually ask: if this place serves bad food, will they still do good buisness? if the answer is yes, i avoid it, unless i have some actual info.
drive a little bit and go run in the Bois de Boulogne. Lots of trails (flat though) or drive a tad more and run in Parc de Saint Cloud (some hilly trails there)…some of the best running in west Paris. Maybe a 10min drive from where you are (assuming traffic doesn’t suck).
eating
La Feuille de Vigne
26 Rue du Val d’Or
92150 SURESNES
Réservations : 01.41.18.95.97
( www.feuille-de-vigne.com )
CLOCHE A FROMAGE (LA)
25 Rue de la Reynie
75001 PARIS (just cheese stuff)
DROUANT
18, Rue Gaillon
75002 PARIS (expensive though, but worth it)
PETIT MONTMORENCY (Au)
26 Rue Jean Mermoz
75008 PARIS (Foie gras is top notch)
Thanks for the tips. Now a bump for the weekend crowd.
Like others have said, just get out and run. I stayed near the same area this past June and simply ran early before the traffic hit the streets.
Food? Well, believe it or not I am not much into French food. Best meal I had was actually sushi (I prefer Japan over France any day). I did frequent the bakeries plenty though.
Got engaged in Paris in Augst of 2004. Always stay in the Latin Quarter.
Noa an easy place to run as the sidewalks are narrow and there are a lot of side streets.
I usually run along the Seine. Great scenery and the sidewalks are wider.
Any place you run you have to be very, very aware of people walking out from store fronts.
Have never had a bad meal in Paris. Be prepared to spend a great deal of time in reataurants as the pace of service is much, much slower.
Place to eat:
Degres de Notre Dame, Moraccan/french cuisine. Located: 10 rue des Grands Degres
Very near Notre Dame.
Have a great time.
If you have time try to catch an evening concert at the Ste. Chappelle.
I was there for a weekend in 2001 and like others have said, I just went out the door and ran. I was staying at a hotel a few blocks from the big Ferris wheel so I went down and ran along the river for a while and then explored so offshoots from there. I ended up going for about 18 miles and it was a great run.
I just wanted to thank all for their tips on Paris and let you know that just going out the door and running was the best thing to do. So I each morning I woke up, got dressed and headed out the door for a run. It was a great way to see the city while most people were still asleep.
I didn’t get a chance to try the food selections that were mentioned, since the others in my group who had been to Paris before had the food options covered and did a great job.
Now I just have to get my body back on east coast time.