Five Bistros to Enjoy While Camping in Paris

Though you may not know it, camping in Paris is swiftly becoming a popular, and perhaps even fashionable, choice for those holidaying in the French capital. And with the price of camping outdoing even the most modestly priced hotels you will have plenty of spending power left to enjoy some of the most attractive Parisian bistros during your stay.

Five Bistros to Enjoy While Camping in Paris

With the attractions of one of Europe's most intricate cities only a short drive away, camping in the clean, quiet campsites of the surrounding area near Paris is an ideal choice for families and couples alike. For you see, in Paris, camping is nothing like you would expect. With luxury mobile homes and tents available for your holiday with all the comforts of home, there is no reason why camping at the Berny Riviere or the Touquin campsites should not be an enviable experience.

Of course, one of the best things about camping near Paris is the savings that you can enjoy when compared to the price of a centrally located hotel. With this surprisingly generous boon in ready monies, you can feel free to indulge yourself with the famous Parisian cuisine, without anxiously anticipating l'addition. Here are five establishments that you may wish to check out before slipping back to your campsite.

Les Dingues (17 Rue de Rambouillet)

Unnoticed by guidebooks and unknown to tourists, Les Dingues ('The Crazies') is a truly authentic neighbourhood bistro that will give you a definitively Parisian experience. Frequented by a host of regulars (who you may wish to join at the bar assuming that you enjoy a tipple of pastis), you're liable to find a fantastic range of French dishes on the menu, including entrecote steak flambéed in cognac or ravioli in brie sauce. Worth a look for any curious soul who's camping in Paris.

Les Racines (22 Rue Monsieur Le Prince)

Chef Jean-Francois Debre decided to open this simple, charming bistro to partner his more sophisticated, gourmet outlet Chez Maitre Paul. The people of Paris leapt at the offer and Les Racines is consistently filled with crowds of baying customers, amongst them some of the city's leading food critics. Taking advantage of this popularity, of perhaps inspiring it, Debre eschews a regular menu, instead supplying a carte du jour that varies with the days and his moods, covering such delights as blanquette de veau and red mullet à la plancha with olive oil mashed potatoes. Fantastic.

Le Pre Verre (8 Rue Thenard)

Philippe Delacourcelle, of Le Pre Verre takes all the traditions of French cuisine and mixes them with Asian spices and cooking methods to create something very special. Combining a great location with creative cuisine at exceptionally reasonable prices this is a culinary experience not to miss. As an entree, you may have an old-fashioned hure de porc, grilled pig's muzzle, but cooked in a five-spices sauce, followed by tender cod braised with cinnamon, served on a bed of smoked potato puree.

Chez Gladines (5 Rue des Cinq Diamants)

If you're looking for all the flavour and charm of a Basque bistro without leaving the city of lights then look no further. Based in the thriving Butte aux Cailles district, Chez Gladines offers enormous portions of food, gallons of quaffable house wine, unreserved seating and a limitless supply of amicable Basque charisma; all for prices that put less reasonable cafes to shame. If you're sufficiently enamoured of this slice of south-western charm in the heart of central Paris, camping in the Pyrenees may just be the next place on your list...

Chez Germaine (30 Rue Pierre Leroux)

Quietly busy for a number of decades, Chez Germaine is an intimate little bistro of a mere 25 seats. Romantic and respected, there is an admirable integrity in the management of this popular haunt, their prices do not increase between lunchtime and evening, a small gesture which nevertheless endears it to a small army of loyal patrons. Offering home-made terrines, grillades and a slew of other traditional dishes, you cannot go wrong with this rare little gem.