Les Paillottes : the guinguette spirit is back!

Just a couple of kilometers outside of Paris, from Camille Corot to Boris Vian, the ponds of the Ville-d’Avray have seduced 19th century artists looking for inspiration. Behind the entrance of the plush hotel Les Étangs de Corot is hidden a “guinguette” style bar-restaurant of exceptional heritage: an outdoor French countryside café where people used to wine, dine, and sometimes dance in the summer’s of days gone by. In this lush and charming old-fashioned setting, it’s like going back in time. You can enjoy a dozen or so fanciful cocktails and liqueurs of yesteryear that were all the rage in the golden age of guinguettes. Formerly a classical restaurant, Les Paillotes now has an appetizing menu of small plates at reasonable prices that are great for sharing. The salads (such as La Dulcinée: smoked burrata “affumicata” cheese, cherry tomatoes and Taggiasche olives) are super fresh. The “veggie” toasts, the deli meats, and the smoked trout, which are served on wood boards (€9), and the small plates are all very delicious. To round out the meal, the strawberry rhubarb tart or the pineapple carpaccio are not to be missed. After having savored this moment, there’s nothing like a little walk around the lake for a guaranteed change of scenery. Even if the service could be a bit faster, you can really tell that the Paillotes are now up to par with the Michelin star fine dining restaurant of the Le Corot hotel. It’s also worth mentioning that on certain Thursdays, the Paillotes has music in the evening. Great ambiance guaranteed! And there’s a Sunday Brunch for €45.

Thursday and Friday 6:30pm to midnight
Saturday, noon to midnight
Sunday Brunch: 11am to 4pm • Average price: €35.