Throwback Thursday

 

Today's throwback is to Le Train Bleu, the elegant restaurant overlooking the tracks inside the Gare de Lyon, from where trains still depart daily for the sun-drenched South of France. If the gastronomy doesn't lure you in (be sure to order their tableside-prepped Crêpes Suzette flambéed with Grand Marnier for dessert), the breathtaking decor certainly will: 41 monumental paintings by renowned Belle Époque artists adorn the walls and soaring ceilings, depicting tempting Côte d'Azur destinations to whet the appetite for travel. - BPJ

 

Pre-trip pause

Inside Le Train Bleu leather armchairs line a long hallway that leads to the ornate dining room An original pause for tea or coffee.

Lunch launch

 

Le Train Bleu inside the Gare de Lyon is still "the" must-lunch stop for travelers off to the French Riviera and sunny Provence.

 

Above: wall and ceiling paintings depict alluring destinations on the Côte d'Azur