Restaurant reservations for the Salon d'Agriculture?

[rosepoint]

We are heading back to Paris at the end of February to attend the Salon. There are dozens of restaurants at the Salon but I have no idea how to make reservations to eat at any of them. I haven't been able to find that info out on the Salon website.

Does anyone know how we can make reservations or how one gets a seat in the restaurants in the food hall?

[Parigi]

"The Italians had decided to go whole hog."
Here are the do's and don't's re eating at the Salon. The photos are great fun.
http://www.paris-update.com/fr/index....

[kerosundae]

Question: let's say we successfully avoid weekends & the prez, is one day enough to see all the rides? or should I leave 2 days free so that I can go back if one day wasn't enough? I have never been, don't know what's gonna be in it and have absolutely no idea what to expect.

[vielleanglaise]

There aren't any "rides". It's a big agricultural fair. One hall is devoted to farming equipment, another to seeds, fertilisers and what have you, another to building materials, etc. Then there is the livestock hall with cows, pigs, chickens, etc. A show ring for the competitions between the different animals. Then the food hall where you can taste and buy different foods and drinks.

If farming's your thing, I suppose more than one day might be necessary. If not, I'd say that a single day would be just fine.

[kerosundae]

HAHAHA! I can't BELIEVE I wrote "rides"!!! I meant "booths" I must have subconsciously wished really hard that I were at 6 Flags rather than sitting at a computer all day!

[kerosundae]

ok, then I think 1 day is good enough for me! I hope I can buy me a can-o-worms.

[sunshine842]

If you're from North America, think of it as a 4-H fair on steroids, without the midway.

(if you're not from North America, vielleanglaise's description will have to do)

[kerosundae]

I am from North America, but had never heard of 4-H until researching after reading your reply. Where I'm from, both the youths and the adults are too nerdy to do anything fun like 4-H. =/

[rosepoint]

For those who haven't been there are no animals in the Producers hall that contains the regions of France. In fact I didn't see any restaurants in the halls that contained the animals.

I agree that the weekends should be avoided. The crowds are incredible.

[jenn]

We are also planning to attend the Salon d'agriculture. Can someone tell me if the restaurants in the pavilions take credit cards/debit cards or if one must bring cash?

Also, just to be clear, are their free samples or a charge for everything one might nibble?

Thanks!

[rosepoint]

Can't help with the restaurant question but I can help on the samples.

Some booths offer free samples, some booths don't offer samples at all and are just selling their product, and some booths are stands that are selling food to eat on-site. For example,we had hard cider and crepes from a booth in the Bretton area and we paid to eat those. This year I'm going to pace myself better. I was full before I found the first foie gras vendor!

[sunshine842]

and I'm pretty sure it's mostly cash, with the larger restaurants sometimes taking credit cards.

Vendors selling what they produce will very frequently accept plastic, though.

[vielleanglaise]

Samples are free, but with heat, jostling, free wine and booze, and pervasive bouquet of various farmyard animals' ejections (it's like the ark in there) ambiance and tempers can get fraut and fraid.

Try to avoid weekends, public holidays...and the day Sarkozy goes.

[sunshine842]

oh yes.

Probably worth mentioning that anyone with animal allergies needs to avoid the livestock and pet buildings like the plague.

[vielleanglaise]

Especially the day Sarkozy's there.

[Ptipois]

Best reply ever.

[Ptipois]

In my memory you don't reserve in those restaurants. It's grab a table while you can. Or better, while beginning your visit, choose your restaurant and then you can book a table there for later.

[PhilD]

Do they take reservations? Is there a specific "food hall" full of restaurants (there are halls with produce)? IIRC there are food outlets, cafes, and casual restaurants scattered throughout the different exhibition halls (it is very, very big). You simply find a seat in a place that takes your interest when you want to eat - it is a bit like a big state fair but better quality food.

[rosepoint]

From what I remember - and it's been a few years - there was a cafeteria type place in one hall but in the 7.1 and 7.2 hall where the food producers were located there were actual sit down restaurants. At least a few of them. By the time we got to that hall it was way past lunch and the restaurants were empty.

We ended up just grazing at the booths in that hall for a meal but this time I would like to plan a sit down meal. That is, if I can figure out how to do it!