Will game still be afoot (afield?!) in mid January?

[sistereurope]

Dear Paris hounds,
My husband has agreed to indulge my Paris obsession/addiction by agreeing to a surprise quick trip Jan 13-21 (Bless him and the frequent flier mile Gods!). He is crazy for game, so while I have a feeling that the bird variety will be over by then, can anyone tell me if the furry kind will still be appearing on the menu? He loves some bloody hare, and sanglier.

Thanks in advance, as I have a long list of must go to places thanks to all of you, some new (I'm already thinking Septime, Au Passage, Le Philou) and some regular loves (Chez L'Ami Jean and La Regalade), And it's oyster season too, so is Sunday at Baron Rouge still good? So excited!!!

[dennis855]

This is a very interesting conversation. Since most of our visits to Paris are in the last weeks of Jan and the first weeks of Feb. (birthdays, anniversary, etc.), we have found the wild game has been much harder to find than in the Nov.-Dec. time frame.

[PhilD]

I think that is the same everywhere as the volume tails off as the season progresses, so always best to be early in the season rather than later.

[sistereurope]

alas. if only our schedule allowed us to time thing perfectly!!! I keep trying to convince my husband that we need to move to Paris, for just this very reason...:)

[PhilD]

On the game question. The French shooting season is unique to France so you need to check the dates in order to work out what may be in season and th what may be Available - beware it is regional . It is also complicated by the fact that if the "bag" is large then a lot of birds can be frozen so the season is extended in relation to what may be available in a restaurant.

[Parigi]

I think the French game season ends in February. Let me try to find a link. Here you go:
http://www.roc.asso.fr/chasse-france/...

[sistereurope]

thanks, that is very helpful! I hope there's some wild sanglier around after the new year...although I'm guessing that some frozen bird MIGHT not be so bad...

[Delucacheesemonger]

If you see marcassin, get that. A much younger and tenderer version of sanglier

[PhilD]

The general season is late feb but each region is quite different with different dates for each type of game: http://www.oncfs.gouv.fr/Chasser-dans...

[Delucacheesemonger]

Re: oysters, see http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/813538. Been there about 10 times and absolutely love it.

[Parigi]

DCM,
Your link does not work.
This may be the link you meant.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/813538

[Delucacheesemonger]

Edited it , Thanks, you with the sharpshooter eyes.

[sistereurope]

Ah, yes, I remember reading that thread...thanks for the reminder about that place, it sounds fabulous. I love French oysters ALMOST as much as local (MD and especially VA Chincoteague).

Now if I can find some game my husband will be ecstatic!

[Delucacheesemonger]

Used to go to the Chincoteague oyster festival on Columbus Day weekend for many years, until they told me all their oysters were from the Gulf. Are the local oyster fields coming back from the pollution. Striped bass and blue crabs are still suffering a lot.

[sistereurope]

We go to an oyster bar in Baltimore frequently and the owners swear that when they have chincoteagues they are from Chincoteague - or at least the area around there (they also have oysters from Long Island and North Carolina, but I can tell a chincoteague from the others!) There has been a big move here to restore the oyster population in the Bay. The striped bass seem to be coming back, and the MD blue crabs were good this past year. as well. I can't eat crab anywhere else, it just doesn't compare. I can definitely pick a MD crab out from the others...

Back to Paris..I also really love the briny oysters in France and can't wait to have some, so thanks again!!