PARIS | Restaurant Le Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon

Six days. Five overnight stays in five cities in Spain. Lunch in Paris. Stopover in Barcelona. Then Córdoba, Seville, Granada and Málaga. An Andalusia Whirlwind Tour where we visit the Mezquita and the Alhambra. We’re touring Andalusia in October 2023 to follow the trend of travelling to hot spots outside summer, as we did with Italy in 2022.

We arrived early in Paris for our connecting train to Barcelona-Sants early for two reasons.

Firstly, we like some buffer. There are (were) only two direct trains from Paris-Gare-de-Lyon to Catalonia per day. The early one is too early for us to get to the capital of France. So missing the second one would mean booking last minute a flight to Barcelona.

Secondly, we did not have a choice. A Eurostar, ex-Thalys, later was already fully booked.

Anyway, to kill time and to have a nice meal before the SNCF TGV inOui service to Barcelona, we booked lunch at Le Train Bleu (or rather Le train bleu without capital t and b).

Le Train Blue

Le Train Bleu (‘The Blue Train’) is a restaurant located in the original hall of the Gare de Lyon railway station. It was designated a Monument Historique in 1972.

The restaurant was originally created for the Exposition Universelle (1900). Each ornate dining room is themed to represent cities and regions of France and they are decorated with 41 paintings by some of the most popular artists of that time.

Marius Toudoire, the famous architect behind the Gare de Lyon clock tower and façade, was entrusted with carrying out these works. The management of the railway company hoped to create an unmissable gourmet experience in a luxurious, modern and legendary setting.

The station buffet was unveiled in 1901 by the French President Emile Loubet and quickly attracted people from high society and artists.

In 1963, the Buffet de la Gare de Lyon became Le Train Bleu as a tribute to the ‘Paris – Vintimille‘ (Ventimiglia) line dating from 1868, the legendary train that served towns in the French Riviera along the Mediterranean coast.

Michel Rostang

Le Train Blue collaborates with famed chef Michel Rostang.

“Le Train Bleu and Michel Rostang share a passion for high quality ingredients and seasonal cuisine. Regional produce from south west France along the PLM (Paris-Lyon-Marseille) line takes centre stage. In the restaurant, everything has been designed to showcase the cuisine. Meat is carved and dishes are flambéed right in front of you for an absolutely unique show”, the website says.

“Le Train Bleu’s iconic recipes have been given a Rostang twist. The result? A traditional gratin dauphinois with no cheese or eggs, Rostang’s signature dish, complements the famous roast leg of lamb (carved from the trolley), not to be missed on Le Train Bleu’s menu.”

“Bresse poultry with fresh tarragon cream served with grilled basmati rice, another of Michel Rostang’s legendary specialities, also makes an appearance alongside recipes that have contributed to Le Train Bleu’s success, like the iconic rum baba or even the tartare prepared at your table.”

Menu PLM

Instead of the Menu voyageur (The Traveller’s Menu), we ordered from the Menu PLM, which stands for Paris – Lyon – Mediterranée (Mediterranean Sea).

The 74 euro-menu lets you choose from a few options per course.

As a starter. Veal pâté en croûte (veal sweetbread, chestnut and tangy shallot ) or salmon confit and leeks in vinaigrette, lemon sabayon, orange jelly with Espelette pepper. We both opted for the veal pâté.

The main course option differed from the online menu. I had cod fillet with Dugléré sauce and pommes grenailles (new potatoes). Danny had chicken with seasonal vegetables.

As a dessert. Selection of local mature cheeses or baba au rhum (rum baba),

citrus-infused rum, vanilla whipped cream or “our seasonal recommendation” which was that day ananas surprise (pineapple surprise) for two. We opted for the baba which was baked in the shape of a champagne bouchon or cork.

The waiter, an intern from a hotel, catering and cooking school, was very generous with rum. The dessert was huge.

Classic French cuisine

Le Train Bleu offers classic French dishes, but served in a contemporary way. Expect meat or fish heavy dishes, with rich sauces. Traditional recipes and desserts.

A belle époque interior, waiters in black tie (tuxedo), food being carved or prepared on a chariot (cart) at the table. This is what you expect from a classy restaurant relying on nostalgia.

So?

Le Train Bleu offers classic cuisine with classic service. No wonder a hotel and catering school sends its pupils there to learn the trade. I would definitely go back.

Ideal to visit with elder people who don’t really like all this modern cooking and sharing ‘nonsense’.