<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hello to All,

Thanks to everyone for your prompt, and very encouraging replies.

Here is what I have received so far, in re. gluten-free visit to Paris.
This is a straight-forward cut and paste, rather than a proper
summary.  I hope that it is not too long.  I have left out a few
replies that contained only information that already is included
below.

One respondent was kind enough to send an extensive list of
shops and restaurants that had been recommended in the past.
I've 'snipped' the specific names and addresses for the sake of
brevity in this summary, but I can send you the information in a
private email if you wish.

With best wishes for all your travels,

Deirdre  [The summary appears below]

1.     We went to Paris for 5 days in February.  I used the free
translated restaurant card from the Let's Eat Out folks' website:
www.glutenfreepassport.com.  Look under "Translations"
I think.  Do print them out in color --- it's easier to read.
Then laminate a few.

I used these with great success at restaurants all over
Paris, but mostly near our small hotel.  It had a
continental breakfast where I could get fruit, yogurt,
cheese & juice.  I had brought baggies with uncrushable
cereal in my suitcase for the whole trip (Gorilla Munch).
No problem.

For lunch we would get a salad or ice cream.  Then a nice supper.
I think we ate in several "Brasserie"s.  Some were better than
others in terms of the food.  We looked at the menus posted
outside first to see if there would be some plain-ish dishes.

We also took Rick Steves' guidebook of Paris -- great!
We used the metro all over, or rather under. Getting a
metro pass in advance and a museum pass was very beneficial.
The museum pass allowed you to not stand in the long lines!
We got them through AAA travel agent here.

Good luck!   You will do fine!

2.     I was in Paris in April and didn't have any problem eating
gluten-free.

I stayed in the Rue Cler area: Hotel Eber Mars,
www.hotelebermars.com. It is close to the Ecole Militaire Metro
stop and within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower.
I thought it was very convenient. The only problem for me was that
our room overlooked a busy street. They offer a 10 euro breakfast that includes
croissants (not gf), yogurt, cheese, juice, and coffee. I got it one
morning (my travel partner does not have celiac), taking my own
gf croissants that I bought at a nearby health food store - Naturalia.

Naturalia is a chain health food store. The one by the
Ecole Militaire Metro stop had a good selection of gf breads,
cakes, crackers, and cookies. Right next store to that is a regular
grocery store - for yogurt, fruits, juice, etc. I read on the celiac
list about other Naturalia locations in the Marais District and in
Montmarte on Rue Lepic.

For lunches, my friend and I usually purchased food at a grocery
store and picnicked. Dinners we usually ate in restaurants. Omelets
and meal salads are typical café meals in Paris. One night I ate an
omelet with a side salad , another night was steak and
butter-drenched green beans, and one night was fast-food Lebanese
in the food court at the Louvre. Probably my best and biggest meal
was a 3-course fish lunch on the Ile St. Louis. I used my
French-language dining card all the time and didn't have any problems.

I just completed an article about my Paris trip for the celiac
support group to which I belong. I'll actually post it to by blog in
another week or so - www.wayoftheceliactraveler.blogspot.com.

Non gf advice: purchase a Paris Museum Pass. I bought the 2-day
version, and money-wise probably broke even with the number of
places I visited. The biggest advantage to the pass, though, is that
you can by-pass the long entry lines at many places. On the day I
went to Musee d'Orsay, the regular line was hours-long. Instead,
I went to the shorter pass-holders lines and got in within 10 minutes.

Have a great trip!

3.     When I was in Paris, I simply presented a GF dining card
translated into French to my server. I never had a problem.
Everyone was very kind and helpful. And I didn't get a dried
chicken breast and steamed veggies, either!

4.     I understand that you can go to McDonalds and they have
a gluten free meal on the menu! Also, they serve wine. Enjoy!
( I would never go to mickey dees here, but in Paris. definitely!)

5.     I go to Paris a lot and over the years have found people will
stop and help you work your way through the menu if you go at
non-peak times.  The disease is less well known there, but they are
very picky about what goes into food and know their ingredients.
I have also found that pharmacists are a wonderful resource for
finding out about GF options.  Below is a compilation of stuff
I have pulled off the list over the years.  Have a great trip, and if
you get more Paris info would you please post it or send it my way as
I am headed there next summer for 5 weeks.

Bon voyage,

PARIS
Paris (4 replies): Can easily find GF food in Paris in shops called
La Vie Claire, located around the city.  Pre-packaged foods are
great-especially Valpiform bread (2 slice packages).  Also flaky
pastries.  Regular supermarkets called Monoprix carry GF selections
also.  Street vendors sell all types of fresh fruit and vegetables.  One
person said living and shopping GF is easy.

Tasty choices recommended by respondants:
Valpiform Pain Champagnard (5 lg slices of country style bread)
Glutabyte Delicieux Framboise (indiv wrapped flaky pastry with jam)

Restaurants were accommodating with translation of forbidden foods.

I have discovered the following places to get French translated GF
dining cards: Website: www.celiactravel.com
(free printable cards in many languages)
Peter Jax Lowell's book "Against the Grain" has cards in different
languages
A Canadian company also sells French dining cards but I can't find it
now. I think they advertise on listserve on the 1st of the month.

Also, here is a French dining card:

J'ai la maladie coeliac, une maladie rare, mais sérieux.  Il me faut
strictement eviter tous produits provenant du blé, orge, avoin, et
seigle. Veuillez m'indiquer quels plats ne contient pas les ingrédients
interdit pour mon régime.   Merci.

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*
*******
To unsubscribe, email: mailto:[log in to unmask]
*******