Bercy Village – Christmas in Europe

As indicated previously, Bercy was once a wine trading centre, just east of the city centre.  The previously grim riverside warehouses and slum housing have now been transformed into an ultra-modern zone beside the Seine.  Commercial and administrative buildings dominate the skyline, including the Ministry of Finance Building.  Former wine stores and cellars along Cours St. Emilion have been converted into restaurants, bars and shops with a very village feel to the place.  Being the holiday season, most of the shops were closed.  It must be nicer here in the peak holiday season with the shops open for trade and people milling about.

There is a new metro line right in Bercy Village and Line 14 will take you to the centre of Paris.  Rivertrips are available from the Marina de Bercy.  If you don’t feel like going into town in the cold winter night, it is possible to dine in the village.  There are a number of restaurants to choose from and tonight we decided on the Italian restaurant.  The restaurant was quite packed and the atmostphere was good, but I thought the food lacked punch. 

Helen