Brewpubs in France

"A few adresses from my home town."

• Chamonix

  (BP) Creperie DU Glacier 75 ave. Aiguille Midi 74400

  Chuck Sheldon, (skitime3@cs.com) reports: Great little spot. This is a local hang-out and for good reason. As we sat there enjoying the atmosphere, the locals really began to pour in. It was 5:00pm and within 20 minutes the placed was packed! Pitchers of micro’s and wine were flying! Wendy looked at me and we realized these people know how to party..:) They pulled tables together as if a routine ritual and gathered around getting hammered! It was great- We really enjoyed the interaction with everyone. Everyone was very nice and talkative. A really cool place to hang out after a long day of skiing..:) We tried some of their local brews. One was very smooth with a light sweet aftertaste.(Wendy had several!) They had several locally brewed brews on tap as well as Kronenbourg. They had one brew that resembled a Mertzen that was very tasty. (I was hooked!) Great wine selection too including wine on tap. The food was great too...the calzones hang off the plate!! Rating 1-10 (8)

• Lyon

  The Barrel House Rue Sainte Catherine 69001 Lyon.

  The only bar in Lyon to brew its own beer, a bitter called Lionheart. Also on tap Guinness, Mac Ewans, Leffe, Kriek ... Free concerts from wednesday to saturday. One big plus for me is that they agreed to sell me what I need to make my beer (hops, yeasts, malt) :).

  Le Chantecler Boulevard de la Croix Rousse 69004

  Le chanteclerc has 3 or 4 different home made beers, change every month ot two, and has a nice terrasse in summer.

  They often brew pils, ale, bitter, etc... and they are good. Concerts sometimes, also a restaurant. Friendly with homebrewers (ahem, me :) ).

  Le Palais de la Biere, 1 rue Terme 69001 Lyon

  The widest choice in beer in town. 8-10 beers on tap.

  Les Capucins, Place des capucins 69001 Lyon

  Less choice than the previous two, but I prefer the atmosphere there. Only bar in town with 'biere flambee' (beer + liqueur, light it and drink with a straw)

• NICE

  Les Palmiers 3, Place Amelie Polonais- 06230 Villefranche sur Mer tel. 04 93 01 71 63

  Chuck Sheldon, (skitime3@cs.com) reports:Located on the wharf directly adjacent to the famous Fisherman Church, this is a must stop when visiting. Serving a delicious assortment of French and Italian cuisine, this restaurant located on the bay is awesome! An open-air environment, Las palmiers serves up the biggest beers around! (If you are not ready to pound heavily, order the medium) They have nearly fifty bottles available and several on tap. Wendy tried the Leffe (a slightly darker brew having a malt style aftertaste) and I had the Loburg (no hops to speak of, though the mix of malt left a very light and flavorful aftertaste. Served ice cold, one LARGE is all you need! The pizzas are great, and one cannot visit without an order of local mussels. Something about the French and their desserts…it’s a MUST TRY kind of thing…Unbelievable! Sophie was a great help!! Rating 1-10 (9)

• PARIS

  La Marine 59, bd du Montparnasse 75006 PARIS tel. 01 45 48 27 70

  Chuck Sheldon, (skitime3@cs.com) reports:Located in the heart of the Montpanasse district, this is the local hangout. From open to close, you are hard pressed to find a seat… And the reason is clear! They have 54 beers on tap!! The ambiance is truly local Paris- Everyone seemed friendly and nice. Though only serving popcorn and finger-foods, this establishment is for drinking!! Kronenbourg was the call of the day (French brewed and light on the hops, with a pleasantly sweet aftertaste), though dad had the Elephant brew! Across the street there are several excellent dining café’s. Located 50ft. from the metro, and close to “tourist attractions”, this is a great place to immerse yourself in the local flavor of Paris after a day of sightseeing! Rating 1-10 (8)