From Paris to London

A friend and I are going to Paris on May 8 for 7 nights and 8 days. We are thinking of taking a train to London for the day for the only purpose of having high tea. If not possible, we are willing to stay in London for one night, but would rather have a long day and then recuperate in Paris the next day. Any suggestions?

Thanks

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I%26#39;m pricing out your tickets on Rail Europe for $160 USD per person round trip--and that%26#39;s second class. I%26#39;m a huge fan of afternoon tea (the one with tea, scones, finger sandwiches and tiny desserts) myself, but not sure if I would just go to London only for that. If you flew open-jaw to or from London you could spend a night or two there then experience the sights and move on to Paris. BTW, my mother took me for afternoon tea at the Hotel Crillon for my birthday and it was disappointing :(

Good luck--you%26#39;ll have fun whatever you do...but leave the tea to the experts :)

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The EUROSTAR works great for a London day-trip--it%26#39;s a modern %26#39;..time machine..%26#39;--with the one(1) hour earlier local time difference for London. You leave Paris at say 7:30 AM...spend two hours 2:30 hrs on the train and when you go through the tunnel, time has reversed for an hour, so that you arribe in London at 09:00 AM. But, %26quot;..Ah..don%26#39;t you give the hour back upon the return??..%26quot; Not really. After a long day out %26#39;n about in London, you%26#39;ll be tired when you board the train for the return to Paris and are likely to take a nap during the ride. When you do, how can you be sure that you%26#39;ved napped for 20 minutes??...or 80 minutes??

There are lot%26#39;s of places in London for Afternoon Tea or High Tea (a more substantial %26#39;meal%26#39;). The RITZ on Picadilly and HARROD%26#39;S in Knightsbridge are popular and very good. But for us it will always be the Saint James%26#39;s Tea Romm on the 4th floor of FORTNUM %26amp; MASON-Picadilly %26amp; Duke St.. No matter what they do to this space--renovate or redecorate--it always seems to be just ever-so-slightly frayed-around-the-edges...and if the the old Queen Mum had ever said %26quot;..We should like to take our Tea out this afternoon..%26quot;, this is where she%26#39;d come to have it.

FORTNUM %26amp; MASON--

fortnumandmason.com/Our-Restaurants/St-James…

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Thank you so much for your post. We are thinking of where we could have %26quot;High Tea%26quot; closest to the train station in London as neither of us has travelled to Paris or London before. Anyone else who can give us more descriptions on how to get to these places? I really appreciate your post.

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There is TEA in London, but not HIGH TEA which is predominantly a rural (and northern) term for a substantial early evening meal for working folk including a meat course etc.

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If you go to the London Forum and browse or SEARCH it (you can search using the box at the top right of the forum list) you will find LOADS of suggestions and discussions as to where is best to have Tea in London. There isn%26#39;t really anywhere %26#39;classic%26#39; for Tea that I can think of near St Pancras Station (which is where Eurostar goes to). These days the Wolsley in Picadilly seems to be a very popular place, or of course, next door there is the Ritz. You would probably need to book up for most of the %26#39;swanky%26#39; tea places.

Coming to London just for Tea seems quite surprisingly decadent, even to me - are you sure that there isn%26#39;t anything else you would like to see in our great City??

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_tea#High_tea

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Well Im from London and live in London and I have no idea what this %26#39;high tea%26#39; is that you are talking about? Best thing I can suggest when you get to London, find the nearest Tescos and buy a pack of McVicties digestives and some PG Tips.

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You should do tea in paris at Laduree, various locations in Paris as well as Champs de Elsee,they have a concession at harrods now in london but unless you are doing the Ritz not worth coming to London on eurostar just for that!

Amazing teas and macaroons and cakes check out website (laduree.fr)

z

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Thanks EssexWanderer. Your post did remind me that it is NOT HIGH TEA, but regular tea. I had this discussion last fall and searched it on the internet, but of course immediately forgot and called it HIGH TEA again. I meant a nice tea :)

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Well Im from London and live in London and I have no idea what this %26#39;high tea%26#39; is that you are talking about?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

That%26#39;s odd...because the people who run Fortnum %26amp; Masons and many other places seem to know about High Tea...and list it on their menus--and as noted previously usually a more substantial %26#39;..meal..%26#39;.

fortnumandmason.com/Common/Downloads/StJames…

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Europenewby I like this idea, good on you. I am thinking we might do the same when we are in Paris for 7 nights and combine a traditional English afternoon tea with a visit to a friend in London. Any one got any pricing on the train previously mentioned that leaves early in the morning?