> La Guinguette Auvergnate,
Villeneuve -Saint-Georges
(10 minutes from Paris by train)
Few people know
the art living of the french Guinguette. These taverns located
along the banks of the rivers are
mostly on open-air restaurants with dance-floor.
Guinguette (pronounced ‘gang-ETTE ») exist since
the end of the 18th century when parisians went outside the
city limits in order to avoid tax (octroi) of incoming merchandise and especially wines
in Paris.
Like the word bistro, the origin of the word guinguette
is debated, but it is likely coming from the name of a wine
produced around Paris, the guiguet.
During the 19th and 20th century, the guinguettes gathered
working class, who came on sundays on these riverside tavern
along the banks of the Marne or the
Seine river to enjoy simple meals and little wine such as
friture (fried whitebait). Thus, from 1850 to 1950, scores
of them were to be found along the banks of the Seine and
especially along the banks of the Marne river. After
lunch, people stand up to dance polka, waltz, and of course « Valse
Musette“ with accordion accompaniment.
During the 50's, the rise of television almost killed the
Guinguette and so today few survive.
The Guinguette Auvergnate at Villeneuve-Saint-Georges is
one those last well alive.
It was created by Jean-Pierre Vic in
1995.
Jean-Pierre runs a café near Saint-Germain des Près,
but he can no longer stand the crowd of Paris. When he has
discovered this Guinguette, he immediatly purchased it.
Jean-Pierre enjoys giving pleasure to people. According
to him, happiness comes with a good air of accordion (which
he plays good) and a good food.
In his Guinguette Auvergnate, he manages to gather all generations
and to have fun. Grand parents cousins, friends, children
came to dance, la Guinguette
Auvergnate, according Annabel Simms, is a little spot of
paradise. Annabel author of « An hour from Paris » a
guide to 20 lesser-known destinations reachable by train.
At la Guinguette Auvergnate, you will taste an authentic
cuisine from Auvergne and Aveyron regions. The portions of
aligot (mashed potatoes, garlic and cheese) are generous,
but there is also stuffed cabbage, and many specialities,
among them, the calf's head of la Guinguette Auvergnate which
keeps connoisseurs coming. The dance and the music of La
Guinguette Auvergnate is perfect for the digestion.
19
av de Choisy
94190 Villeneuve-Saint-Georges
Tél : 01 43 89 04 64
Fax / 01 43 89 82 17
Station RER : Villeneuve-Triage (12 mn from Gare de Lyon
(Line D)
Menus from 12 to 18 €
Dancing lunch or dinner : from 35 to 45€
Open every day except on monday
Service from 11.30 AM to 18.00 PM and the evening from 19.00
PM to 2.00 AM
Few people know
the art living of the french Guinguette.
It was created by Jean-Pierre Vic in
1995. 
