Arc weekend was another one ticked off for The Paddock Preview, with racing at Saint-Cloud on Friday and Longchamp on Saturday and Sunday.
We based ourselves in Boulogne-Billancourt for the trip, and alongside the racing, managed to fit in some proper French food, a few drinks and even a game of padel.
Here’s a look at where we stayed and what we got up to away from the track.
🏨 Where We Stayed — Best Western, Boulogne-Billancourt
We stayed at the Best Western in Boulogne-Billancourt, paying £502 for two people from Thursday night through to Sunday night.
We booked relatively late, so there’s a good chance we could have found better value had we sorted the accommodation earlier. The room was small but modern, and it did the job perfectly for a weekend where we were barely in the hotel.
The location worked well for our plans, too. We were roughly 10–20 minutes by taxi or Uber from both Saint-Cloud and ParisLongchamp, depending on traffic. Uber was readily available throughout the trip, which made getting around straightforward.
We were also close enough to explore Boulogne on foot, with cafés and restaurants nearby.
Getting into central Paris was relatively easy by Metro, with Lines 9 and 10 serving the wider area. Journey times depended on where we wanted to go, but it was generally around 20–40 minutes by public transport.
With racing across three days, it was a convenient base for the weekend.
🍷 Dinner After Racing — Bistro Le Parc
After a day at the races, we headed to Bistro Le Parc in Boulogne-Billancourt for dinner.
We started with 12 snails to share for €29, before I ordered the burger at €24. Wow. A proper French burger, absolutely incredible.
The other lads went for steak, which looked just as good.
Naturally, we had to get stuck into some French wine as well. The Sancerre was €8 a glass, there was some decent red on the table, and the others went for a magnum of rosé.
Somehow, we managed to get an outdoor table for 14 people. We definitely got lucky with that one, so turning up with a group that size without booking probably isn’t something we’d recommend!
🥐 Breakfast — La Bistro de la Ferme
Breakfast was at La Bistro de la Ferme, conveniently located near our hotel.
For €14.90, we got a hot drink of our choice, fresh orange juice, water, a croissant of our choice and an omelette.
The omelette was spot on.
We actually returned two days in a row. The location was convenient, the price was reasonable, and with the Arc meeting keeping us busy, we didn’t have much time to explore somewhere new on Sunday morning.
Sometimes you find somewhere that does exactly what you need, and there’s no point overcomplicating things.
🐸 Traditional French Food — La Gorgeon
We also visited La Gorgeon, where we got stuck into some traditional French dishes.
On the table were frogs’ legs, snails, bone marrow, French fries and egg mayonnaise.
It’s a smaller menu, but everything felt focused on quality, and it was a good chance to try a few dishes you don’t necessarily order every day back home.
One thing that caught our eye was a tray of scallops for four people at €150.
That must be an absolute monster of a seafood platter! 😂
Another good meal away from the racecourse, and a very French one at that.
🍹 Drinks & Happy Hour — Pousse Café
We also stopped off at Pousse Café for a few drinks during the trip.
They have a happy hour, making it a good spot to grab a drink and enjoy a bit of downtime away from the racing.
It was another place we fitted into the weekend while exploring the area around Paris. After busy days at Saint-Cloud and Longchamp, it was nice to sit down, have a few drinks and enjoy the atmosphere.
Because Arc weekend isn’t just about what happens on the track!
🍗 Late-Night Food — Master Poulet
After a long day of racing and a few beers, sometimes you just need a late-night snack.
We came across Master Poulet, a grilled chicken takeaway serving chicken and rice alongside other options.
I tried a fried chicken doughnut for €2, which was pretty much perfect for the occasion.
Nothing complicated, just a handy spot to know about when you’re looking for something to eat late at night.
☕ Coffee Stop — Cusaka Cafés
I also took a walk over to Cusaka Cafés in Boulogne Centre for a chai latte.
A lovely little coffee shop with outdoor seating, it was a nice change of pace from the busy race days.
The locals clearly rate the coffee, too, so it was good to get out and explore a bit of the area rather than spending the entire trip travelling between the hotel and the racecourses.
🎾 A Game of Padel — 4PADEL Boulogne-Billancourt
We managed to fit in a game of padel at 4PADEL Boulogne-Billancourt during the trip.
It’s a lovely indoor centre with plenty of courts, plus a shop and café on site.
Bookings are made through the app, and there are WhatsApp groups where you can put a shout out for players if you don’t have a full group of your own.
A slightly different activity to squeeze into a racing trip, but one we enjoyed.
🍺 A Guinness in Paris — Bugsy’s
Bugsy’s wasn’t in the immediate area around our hotel, but we made the trip for a Guinness.
Given we were in France, it was actually pretty good!
We couldn’t spend the entire weekend drinking French wine, after all.
🇫🇷 Arc Weekend Done
Three days of racing, plenty of good food, a few drinks and a bit of exploring around Boulogne-Billancourt.
Another country, another few experiences added to the Paddock Preview journey.
