Our son and his best friend from our neighborhood, where they grew up together, visited us in Paris last weekend. Both are studying abroad for their fall semester: Our son, who is studying at Babson, is in Milan, Italy, and his friend, who is studying at Boston College, is in Barcelona, Spain.

When you think about how easy it is to get around Europe, meeting up for the weekend is nice. Cheap flights and sharing a room won’t break the bank. Last weekend, they were at Oktoberfest in Munich. They said it was a blast. I’m sure it was.

Saturday, we ventured up to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur for a bird’s eye view of Paris. This was the wine festival weekend there, the only vineyard in Paris. It was packed. A friendly crowd in a street fair setting with booths selling all types of food.

Later, we had a late lunch in the 6th at Le Cherche Midi for some Italian food. The waiter tested our son’s Italian, and as it turns out, he really is going to class. We checked out the Nemrod before heading out to Chez l’Ami Louis for a second time in three nights. Note to self: Maybe spread them further apart next time.

By the way, l’Ami Louis does serve lunch. Over the summer LVMH purchased a majority share in the bistro. LVMH, of course, is owned by billionaire founder Bernard Arnault. His presence in the capital structure will ensure the most controversial bistro in Paris stays that way. He’s stated publicly that he’s not always looking for a return on investment. Some investments are made to preserve what makes Paris, Paris.

Action Line: This is not an easy reservation. Plan ahead or go for lunch and make some friends. Click here for more on Your Survival Guy’s latest adventures in Paris. Click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.

Originally posted on Your Survival Guy.