La Tour d'Argent
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | Paris, Tokyo |
Key people | André Terrail (current owner) |
| Products | French cuisine, pressed duck (Canard à la presse) |
| Owner | Terrail family |
| Website | www |
La Tour d'Argent (, ) is a renowned historic dining establishment situated at 15 Quai de la Tournelle in Paris's 5th arrondissement, France. It currently holds a one-star rating from the Guide Michelin.
History
While La Tour d'Argent asserts its origins date back to 1582 and claims a connection to Henri IV, these assertions lack documented evidence.[1] Notably, the Quai de la Tournelle itself was not paved until 1650, and the restaurant’s present corner location at Rue du Cardinal-Lemoine was only established toward the end of the eighteenth century.
An 1824 directory listing prominent Parisian eateries does not include La Tour d'Argent among them.[2]
Records from 1852 show that this address was occupied by a metals merchant along with other non-dining enterprises.[3]
According to Baedeker’s guide from 1860, a restaurant associated with an “Hotel of the Tour d’Argent” was described as “well maintained and affordable,” positioned between Notre Dame and the Jardin des Plantes.[4]
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, ownership was held by Frédéric Delair, who introduced the practice of issuing numbered certificates for the restaurant’s hallmark pressed duck dish. A notable event includes hosting a dinner for the Wright Brothers in 1906.[5] The Terrail family took over ownership in 1912; management passed through André Terrail to his son Claude (who passed away in 2006), and subsequently to Claude’s son André.[6]
The brand extended internationally in 1984 with the opening of a branch within Tokyo’s Hotel New Otani.[7]
Since 1986, La Tour d'Argent has been honored with the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award.[8]
The Guide Michelin previously awarded La Tour d'Argent three stars until it was reduced to two stars in 1996 and further downgraded to one star in 2006.[6]
Specialities
The restaurant's hallmark dish is duck, most famously the pressed duck known as Canard à la presse, Caneton à la presse, Caneton Tour d'Argent, and more recently renamed “Caneton de Frédéric Delair.” The establishment personally raises its ducks, providing patrons with a postcard displaying the bird’s distinct serial number, which has now surpassed one million. Distinguished guests who have received ducks include U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (#112,151), Marlene Dietrich (#203,728), and Charlie Chaplin (#253,652).
Its wine cellar is under constant surveillance and contains over 450,000 bottles valued at around €25 million as of 2009. The comprehensive wine list spans 400 pages and features approximately 15,000 varieties. A 2024 inventory revealed that wines valued at over €1.5 million were missing.
The dining area offers scenic views overlooking the Seine river and Notre Dame Cathedral.
Cultural references
In Accidental Agent, British SOE operative John Goldsmith describes being concealed in an upper-floor apartment of the Tour d'Argent building following his escape from German captors.
Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast mentions that the restaurant rented rooms with meal discounts and employed a valet who sold English-language books left behind by guests.
Marcel Proust references the restaurant several times in À la recherche du temps perdu, including a character’s commentary on its reputation.
In the 1960 novel The Centurions, a character observes that Tour d'Argent has eclipsed Lapérouse in culinary excellence.
The establishment served as inspiration for scenes in Pixar’s 2007 animated film Ratatouille, which significantly enhanced its international recognition.
Four episodes of Fuji TV’s Iron Chef featured chefs from both the Paris and Tokyo locations competing as challengers, with prominent battles centered on ingredients such as salmon, duck, lobster, foie gras, and asparagus.
The British comedy series Root into Europe filmed an episode at the hotel, showcasing the pressed duck served to cast members; Claude Terrail made an appearance as himself.
Tour d'Argent was also highlighted in the Paris installment of Remarkable Places to Eat (BBC Two), emphasizing the signature duck service and an exclusive tour of its wine cellar.
See also
External links
- La Tour d'Argent official website
- Step-by-step guide to pressed duck at La Tour d'Argent
- Tour d'Argent million-euro wine sale, Radio France Internationale
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ The restaurants listed are:
- Beauvilliers , rue Richelieu, 26.
- Bombarda , rue Rivoli, 10.
- Champeaux, rue des Filles Saint-Thomas, 13.
- Gonpy , boulevard du Temple , 36.
- Hardy, boulevard des Italiens, 12.
- Grignon, rue Neuve des-petits-Champs, 4.
- Nicolle, boulevard des Italiens, 11.
- Rosset, rue de Mondovi, 1, au coin de la rue Rivoli.
- Very, Palais-Royal, 83.
- Au Cadran bien , boulevard du Temple, 27.
- Au Rocher de Cancale, rue Montorgneil, 61.
- Les Trois frères provenceaux, Palais-Royal, 98.
- Au Veau qui tette, place du Châtelet.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ "Entre Notre-Dame et le jardin des Plantes... Hôtel de la Tour d'argent... bien tenu et bon marché..." Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ McCullough, David, The Wright Brothers, pg. 148
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).