Nos Ancetre Les Gaulois

	Tucked away in the heart of the Île Saint-Louis, one of the highlights of medieval Paris and not far from Notre Dame Cathedral, is a restaurant like no other: "Nos Ancętres les Gaulois"
(Our Ancestors the Gauls). Our story begins in 1969 with a poetry and song tavern in a medieval cellar rented out to a young couple who wished to share the magic of local bards with the public. The place was an immediate hit, and the couple soon realized they needed more space to accommodate their clientele; they soon took over management, and then bought, the quaint restaurant upstairs at street level.
Their 'vision' was to create a friendly atmosphere where people could spend an evening away from the pressures of their 'position' in society (whether it be factory worker or government bigwig!) - everyone would be on a first name basis, just like in the 'good old days' of Gaulish France.
The food served was also in itself a novelty at the time: vegetable baskets, all-you-can-eat buffets, steaks charbroiled in the dining room fireplace, wine poured straight from wine barrels, cheeses and desserts - all served at a very low 'all-included' fixed price.
	Soon, the stage entertainers began to venture out among the tables to serenade diners with guitar accompaniments, in the tradition of authentic troubadours.
But the ever-growing number of regulars at these evenings meant expanding yet again. In 1972, the owners took over a space that once served as an ironsmith's workshop in a neighboring building. Restoration work on the space uncovered magnificent stone corbels that had previously been used to support a drawbridge.
As it turned out, this 16th century building (one of the oldest on the Île Saint-Louis) had once been the gatehouse for an ancient churchyard. Today, up to a hundred diners can enjoy their evening in this room, at the foot of where the drawbridge once stood! Later on, in the 1980's, the restaurant's success continued to grow and it was time once again to 'spread out'. Today, customers enter "Nos Ancętres les Gaulois" through the original door at 39 rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île, and the restaurant occupies spaces in 5 different 16th and 17th century buildings. Each of the various stone and wood-decorated dining rooms is a delightful step back in time for our guests. The original vaulted cellar tavern is now used as a dining room, but the festive spirit of our former Gaulish soirées is still prevalent: every evening from 7pm to 2am, revelers can enjoy an unforgettable feast in an atmosphere from another era.