Eva Longoria: Searching for France

-There's something about this place.

It's big, it's messy, it's old, it's new.

It's a million pieces that somehow create something

that's magical and majestic.

1,000 feet high when it was built,

this tower was the tallest in the world

and an instant sensation.

Daringly modern and yet so elegant,

it embodies the city it soars over.

No matter how many times I do this,

it's still the greatest thrill in the world.

Paris, I can't get enough of you.

I'm Eva Longoria, and I'm a serious Francophile.

Sante.

Over the past 20 years, my career as an actor

has brought me to France time and again.

It's my home away from home.

But those trips were more about work

than joie de vivre. -

Now I want something deeper.

This is going to be an adventure.

So I'm setting out to really experience France...

-This is Cabernet Sauvignon. - That's my favorite.

...to savor it's world celebrated cuisine

and explore the country's rich history.

Vive la France!

The city of light,

Paris is renowned not only for its graceful buildings

and romantic bridges,

but also for its revolutions and dangerous ideas.

This avant garde spirit runs through Parisian culture

and, of course, food.

Wow.

Influencing not just France, but the whole world...

...creating a legacy of classic after classic after classic.

I think I'm going to lick this off the plate.

And lately, a new food scene is sweeping the city,

led by a fresh wave of culinary giants.

-Now we have people who can express their double identity.

-But some Parisian cooking traditions...

Oh.

Are just too good to change.

Butter.

More? Oh, my God.

Truckloads of butter.

It's too much. -Yes.

Bonjour.

Thank you.

Ah.

In Paris, one of the greatest pleasures

is picking up your morning baguette.

It is a full sensory experience from the smell, to the color,

to the crunch, to the warmth, and of course, to the taste.

Now, the French don't normally eat on the go,

but for this they make an exception.

Sitting at the crossroads of northern France,

Paris is divided by its artery --

the Seine River,

where I'm starting my adventure.

Hello. -Hello.

Lindsey. Nice to meet you.

So nice to meet you.

-Another fellow American here in Paris.

Yeah.

-Lindsey Tramuta has swapped Philadelphia for Paris

and writes about the people and ideas that shaped this city.

I'm so happy to be back in Paris, especially for the food.

Oh, I bet.

I mean, everything comes together here.

-Yeah. -The baguette in your hand.

-Yeah. -The flour

might be coming from Normandy.

And anything you would want to pair with that --

-butter. -Oh.

-Brittany. -Yes.

-If you wanted champagne to go with your breakfast,

which you might, 100 miles east from here.

-But, you know, I feel like there's a stereotype about Parisians.

You know? -Which one?

There are -- There are many.

What you might be hinting at is this sort of confidence

that comes across as arrogant.

-From the Parisians. Yeah. -Yeah.

But a thing that I appreciate so much here

is that everyone cares.

They care about their appearance,

the way that they're put together.

They care about food, they care about aesthetics.

But that pride... -Can be misinterpreted.

-Exactly. -I'd be proud of inventing the baguette.

- -Wouldn't you?

-Yeah. And all the other things that we get here.

-And champagne. -Totally.

And I think that they need to be experienced all together.

-And shared. -And shared around the table.

-Exactly. I like eating with French people.

Parisians have taken this pride in what they do

to the next level,

elevating the whole dining experience

into culinary theater.

I love this hotel.

Yeah. It's so gorgeous.

-And the restaurant that does this better than anywhere

is Le Meurice...

...the fine dining vision of legendary chef Alain Ducasse.

-Hello. -Hello again.

-A master of the Parisian art of the table,

Alain Ducasse has accumulated an astonishing

21 Michelin stars over his career.

In this room...

A glutton and food obsessive

said to have eaten six dozen oysters at a time,

it was King Louis XIV who introduced the art of the table

to his palace in Versailles in the 17th century.

He enjoyed elaborate dining rituals,

creating the concept of haute cuisine

which Paris is still famed for,

all while showcasing French power to the world.

-It's not their fault, it's just Versailles.

Yeah.

To honor Versailles,

executive chef Amaury Bouhours

is serving Louis XIV's favorite Brittany oysters,

dressed with rhubarb four ways --

a rhubarb tofu, a tart salad,

a delicate gel, and a frozen granita.

But where the king had 72 in one sitting, we just get one.

-Wow. -Merci.

-Voila. -Unbelievable. Oh, my gosh.

But what an oyster.

-Beautiful. -Enjoy, and bon appetit.

Merci, chef.

Mmm.

Wow.

This is elegant. -Extraordinary.

Mm-hmm.

-Yeah. There's so many different textures.

It's crunchy. It's smooth.

-I would sleep in these. -

-We have beautiful white asparagus.

Merci.

Next, delicate asparagus spears are balanced

with salty seaweed...

Mmm.

I love it. -Oh, merci.

-...followed by a smoky grilled veal

with a fresh vegetable sauce.

Oh, my gosh. This is so tender.

Well, we didn't say it.

This is what I feel people think French fine dining is,

is this room, this menu, this table.

It ends up being an unforgettable experience.

-Well, I can't imagine starting my Paris journey

with anyone better.

Chef Ducasse, merci beaucoup.

-Hello. Bonjour. -Bonjour.

-Northeast of the elegant boulevards of central Paris,

the former hilltop village of Belleville

stands apart with its high rises and narrow streets.

This neighborhood played a key part

in the Paris Commune of 1871,

a workers' rebellion against the authoritarian government,

leaving an enduring legacy of defiance.

This is a part of Paris I have never been.

-It's normal. It's not very touristic.

-Edith de Belleville is an author and expert

in Parisian democratic café culture,

born and raised here,

as you might have guessed from her name.

-We have an archetype of someone

who lives from Belleville or east of Paris

that we call Tete Parisian.

Have you heard about it? -A Tete? No.

- A Tete. It's kid from the street, you know.

A bit like "Oliver Twist",

the kid who lives in the poor neighborhood,

working class, cheeky, smart.

And that's the kind of Tete.

-The streets of Belleville are lined with cafes

where people snack on the original

grilled cheese sandwich, the famous croque monsieur.

-How would you translate in English,

French gentleman?

-Croque monsieur, a country gentleman.

-That's it. -

The croque monsieur first appeared in the cafes of Paris

around 1910 and was an instant hit.

Made from simple white bread layered with bechamel sauce,

ham, and Gruyere cheese and then grilled.

It's a quick and delicious bite for working Parisians.