Perhaps the Parisienne Chophouse was merely the site of the crash and not its cause ­ but until we get black boxes fitted, why take chances?Parisienne Chophouse, 3 Yeomans Row, London SW3 (020-7590 9999). Mon-Sat lunch noon-2.30pm (3pm Sat), dinner 5.30-11pm, Sun noon-4pm, 6-10pm Mon-Sat set two-course lunch £9.95 All major cards accepted No wheelchair access. It's almost as easy to travel to Paris for classic French food as to go to a Knightsbridge basement. It's almost as easy to travel to Paris for classic French food as to go to a Knightsbridge basement. If you're calling from the UK, dial 00 33 then omit the 0, dial 1 and the other eight digits below. Le Balzar, 49 rue des Ecoles (01 43 54 13 67) Metro Cluny-La Sorbonne Daily 12-11.45pm.

Near the Panth? on the Left Bank, this 1930s brasserie is still unbeatably stylish. The banquettes have seen generations of academics and literary types rendezvous for food that refuses to go out of fashion. There might be leeks vinaigrette or onion soup to start; entrec?Bearnaise, sole meuniere, andouillette, pot au feu or cassoulet, with tartes Tatin, millefeuille or rhum baba to finish. All for around FF200.La Coupole, 102 boulevard du Montparnasse, 14th arondissement (01 43 20 14 20) Metro Vavin Daily 8.30am to 1.30am. Like an elegant 1930s ocean liner, this art-deco brasserie glides smoothly along, impeccably run by an army of waiters with wings on their heels. Good, standard French dishes are not exceptional, but always reliable and excellent value for money. The atmosphere's the thing, so watch the room fill up with chic locals, gossiping friends, trysting lovers and business types, schmoozing or smooching over lunch.

A prix-fixe menu offers three courses, including a half-bottle of wine per person, for FF189. Choices include half a dozen St Vaast oysters; creamy goat's cheese rolled up in smoked salmon; tender fillet of lamb with petit legumes sunk in a rich gravy; parfait au chocolat.Aux Fins Gourmets, 213 boulevard St-Germain (01 42 22 06 57) Mon 7.30-10pm, Tue-Sat 12-2pm, 7.30-10pm. At the far end of the boulevard St-Germain, this sombre bistro looks as if it has never been painted, let alone updated, since it opened after the Second World War. It's run by the son of the original owner, and its customers have been coming here en famille for years. Along with bourgeois classics are specialities from south-west France, including wines from Madiran and Bordeaux. Start with snails, Bayonne ham or foie gras, then duck confit or cassoulet, and, for those who can manage it, there's prunes in Armagnac.