Chocolat

Here are three magnificent chocolate shops in Paris. These are by no means the only chocolate shops. Paris is full of chocolate shops. You could do a chocolate tour of Paris and never run out of shops. These are three that I like.


This first one is really my favorite. It is on the Ile St. Louis, that charming island in the middle of the Seine, right behind Notre Dame. This tiny little place is home to outrageously expensive apartments, boutiques, the best ice cream in the city, and the best chocolate. Here in this yellow and brown shop you will find the best 70% cacao dark chocolate you can imagine. It doesn't just melt on your tongue. It glides. It simpers. It slides. Go ahead. Buy lots. You won't regret it.



Fauchon, in the Place de la Madeline on the right Bank, is a Paris insititution. It's been in business since the 1800's and is known for its gourmet foods and chocolates. It has a lovely restaurant upstairs if you are in the area around lunch time. The shop has changed mightily since I first discovered it 25 years ago. Then it had a massive pastry and chocolate counter and small tall tables scattered around where people ate pasteries and drank coffee standing up. I thought that was swell - standing up to eat and drink. Now all of that seems to be gone. There are two separate shops now, next to each other. One has gourmet foods (think a barrel of morels) and the other has chocolates. While the chocolate bars were just fine, I do miss the old place.



For really fancy-dancy chocolates, go over to the Left Bank in the Saint Germaine du Pres. Just to the left of the Flore/Duex Magot, down the side street, is Debauve and Gallais, the chocolatier to Louis the XVI, thank you very much. It is incredibly snooty and very busy. The women clerks are officious but fast. I did buy a box of tasting chocolate there (for around $40, mind you) that had a hundred chocolate leaves of all varieties, from very sweet to very bitter. Some of them tasted like lillacs. M-m-m-m.

I envy the French their chocolates. We visited just before Easter week. In another shop they displayed the chocolate treats that the children would receive. Magnificent bouquets of chocolate. Incredible arrangements and fantasies in chocolate. Puts the hollow chocolate bunny and the bagged candies to shame. Lucky kids.