Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Parisian Chocolate Shops

The French do so many things right and chocolate is one of them.  There are some excellent chocolatiers that have shops in Paris.  I made it my goal one day to scout out a few favorites for you, dear reader.  I promise it had nothing to do with my own sweet tooth.  This one was all for you.  Enjoy.


Those are not golf balls, but exact chocolate replicas.  Very impressive.

The wood paneled shop was beautiful and the assortment of chocolates quite good.  The boutique had a slight sense of being a bit uppity.  Although considering the fact that this place has been around since the 1800's and their chocolate is divine, maybe they have a right to be so.


Again, delicious chocolates.  The selection was good, but oddly similar to that of Debauve & Gallais.  The good news there is that one is on the right bank and the other on the left so you can get good chocolate in both places.


Famous for ornate window displays.  However, don't stop at the window.  Go in.  It's worth every penny and calorie, I promise.

The boutique has a modern feel.

As does the simple packaging.  Perhaps Monsieur Roger's reasoning is that his absolutely amazing chocolate needs no fancy package.  If that is the case, then he is right.  This would be my pick for favorite chocolate shop in Paris.


The things he can build out of chocolate are impressive.

All kinds of chocolate animals adorned his store when I went there.  The chocolate was impressive as well :)



Now, we all know how excited I get about a MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France - Best French Artisan), especially a MOF of chocolate.  Well, imagine my excitement when I saw that Monsieur Caffet is also "Champion of the World."  I mean, how do you become that?  I think it is safe to say that it is a pretty big deal.  So, my hat is off to Monsieur Caffet.  I have tasted your chocolate, and it is worthy of champion of the world status, I do believe.

The shop is bright and the salespeople friendly and helpful.

All the chocolates were kept at a carefully controlled temperature in a futuristic looking case.  Pretty cool.

Debauve & Gallais
30, rue des Saints-Pères
7th Arrondisement
Paris

Michel Cluizel
201, rue St. Honoré
1st Arrondisement
Paris

Patrick Roger
108, blvd. St. Germain
6th Arrondisment
Paris

Jean-Charles Rochoux
16 rue d'Assas
6th Arrondisment
Paris

Pascal Caffet
40, rue Jacob
6th Arrondisement
Paris

1 comment:

Chaillou said...

Thanks for the overview, some names are new to me. Of course, Michel Cluizel not and Debauve&Gallais, whose ancestor I "stole" my nickname from, neither.

I was at Pascal Caffet's in Turin, he opened a tiny shop in the arcades of the Castle Square, a few steps from Baratti&Milano. I wasn't stunned, I have to admit. Everything was really nice, but why Caffet should be "champion du monde", I have no idea.