K4104

I will be traveling to Paris next December and I am trying to find the names of some good chocolate shops. If you know of any, please write. Thanks

CarrieK

Do a message board search and you will find numerous threads about chocolate and pastry shops.

111op

Check the Superthread on Paris. I created an entry for chocolates there:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34519236

My vote goes to La Maison du Chocolat, but you can find out more there.

Have fun.

matney

On the island Ile de St. Louis there is a marvelous must-see chocolate shop -- I don't know the name but is has a Mayan theme and the chocolates are divine. They look like works of art! The shop is easy to find -- it's a block or two from Notre Dame among all the great shops on this lovely street.

matney

Oops, I forgot to give you the name of the street--it's Rue St. Louis en l'lle

francophile03

My favorite chocolate shop is in St. Germain: Debauve et Gallais at 30, rue des Sts. Peres, 75007.

Try the pastilles!

oberost

Is Debauve et Gallais right off blvd St Germaine? We are staying (in October) at a hotel at 54 rue des Saints-Peres?

111op

Yes, check the map here:

http://www.debauve-et-gallais.com/v1...amp;shop=bout0

francophile03

Yes, Debauve et Gallais is right off of Blvd. St. Germain. Your hotel is very close.

suec1

Just to throw in my two cents - on two trips to Paris I have bought some chocolates for my daughter from several different stores and we have now come to think that many times the chocolates look better than they taste. It may be a case of our jaded palettes - in that I think as a rule Americans like sweeter desserts, candies, etc, than Europeans. So I'd suggest you sample some individual pieces before you splurge on a box. Bon voyage! SueC1

POlson

On our trip to Paris, I made a point of sampling as many different chocolates as I could! Fortunately, we also did miles of walking everyday. La Maison du Chocolat (right next door to our B&B!)was a definite favorite but perhaps the best (to my mind) was Jean Paul Hevin.

La Maison du Chocolate, 225, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore (8th) (Metro: Ternes), also at 52, rue Francois 1er (8th) Metro: Franklin D. Roosevelt) Closed Sunday, Monday
?Debauve & Gallais, 30, rue de Saint-Peres (7th), (Metro: Saint-Germaine de Pres)Closed Sunday, Monday
?Denise Acabo/A L' Etoile D'Or 30, rue Fontaine (9th), Metro: Blanche
?Jean Paul Hevin , 231 rue St Honore (1st)
?Maiffret 102, avenue des Champs-Elysées (8th) (Métro Georges V) (close to Laduree) Tél : 331 45.62.55.17 Fax : 331 42.89.43.04

Christina

I like Debauve & Gallais, the shop is elegant and the packaging nice so it is a good gift.

I do actually prefer both Swiss and Belgian chocolate, however, to French.

111op

Do you like your chocolates to be sweeter, Christina?

When I had Debauve et Gallais once a few years ago, I thought that they were fairly bitter. When I tried them a couple of months ago, I found them a little sweet. Hevin chocolates have a lot of admirers. I also like them but find them slightly on the bitter side. My vote still goes to Maison.

Christina

I don't know 111op, I don't think so. I don't really eat a lot of candy and don't like sweet things very much, in general. I never put sugar in coffee, don't like sweet wine, etc, and do like dark chocolate.

It might be my imagination, I just think Swiss chocolate tends to be more "refined", that's the word I think of. I'm not just referring to that particular shop, this is just my overall impression of the general chocolate GNP of the countries. NOne of it is bad, of course, at that level.

111op

Interesting. I guess I don't know enough about Swiss chocolates, but the Belgian chocolates I had (Mary's in Brussels and Del Ray in Antwerp) seemed fairly sweet.

I understand, though, there're indeed differences between Belgian and French chocolates regarding fillings, etc. And I guess the whole thing must have something to do with cocca percentages or something. I remember reading an interview with Robert Linxe (who founded Maison) that you could a lot of his chocolates and not worry about getting fat. Whether you believe that is another story.

If I've the time some day, I should research the topic of chocolates.

Margaretlb

In 2001 I sought out Astrid Chocolates on Rue Midi Cherci (sp.) in the 6th. Went looking for this particular place as Astrid is my daughter's name and I thought she's enjoy them. She really disliked the cholcolates but loved the box! I however thought the chocolate wonderful. Not at all what we're used to here in the states as the cocoa content is much, much greater and (of course)regulated by the state. The shop is fantastically lovely; all the different varieties in beautiful stacks on tables. The place really has the feel of an exclusive clothing boutique. When I was there, the sales lady spoke no English but was still very helpful. It was a fun experience.

JudyC

I like the chocolate from Richart(on St,Germain, near Metro Soleferino entrance),good and beautiful to look at. They sell good tea too.

111op

Richart chocolates are really beautiful. I didn't stop by the store, but I got a box to eat. The one I had had seven different lines of chocolates (each with seven different sub-flavors). The lines included stuff like "spices," "flowers," "fruits," etc. Each little chocolate had an intricate design on its top and the 49 chocolates were laid out in a grid in a box and looked like jewels. This came with instructions regarding how you should go about tasting the chocolates.

Very interesting. Excellent presentation, but I still liked the chocolates from Maison more.

Apparently Richart has a store in NYC which I want to check out.

BTilke

We like La Maison du Chocolat on 89 Ave. Raymond Poincare just off the Place Victor Hugo. The dark chocolates are definitely not too sweet. It's an elegant store in a nice, upscale neighborhood (our favorite neighborhood in Paris, actually). Their web site is www.lamaisonduchocolat.com

AJPeabody

My wife and I are chocoholics. We once checked out every chocolate shop of note in Paris and decided that La Maison du Chocolat had the best. Puyricard came in second. At the time, M. Lynx had only one Maison, was in attendance every day, and was happy to talk with customers. He also sold fantastic Calvados from a small collection on one shelf.

Those days are long gone. Nevertheless, we continue to check MdC against all comers whenever we travel to Paris, and their quality remains the best. Besides the chocolates, don't miss the truffles and the chocolate covered almonds, both of which are so perishable that they should be purchased only for the day of consumption. If you like fruit candies, MdC's fruit jellies are also the best I have ever found.

Puyricard's soft-center bon-bons still hold up as the best anywhere, so their chocolates remain our number two choice. Also, they have stores elsewhere in France.

Both chocolatiers are expensive, by the way, but cost less than the designer chocolate shops that cater to eye appeal and name recognition.