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-   -   Is Berthillon Ice-cream gonna be closed for last 2 weeks of August? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/is-berthillon-ice-cream-gonna-be-closed-for-last-2-weeks-of-august-944400/)

rtwin80days Jul 26th, 2012 10:59 AM

Is Berthillon Ice-cream gonna be closed for last 2 weeks of August?
 
According to this wiki entry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthillon

"Like many family-run Paris businesses, Berthillon may be closed for part of the summer (usually the last two weeks of August)"

Is this correct? Does that also mean it would re-open bang on 1st September? I may only have this day then to taste this iconic icecream during my Paris trip..

Christina Jul 26th, 2012 11:08 AM

It's just ice cream, and plenty of other ice cream is just as good or better (in my opinion). Besides, you can buy it in other places, I sometimes have it for dessert in a cafe I frequent in MOntparnasse (La Rotonde), but I know lots of other places sell it, also. And yes, it is the same ice cream, you just don't have the same choice of flavors, of course, on other places. I find it surprising that this particular brand of ice cream is so famous, I don't get it, it seems like a lot of guidebook writers don't have anything interesting to actually write about and just copy others.

And yes, that is correct that is will probably be closed at that time in August. Some places don't open until the week of the rentrée, or opening of school, which is the week of September 3rd this year in Paris, I believe. Place that close at the end of August often do it by weeks, it isn't that Sept 1st is a magic day to reopen given it is a Saturday.

So sure, it is good ice cream, but don't think it's so important if it is closed. And it might not be to your taste, after all, ice cream varies a lot and what someone things is so great, someone else may not. I think it is a very high-fat, dense ice cream. Some people may not like that.

Berthillon's own website says: >>Pour l'été, notre boutique sera fermée du 22 juillet au soir au mercredi 5 septembre au matin.>>

exactly what I suspected, it is closed until sept. 5th

rtwin80days Jul 26th, 2012 12:01 PM

Well Paris is full of sweet-treats and you are right Christina..it is just an icecream at the end of it :)
I'd keep it for next visit's agenda :)

Pepper_von_snoot Jul 26th, 2012 12:02 PM

I prefer Amorino on the Rue de Buci.

I am pretty sure they sell Berthillon ice cream in the supermarkets of Paris.


Thin

danon Jul 26th, 2012 12:17 PM

I also like Amorino more
If I remember, ther are several location in the city.

StCirq Jul 26th, 2012 12:39 PM

I like Amorino a LOT better than Berthillon.

mamcalice Jul 26th, 2012 12:44 PM

While I don't like Amorino better than Berthillon, it is wonderful. There is an outlet on the Ile de St Louis. You can get Berthillon at a lot of cafes and restaurants but usually you can't find the unusual and delicious flavors they have at their stores. You will not want for ice cream or gelato in Paris.

ssander Jul 26th, 2012 03:10 PM

Amorino is really, really great...and there are several locations around Paris...including one just down the street from Berthillon on Ile St Louis and one on R. Vielle du Temple about 2 blocks of R. Rivoli.

SS

ParisAmsterdam Jul 26th, 2012 05:53 PM

When you walk down the main street of Ile St Louis you will find signs for other outlets selling Berthillon ice cream so don't worry. I find it hilarious that an ice cream maker closes during one of the hottest times of the year! LOL

rtwin80days Jul 26th, 2012 08:45 PM

Hi guys, I'd check out Amorino definitely. I have a sweet tooth, not particularly into icecreams though. But, this is my first of the (hopefully) many trips to Paris and the first one goes to a lot of "popular" tourist traps or "tourist must-do's" as one takes it.

StCirq Jul 26th, 2012 09:09 PM

I wouldn't call Amorino a tourist trap, though I'd definitely call Berthillon one. Maybe Amorino has become one, too - I dunno. And I don't eat sweets of any kind normally, so don't make a special effort to get there, but I do enjoy the rue de Buci whenever I'm in Paris, and when it's hot and I'm in the mood, Amarino fills a spot.

ira Jul 27th, 2012 03:43 AM

Another vote for Amorino
http://www.amorino.com/fr/

((I))

china_cat Jul 27th, 2012 06:52 AM

oh....I just realized that Amorino on Rue De Buci is practically next door to my hotel. I'm in trouble now :)

On my first trip to Paris I had ice cream from Berthillon at a cafe near Notre Dame. I had the chocolate noir, and i thought it was the most intense and choocolatey ice cream I'd ever tasted. I look forward to making further comparisons!

StCirq Jul 27th, 2012 07:59 AM

You might also like the classic gelateria Pozzetto on the rue du Roi de Sicile in the Marais. Have no idea if it closes in August, though.

Christina Jul 27th, 2012 08:44 AM

No place can be a "tourist trap" just because a lot of tourists go there. These are legitimate businesses, and there are just a lot of tourists who go there to the ones in the center, actually, it is the location. Berthillon is something guidebooks like to talk about, so tourists go there a lot and make special plans for it. I don't know why, obviously, it is just ice cream. Neither of these companies was founded or designed solely to cater to tourists. Some place like Disneyland, now that's a tourist trap.

rtwin80days Jul 27th, 2012 08:51 AM

Thanks StCirq, I'd check it out if I'm in that area..this seems to be fast becoming an eating spree trip :P and yeah I think Amorino is also catching up on the internet as one of the top-10 sweet-treat experiences while in Paris...atleast based on what I've been reading up.

china_cat, hehe, count your lucky stars for being next-door to fasttrack ticket to heaven and go indulge!

ira, I won't go out of my way to eat Amorino, but if I come across one, I'd be sure to drop in :)

StCirq Jul 27th, 2012 10:37 AM

There are at least two Amorinos in Paris.

Here's a detailed guide for sweets all over:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/05/paris-ice-cream-1/

AnthonyGA Jul 27th, 2012 04:35 PM

Berthillion closes in summer, but they provide enough frozen inventory to other shops to allow their ice cream to be continuously available throughout the summer months. Most of the places selling the ice cream are on the Ile Saint Louis.

Amorino is all over Paris these days, or at least they have a lot more than two stores. They are the ones who make you pay before being served, so that you can't just take the ice cream and run.

There are many Haagen-Dazs locations, too, and a handful of Ben & Jerry's locations.

On the Montmartre Butte, there is Tutti Sensi, which has excellent home-made ice cream. They are my personal preference.

rtwin80days Jul 28th, 2012 03:04 AM

AnothonyGA, I do have Ben & Jerrys and Haagen Daaz often as it is easily available in Asia now. But my personal preference is artisan home-made desserts. Tutti Sensi sounds good.

denisea Jul 28th, 2012 11:26 AM

I am just going to say that I stood in line on Christmas Eve for Berthillon ice cream and we were the only tourists. Everyone else was local and picking up ice cream for Christmas Eve dinners/gatherings.

I have not had Amorino yet, but Berthillon salted butter caramel ice cream is the best I have had anywhere. The blood orange sorbet is also wonderful. I am sure both are great and to the OP, I didn't make to Berthillon on my first trip to Paris. Always a reason to go back.


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