Chocolatiers of Paris

[SethG]

This article from Sunday's New York Times (free registration required) offers a guide to Paris chocolatiers. It is not exhaustive, but provides the author's "selection of those most worthy of your time."

The shops on the list:

Angelina (just for hot chocolate)

La Charlotte de L'Isle (just for hot chocolate)

Michel Chaudun

Christian Constant

Pierre Herme

Jean-Paul Hevin

La Maison du Chocolat

A post about this article here in Pastry & Baking has resulted in no discussion.

I have no expertise in this area, but I wonder if any of you do. Did this article include any unworthy choices? Are there other "must-see" chocolatiers left out?

[Carlsbad]

I'm certainly not an expert on chocolate, and to be honest, I rarely order anything chocolate for dessert. But my wife is a fan, and we did venture to La Charlotte de L'Isle several years ago for hot chocolate after I read about it somewhere. It was an experience in the best sense of the word. The lady is seriously what we used to call a "trip" in the 60's (a positive description), and the hot chocolate was wonderfully decadent.

[bleudauvergne]

I have just chipped the surface of the world of chocolate. There are so many aspects to consider. I think the article does the right thing in judging the quality of the product experience as well, including the look and feel of the shop and experience when opening one of their packages, the combinations of chocolates they package together, etc. Opening a box of chocolates is a very tactile and complex experience.

[PCL]

La Maison du Chocolat stocks Michel Cluizel if I recall correctly, non??

If so, then they are divine. The plain, no fuss, milk chocolate bars.... OH GOD... OH GOD... a'la Meg Ryan.

[Ptipois]

My absolute favorite is Michel Chaudun for his clever, delicate, delightful, wonderfully tasty products. By the way he is the only one (in my experience, if you prove me wrong it will be good news) who sells plain roasted cocoa beans, one of my favorite treats.

[Dorie Greenspan]

I'd add Pierre Marcolini to the list. His elegant shop is on rue de Seine, close to Blvd. Saint Germain and just up the street from Gerard Mulot's patisserie. His truffles are quite wonderful.

[Bux]

I'd add Pierre Marcolini to the list.  His elegant shop is on rue de Seine, close to Blvd. Saint Germain and just up the street from Gerard Mulot's patisserie.  His truffles are quite wonderful.

←

Marcolini in Paris? I see now via a google search that he's had a shop since early in the year. Nobody tells me anything. His delicately flavored ganaches were incredible. Our Belgian friends didn't seem to favor his products, but they were the best we found in Belgium.

[lalala]

Marcolini is indeed on rue de Seine and things are just like in Brussels, stores look identical.

I would pass up Marcolini for Gerard Mulot's rochers any day.

Michel Cluizel's store is at 201 rue st. honore. Its quite a lovely place and the madames that work there are very helpful.

We just did our chocolat stomp through Paris on Saturday and Sunday.

We hit Debauve and Gallais for a few ballotins, tablets and orangettes, citrons, gingembres and pamplemousse pieces dipped in chocolate.

La Maison for a box of truffles nature for a friend and a small ballotin for taller half.

Gerard Mulot for a small ballotin.

Fauchon for a chocolate dessert of my taller half's dream in their tiny new tea salon and a neon orange eclair for the road.

Lutetia for a valharona hot chocolate, taller half said christian constant's was too intense.

La Grand Epicerie for some Weiss chocolates.

Taller half's bags were quite heavy and this is about 1/2 of what she usually gets for a few months.

The place for hot chocolate on rue st. louis en l'isle was packed to the brim on sunday afternoon, we decided to skip it and went to the lutetia instead.

Other chocolate finds:

A pretty decent store in Dinan (branch in Rennes) with the neatest packaging and chocolate christmas trees.

Lovely truffles from Roellinger's store in Cancale.

Did I tell you we have a lot of chocolate at home right now?

falala

[Dorie Greenspan]

Just got back from a new chocolate shop in Paris: Patrick Roger, 108 Blvd. Saint-Germain, in the 6th. He's a meilleur ouvrier de France -- the fact is announced on all his packaging and his award is in the store window -- who's had a shop in Sceaux for several years. Pierre Herme told me his chocolate caramels are "to die for", but I got that tidbit of info to late to do anything about it, I'd already bought a selection sans the caramels. However, I can report that his version of chocolate-covered wafer-thin butter-nut crunch was pretty swell.

[menton1]

Just heard about a unique chocolate shop in Paris, A L'Etoile d'Or. This place is different in that the proprietor, Mme. Acabo, selects artisinal chocolates from small fabricators from all over France. She is apparently quite a pip, with her hair in braids and wearing knee-length pleated skirts. She will talk endlessly about the chocolates and how and where they are made, and then will help you pick some out and gloriously arrange them for you in elaborate boxes and wrappings!!

A L'Etoile d'Or

30, rue Fontaine

Paris 9 ème