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Paris Chocolate Tour!

March 31, 2013 by Hugh Nelson 9 Comments

DSCF1667Paris is the capital of dark chocolate! Recently we were lucky enough to go on a Paris chocolate tour. In order for the stuff to be labeled chocolate in France it has to have 70% or more cocao content. (Hershey kisses only have 7%!) I love milk chocolate,( only 30% cocao plus milk solids) especially when studded with noisettes (hazelnuts) but hey, who is tuning down chocolate of any kind? The Chocolate Tour, sponsored by Paris Walks, a wonderful tour company owned by Peter and Oriel Crane (also have London Walks) began at the Louvre Rivoli Metro Station. The station sign is one of the oldest Metro Signs in Paris-note the beautiful calligraphy.

Our lovely English and French speaking guide, Mary Ellen Manny, while relating the fascinating history of the production of chocolate, led us to 4 famous Parisian chocolate shops, each of which welcomed our group and provided samples. Cost of this tour was €27 (Euros.) Côte de France was my favorite shop because they had these adorable miniature chocolate sheep, pigs, rabbits, ducks and eggs filled with praline that you could mix and match to create the perfect Easter candy gift box. But oh, wait, the Gosselin Boulangerie’s specialty was chocolate genoise (sponge cake) filled with coffee crème and dusted with Baker’s Gold (96% pure gold mixed with silver and edible.) was pretty good too. Petite Cluizel’s single origin (all the cacao beans are from one plantation) non blended Madagascar chocolate was pure heaven and then the 3 orange ganache at Jean Paul Hévin was divine. I guess I really didn’t have a favorite chocolate shop. The tour lasted over 2 and a half hours and was a delightful way to see more of Paris, including the famous Garden Palais Royale, learn about chocolate making, and of course indulge! J’adore le chocolat!

Here’s a slide show with some of what we saw.

Some of the many offerings at Gosselin Boulangerie
Gosselin Boulangerie goodies
Gosselin Boulangerie
Chocolate Genoise “The Opera” sponge cake filled with coffee crème, decorated with Baker’s Gold from Gosselin Boulangerie
My favorite on the tour!
Our Paris Walk guide, Mary Ellen
Cote de France Easter specialties
Côte de France chocolatetes
Côte de France
Côte de France milk chocolate (my favorite!) praline filled eggs (praline is made with finely ground nuts)
Côte de France chocolate tablets and praline filled milk chocolate eggs
Côte de France specialties
Petite Cluizel chocolate shop
Macarons at Petite Cluizel
Petite Cluizel chocolates
Petite Cluizel single origin chocolate bars. Madagascar style is a favorite in our group
Our tour guide Mary Ellen offers us chocolates from Petite Cluizel
Brenda (who actually wrote this article!) at Petite Cluizel
Le Petit Cluizel macarons
Petite Cluizel
Petite Cluizel chocolate selections
Petite Cluizel specialties
Our last stop!
Easter store window at Jean Paul Hévin. Yes, they are chocolate shoes
Jean Paul Hévin offerings
Jean Paul Hévin chocolate covered cheese. We will have to go back to sample this!
Jean Paul Hévin chocolate Eiffel Tower
Jean Paul Hévin macaron tree!

 

Filed Under: Sight Seeing Tagged With: chocolate, Cote de France, Gosselin Boulangerie, Jean Paul Hevin, Petite Cluizel

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Don Merry says

    March 31, 2013 at 3:47 pm

    Hershey’s Kisses will never be the same to me now.

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      March 31, 2013 at 4:09 pm

      They shouldn’t be!

      Reply
  2. Lauren Meyer says

    March 31, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    Chocolate High Heels!?!?! Two of my favorite things in one perfect combination.
    Can I steal this photo?

    Reply
  3. Karl Ostheller says

    April 1, 2013 at 3:37 am

    We are so jealous. Europe makes the BEST chocolate. While Asia has the best food. Karl

    Reply
  4. Liz Murray says

    April 1, 2013 at 11:30 pm

    I think your discovery of the “walks in Paris” is the greatest thing for tourists, I wish I had known about them when we were there a couple of years ago. I would probably have done the chocolate tour twice–my goodness, that looked sooooo good. How do you ever choose what to select? Keep up the postings, the photos are super and the information great. By the way, you said, I thik, 27 euros for the tour. How much is a euro in our dollars. In other words, what would that cost in US money?
    We’ve had two glorious early summer days, just for Easter Weekend. Gorgeous!!
    Take care.
    Love, Liz

    Reply
  5. Kathryn says

    April 2, 2013 at 5:54 am

    and yet another reason to adore Paris!!!

    Reply
  6. Jan Hiatt says

    April 4, 2013 at 12:47 am

    Drooling. Need a bib…

    Reply
  7. Frank Wilson says

    April 14, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    Gained five pounds just reading that post and looking at the pictures……in fact I best go check my insulin too…..great photos and stories….this is turning into a “must read” for anyone planning a trip.
    Thank you!
    Frank

    Reply
  8. Jarilyn Rust says

    April 15, 2013 at 1:38 am

    Brenda and Hugh, Yummmmm…. We have added this tour to our must do list for our August stay! I love chocolate, and then in Paris! Ohh, la la!
    Jarilyn

    Reply

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Hugh Nelson and Brenda Prowse

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