Un bébé dinosaure...

Maintenant, on peut faire un bébé dinosaure...

un bébé dinosaure en chocolat!

The Parisian chocolatiers are quite creative

with their Easter displays - indeed!

A La Mère de Famille

82, rue Montorgueil

75002, Paris

des oeufs chocolate

Chocolate eggs, baskets, and other delectable treats 

are featured by the chocolatiers of Paris.  

The boutique windows are full of candies 

made in the fine traditions of the marchand de bonbons.

Although I have watched the Parisians buy these beautiful creations, 

I do not believe that I have seen them sit with a bag of chocolates on a park bench.  

Marché d'Aligre

75012, Paris

  

La Petite Rose

La Petite Rose

La Petite Rose is perhaps one of my favorite quiet places for lunch with seating for about 8 people.  With a choice of two salads and a quiche, you will be delighted with the fresh selections.  On previous posts you have seen a sampling of their beautifully crafted pastries (here)  The chef is Miyuki Watanabe, a Japanese woman who was trained in Tokyo, came to Paris to work for Gérard Mulot, and then opened her own shop.  (merci Clotilde Dusoulier)

Oh, and the chocolates are divine!

(Valentine's Day is Friday)

La Petite Rose

11, boulevard de Courcelles

75008, Paris

 

Les Marquis de Ladurée - papier et chocolat

Les Marquis de Ladurée

Expanding the Ladurée brand beyond the pastries and macarons, Les Marquis de Ladurée is a luxury product dedicated to exquisite gourmet chocolates.  The flagship boutique is found just off Place Vendôme with a window full of branded chocolates.

What you may not notice at first glance...

Everything in the windows other than the chocolates are made of paper.

The chandeliers, the candles, the plates, the flat-ware, the goblets, 

and even the "crystals" hanging from the chandeliers.

Les Marquis de Ladurée

14, rue de Castiglione

75001, Paris

La Petite Rose - salon de thé

La Petite Rose

This is one of my favorite lunch spots, 

just a short walk from Parc de Monceau.  

Gorgeous salads and delicious quiches

Well, selecting a dessert is a challenge!

La Petite Rose 11, boulevard de Courcelles Métro Villiers 75008 Paris

Michel Cluizel - une vitrine pleine de chocolat

Of all the delicious offerings in this Rue Saint-Honoré window the bucket of eggs, the large one on the right, would suit me just fine.  I'll share, of course!

Michel Cluizel has an interesting history, traced back to a family pastry business in Normandy.  In 1948 Michel Cluizel followed his parents as they transitioned into the chocolate business.  Today, Michel, a true cacaofevier and his four children are leaders in this family business which employs over 200 people.  One could compare the varieties of chocolate to those of fine wine with more descriptive adjectives than I can summon in my French vocabulary.  One of his daughters runs the boutique here on Rue Saint-Honoré.

I first posted about Michel Cluizel here for the chocolate purses in the window.

Michel Cluizel

201, rue Saint-Honoré

75001, Paris



Jeff de Bruges -- Tintin

The chocolatier Jeff de Bruges with its color scheme of almost-Tiffany-aqua and chocolate-brown (of course), featured a window in collaboration with Tintin.  The boxes seen here hold combinations of their famous chocolates, 60 petite caraques, each wrapped in foil with a Tintin characature on the front:

• noir (70%)
• lait
• lait sucre pétillant (je crois)
• noir nougatine

I was given a delightful box (3 layers!) of Jeff de Bruges chocolates during my November visit to Paris and made them last, languishing over each one individually, marveling how something could be so singularly delicious.  No, I did not eat them all myself and I did make them last until after Christmas.

I will be back in Paris in two weeks and will look for the windows to be decorated for Easter and spring.  I just may need to indulge in a "small" box...

miam-miam!

Jeff de Bruges at

Stéphane Valentin

112-114, rue Mouffetard

75005 Paris



La Petite Rose

Days of wine and roses? 

Well, actually, it was a bottle of water and a single rose,

but the lighting in the salon de thé was enchanting.

La Petite Rose
11, boulevard de Courcelles
Métro Villiers
75008 Paris

Paris rouge - une pâtisserie

Near Place d'Aligre on a Sunday morning, one finds the world perched in outdoor cafés. I was captivated by the rich façade of this pâtisserie and would have been tempted to lounge but alas there was no room!

I will have to return

Rue Théophile Roussel
et Rue de Cotte
12ième arr.