> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # A Fine Chocolate Nerd Reminisces: Le printemps à Paris (en été) - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/a-fine-chocolate-nerd-reminisces-le-printemps-a-paris-en-ete/ - Published: 2026-09-02T19:55:22.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-02T19:55:22.000Z - Description: From ChocolateLife contributor Keith Ayoob: “Paris Redux: My Latest Self-guided CHOCOLATING Tour.” - Author: Keith Ayoob - Tags: Travelogues **For a fine chocolate nerd, Paris is Mecca.** There are almost *too* many good chocolatiers here. My partner and I love trekking around Paris on foot, and part of the “deal” we make is to walk to the chocolatiers we visit, which takes us through many Parisian neighborhoods. Walking is good exercise (between 10-14 km daily) that adds to the enjoyment. A break in the afternoon at a Parisian patisserie for a (not always chocolate) bite and sip, and off to the next shop. Paris isn’t an economical city, but at least fine chocolate here will cost you about half the price it would in the US, and many of the fine chocolatiers we visited don’t ship to the US, so we look forward to our Paris chocolate itinerary and purchases. --- ## **Starting Out: Go Left (bank, that is)** There are lots of artisans on the Left Bank, so we usually stay near the Boulevard St. Germain in the 7th and start our itinerary there. ### The 7th [**Chapon**](https://chapon.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** Tiny shop, but the number of origin bars – most with elaborate packaging and descriptions of the beans and tasting notes – is quite large. The staff loves explaining the tasting notes, and will guide you according to your interest and taste preferences. Their 100% Venezuela bar is rounded, not tannic, with a long finish. A good introduction to 100% chocolate. Their ganaches are decent, but the bars are where they shine. Also the house-made chocolate mousse, in varying intensities, ready to eat or take home. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/05/chapon7th.jpg) 69 Rue du Bac, 75007\. There is also a location in the 6th near the Church of St Sulpice. **Christian Constant** (No website. The 37, rue d’Assas store in the 6th is marked permanently closed) is a maker I’ve visited before and am usually delighted with their products. We arrived right at 11 AM, when the store opened its doors. A small shop, but many items are made on site in the back. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/constant7th.jpg) 3 Rue Augereau [**Jacques Genin**](https://jacquesgenin.fr/magasins?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** Here, the ganaches are the shining star, but also the caramels. The flagship shop is in the 3rd, but we go to this one in the 7th, as it’s near other shops. Great flavor infusions, with herbs, various spices, and his fruit pates are intense. Don’t skip the fresh caramels, though. Ask for the freshest ones and you’ll experience the most velvety, buttery sweetness, a different caramel experience altogether. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/05/genin7th.jpg) 27 Rue de Varenne. Flagship location 133 Rue de Turenne in the 3rd ### The 6th [**Patrick Roger**](https://www.patrickroger.com/en?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** Love the origin bars here, and he offers a wide variety. I especially like Haiti and Cuba, as beans from these origins are hard to come by, so here’s a chance. Note to visitors: touch NOTHING here! Bars are within easy reach, in individual metal boxes, but staff must get them for you. What I find annoying: there is no customizing your box of ganaches. The boxes are premade. Want to choose? It’s a sachet only. At these prices, I’d like to choose and have it packed into a flat box to keep them intact. Even if you return with an empty Patrick Roger box and ask them to fill it, no go. They pack the boxes right there, but you must get the selection Roger insists on. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/roger6th.jpg) 2-4 Pl. Saint-Sulpice || 108 Bd Saint-Germain If you’re frustrated by Roger’s OCD, head next door to [**La Maison du Chocolat**](https://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/fr%5Ffr/nos-boutiques/france/paris/sevres?ref=thechocolatelife.com). Their bars are not their strong suit, but their ganaches are excellent and they’ll even compose a custom box. [**Pierre Marcolini**](https://www.marcolini.co.uk/en/?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** He’s a Brussels-based chocolatier with outposts in Paris. A large number of bars from various origins. The two I am most interested in trying are the ones from Cuba and also China, but they were out of the China bar on my visit. Marcolini ships only to the EU and the UK, so when I’m here I go for the limited editions and origins I can’t get in the US. > Marcolini also makes a “sans sucre” bar from a blend of Arriba Nacional and Amelonado beans. Maltitol is the sweetener. It’s a harmless sugar alcohol, naturally derived from starch (usually), then it’s made sweeter through industrially hydrogenating it. Harmless, but does it work here? Marcolini describes a “fruity, floral, roasted cocoa finish” for this bar. I found it had more intense cocoa notes than some 77% bars, but I also got some unexpected bitterness that lingered, perhaps due to other factors. Maltitol was probably his sweetening choice because it has far less aftertaste than other sugar alcohols. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/marcolini6th.jpg) 89 Rue de Seine, 75006 Paris, France 💔 Catch on next visit: [****Chocolats Yannick Alleno**](https://chocolats-yannickalleno.com/la-maison/?ref=thechocolatelife.com). Our Itinerary required a pivot when spending more time visiting a friend than we’d anticipated, so we had to forego a stop here. Alleno has shops in the 6th and 7th and we had visited the latter I can’t speak to the quality of the bars or ganaches, as both were out of stock. We secured only one bar, dark with dried mango and dried ginger. How did xylitol play out in the mango-ginger dark bar I tried? It was a tad softer than you might expect, so the snap was uneven, despite the room’s reasonably cool temperature . The bar was not available on his website, so it’s possible it was a limited edition. ### **Heading to the 5th** [Mococha](https://www.chocolatsmococha.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com): I love the concept of this shop: Despite the shop’s small size, there are three artisans in residence here, Fabrice Gillotte from Dijon, the duo Frédéric and Nathalie Joseph from Périgueux, and Johann Dubois from Saint-Brieuc. [Here](https://www.chocolatsmococha.com/%5Ffiles/ugd/dbbc99%5F6a3249fa9ce54fa183378c72e3bdeae2.pdf?ref=thechocolatelife.com) is a look at their collection. As for other products, it’s one of the few places I’ve been able to find the A. Morin bars, and Mococha carries a wide selection. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/mococha5th.jpg) 89 Rue Mouffetard > Seeing my interest in their various origin bars, the lone associate, Catherine, was well-versed about all of them. She was out of the two bars from Venezuela, and apologized, but gave me her card and said the next time we were visiting, “Call me ahead of time and I’ll reserve for you whatever you want.” We purchased a box of 24 ganache bon-bons (ganache dries out, so I usually keep purchases modestly sized), and a wide variety is available including some herb-infused options, milk and dark. She gave us a sample (I chose the basil-infused ganache and was not disappointed), but the real treat? Catherine said, “stay here. I’m going to get you something.” She went in back and returned with two plain ganache bonbons “made just last night.” Yes, please! It’s not everyday I get to taste a bonbon that fresh. It reminded me of tasting a Jacques Genin caramel years ago that was so fresh it was still a bit warm and was like sweet, buttery velvet. I set my new standard for caramel right then and there. ## **Crossing Over: The Right Bank** If you’re still energetic, walk from the 5th toward the Seine and cross through the Ile de France, past Notre Dame, to the Right Bank. **You’ll be in the 4th.** [Pralus](https://www.chocolats-pralus.com/en?ref=thechocolatelife.com): I find most of their bars have a traditional high-roast and often too much cocoa butter, but I still get several when I’m here. Takes me back, and they’re lower price seems like I’m stealing them. Pralus discontinued their 3-pack of Chuao, Porcelana & pure Criollo though. I didn’t even see a Porcelana offering this time. The reason is unclear, but limited production of rare beans, along with geopolitical issues in South America may be taking a toll on availability. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/pralus4th.jpg) 35 Rue Rambuteau **From here, head to the 2nd and 1st,** where the artisans are concentrated fairly close together. [Cedric et la Chocolaterie](https://www.cedric-et-la-chocolaterie.com/en?ref=thechocolatelife.com): This shop, in the 2nd, is an experience and has become aTik-Tok must. The velvet rope outside is a hint, but a standout feature is the chocolate “waterfall” pouring down the entire back wall behind the counter. As for products, the “bars” are atypically shaped, all have some form of praline filling, topped with a confit (strawberry when I visited). Fillings are sandwiched between milk or dark chocolate in the shape of connected strawberries. The white chocolate version had solid top and bottom, with a wafer-thin vanilla biscuit supporting a vanilla-milk “confiture” and vanilla ganache in between. Cedric’s dark praline had a good balance – the hazelnuts worked well with the chocolate and both seemed to enhance the other without dominating. There’s also a tea salon next door. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/cedric2nd.jpg) 33 Av. de l'Opéra [Jade Genin](https://www.jadegenin.fr/?ref=thechocolatelife.com): Jade’s shop, also in the 2nd, is a chip-off-the-old block of her father, Jacques Genin, and she’s carving out a place for herself in the Paris chocolate scene. She doesn’t do a bar, but her shop mimics the vibe in many Parisian shops now, including her father’s: very light and airy, all white, or predominantly so, with bold accents. Jade’s bon-bons are a standout shape: they’re all little pyramids, with different color tops to note various flavors of ganache and praline filling. She’s among the most adventurous with her flavors. I sampled a Thai basil ganache that had just the right amount of basil to be complementary without overwhelming the ganache. The oregano-infused ganache even won over my partner, who typically passes on herb-infusions in chocolate. An example of her pralines are a pinenut praline with a caramelized lavender blossom. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/jadeGenin2nd.jpg) 33 Av. de l'Opéra [**PLAQ**](https://plaqchocolat.com/en?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** Don’t miss this shop, also in the 2nd, but worth a trip on its own. Lots of bars here, and they’ve expanded the size of their café, now offering pastries. They do 2-ingredient bars here, sweetening with unrefined Brazilian cane sugar, and provide tasting notes. I’ve found the bars to overall have real intensity. They have managed to preserve the complexity of the beans and use mostly a medium roast. Plaq offers several hot chocolates as well and the sample I tasted was atypically intense. Right up my alley. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/plaq1st.jpg) 4 Rue du Nil If you need a break from all the walking and want a coffee and a snack, [**Sebastien Gaudard**](https://sebastiengaudard.com/en/the-story-of-sebastien-gaudard/?ref=thechocolatelife.com), in the 1st, across from the Jardin des Tuileries is a nice find. We’ve been to this tea room/pastry shop before, but this time, I saw single origin bars that I hadn’t noticed at prior visits. > I bought his 71% Pur Republique Dominicaine. My first taste revealed significant rum/raisin notes, enough that I looked at the label to see if either had been added, but not so. A 5-ingredient bar, with soy lecithin and pure vanilla extract, but the vanilla was subtle – it came later, with other floral notes. The son of a pâtissier, Sebastian learned pastry as a child. He has three shops in Paris, selling both pastries and chocolates. I’m making a note to give his other single origin bars a closer look next time. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/gaudard1st.jpg) 3 Pl. des Pyramides [**Jean-Paul Hevin**](https://www.jeanpaulhevin.com/en/nos-boutiques?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** Several shops in Paris, this one in the 1st. Huge variety of enrobed ganacheshere, dark and milk. The percent cacao solids in origin bars can change with each harvest or batch. I’ve noticed the percentages in some single origin bars can change year-to-year, depending on the year’s batch of beans, so it’s always worth a look for me. Many varietals, and he lists the type of beans in each origin bar. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/jpHevin1st.jpg) côté cour, 231 Rue Saint-Honoré Rounding out the shops in the 1st is [**L’Instant Cacao**](https://linstantcacao.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com). Made right there. Small place. Marc Chinchole, the maker, has visited origin & met with many of the growers who supply his beans, according to his mother, who works with him and spoke to us. > He now lists the “vintage” years on some bars. Some have a slightly gritty texture but flavors and complexity do come through. I particularly liked his 75% Tanzanie, with tasting notes of apricot, and “little bitterness”. The apricot does stand out, followed by warm spice notes. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/lInstantCacao.jpg) 3 Rue des Petits Champs Venturing a little farther out… [**Maison Bonnat**](https://bonnat-chocolatier.com/en?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** This shop, in the 8th, is a must for me because it holds a soft spot. In the early stage of my chocolate journey, their Hacienda del Rosario 75% from Venezuela made me sit up and notice that there was a better chocolate than I’d grown up with. This shop is small, I don’t have a special desire for their enrobed chocolates, so I head straight to the left wall where all their bars are displayed. Bonnat often does limited editions, and if you find such bars, it’s probably good to get at least one. This time I scored two. One was ***Geant des Brumes*** (Giant of the Mists), “Crafted from ‘rare cocoa beans’ \[origin, Uganda\] – beans that, by virtue of their scarcity, can be considered true collector's items.” The other was the Les Sirenes bar, made from Philippine beans that, according to the described legend, originated years ago in Mexico.” ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/bonnat8th.jpg) 189 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré Another must, but this time a big bummer, was [**ARA Chocolat**](https://www.arachocolat.com/index.php?ref=thechocolatelife.com), in the 9th. Love this chocolate, but the shop was unexplainably closed for the day (not permanently) when we visited on a Thursday, with no sign indicating why. The single origin bars here are excellent, some bars are two ingredient, some are three, others are from heirloom beans. Many bars here have won awards, deservedly so, IMHO. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/ara9th.jpg) 9 Rue Clauzel [**William Artigue**](https://lachocolaterie-williamartigue.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com)**:** in the 10th, is a new shop. It’s bright, with clean lines and minimalism steering the theme. The website has sparse info about specific bars or products, other than to tout the care they put into every one of them: “A short selection of 12 bars, made with chocolates from the best roofing houses that will evolve according to our discoveries.” In the shop, most of the bars, even ones without inclusions, had *fleur de sal* in the ingredient list. Some other makers Have done this and personally, I’m NOT a fan.I bought the single dark bar with no added fleur de sal, an 80% single origin Honduras bar. Upon inhaling and tasting without reading the description, I found strong citrus notes, particularly grapefruit peel, followed by cherries and tart raspberries. The label indicated “black cherries and small berries, delicate acidity.” To me, the acidity was more than “delicate” but I did like this bar. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/09/artigue10th.jpg) 30 Rue Yves Toudic ### ***And on a somber note…*** Madame Cacao, opened last year across from the famed Poilane bakery in the 6th, has closed. When we visited last April, packaging and stock were still arriving, and “Madame” Christelle Brua had only two origin bars, from Ecuador and Madagascar, both 75%. No website, no further information available. ---