Salvador Dali, who moved to Paris in the 1920s seeking inspiration, was once quoted as saying that, “beauty should be edible, or not at all.” A century later, the City of Lights remains an epicenter of food, fashion, and… chocolate shops. We asked eight Paris-based food and lifestyle influencers to share their recommendations for the best chocolate in Paris. Here are their favorite chocolatiers and chocolate shops in Paris, so that you can enjoy the best the city has to offer, from dark chocolate, to milk chocolate, to insanely popular creative confections to be enjoyed year round.
The Best Chocolatiers and Chocolate Shops in Paris:
- Les Trois Chocolats
- Edwart Chocolatier
- Jacques Genin
- Chocolat Alain Ducasse
- Patrick Roger
- Maison Le Roux
- À la Mère de Famille
- L’Atelier du Bristol
The Chocolatier vs. the Chocolate Shop
Before you venture into a new chocolate shop, do you know the difference between a chocolatier and a chocolate maker? The difference is pretty simple. A chocolate maker (or chocolatier torréfacteur) creates chocolate from scratch from cocoa beans, in a process commonly referred to as “bean to bar.” A chocolatier, on the other hand, buys premade chocolate and carefully blends it into sweet treats like praline bonbons and dark chocolate truffles with salted caramel. Both are delicious, but if you find a chocolatier who is also a chocolate maker, you’ll really know you’re in good hands.
The Best Chocolate in Paris, According to the Experts
1. Les Trois Chocolats
The famous chocolatier Emiko Sano’s French-Japanese chocolates range from classic bonbons to highly stylized modernist creations. Awe-inspiring beauty and plenty of whimsey as harmonious as the flavors.
45 Rue Saint-Paul, 75004
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Kasia Dietz, Travel and fashion writer, blogger and handbag designer
2. Edwart Chocolatier
Thirty-four-year-old Edwin Yansane’s boxed chocolate collections are so lovely you could frame them. Bonbons are purposefully on the thin side, allowing you to better savor the brilliant flavor and texture combinations. Besides the must-have flavors and chocolate spreads, his exceptionally creative collection includes: Curry, Japanese Buckwheat, Coriander Seed, and Oolong.
67 Rue des Dames, 75017
[Check website for other locations]
Lindsey Tramuta, journalist and author of The New Paris and The New Parisienne
3. Jacques Genin
“It is inconceivable to me to pass by Jacques Genin’s haut Marais shop and not stop in for pâtes de fruits (fruit jellies) or a small sachet of his fine chocolates. The chocolatier-pâtissier is known for very minimal sweetening (for all of his confections) and using the highest quality natural ingredients for his ganaches and pralinés: The ganache à la menthe, for example, incorporates fresh mint leaves; the ganache au miel de châtaignier, one of my favorites, weaves in local chestnut tree honey. And for more adventurous chocolate lovers, there’s his signature hazelnut praliné with capers — a totally delightful, melt-in-your-mouth aromatic surprise that’s worth experiencing.”
133 Rue de Turenne, 75003
27 Rue de Varenne, 75007
[Check website for other locations]
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Alec Lobrano, Paris-based food and travel writer, author of My Place at the Table
4. Chocolat Alain Ducasse
The uncompromising commitment to excellence and detail for which Chef Alain Ducasse is renowned serves him well in his latest venture, master chocolatier. Chocolate truffles, bonbons (ganache and praline) as well as bar chocolate fill his tasteful shops. Lobrano’s must have, “the single bean bars in particular,” are available in a wide variety of cocoa percentages and countries of origin.
7 rue Poncelet, 75017
[Check website for multiple locations.]
Jean Valfort, Restaurateur, French Ghost Kitchen pioneer
5. Patrick Roger
Patrick Roger is a sculptor-chocolatier who has been knighted in France (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) in recognition of his exceptional talents. Each of his minimalist and carefully lit boutiques is dominated by his sculpture, often rendered in chocolate. Jean Valfort’s must have is the Délire number 6. Roger’s outstanding chocolate bars come in tins, which are extremely practical for traveling. (Never leave home without it!)
3 Pl. de la Madeleine, 75008
[Check website for multiple locations.]
Elaine Sciolino, Journalist, Author of The Only Street in Paris: Life on the Rue des Martyrs
6. Maison Le Roux
“I love that the Japanese founder fell in love with the street and decided to move in. The shop is most famous for its salted caramels, but I crave the pate de fruits with a glorious texture in more than a dozen flavors. I wrote [about it] in my book The Only Street in Paris.”
24 rue des Martyrs, 75009
Rebekah Peppler, Paris-based writer and author of À Table
7. À la Mère de Famille
Peppler’s must have chocolate item: “This heritage boutique which opened in 1761 on the rue du Faubourg Montmartre is a short walk from my apartment and one of my favorite places to stop into for a gift. If I’m buying for others, I go with bars or boxes but if I’m buying for myself, I can’t resist their guimauves (marshmallows enrobed in chocolate).”
Eric Frechon, Three Michelin starred chef
8. L’Atelier du Bristol
Three Michelin-starred chef, Eric Frechon oversees Master Chocolatier, Johan Giacchetti (who at twenty-one won the Coupe du France de la Chocolaterie) in creating Le Bristol Paris hotel’s signature boxed chocolates. Madong Chocolate from Papua New Guinea, Smoked Tea, Spicy Honey and Lime Ganache reflect the refined culinary sensibility you would expect among the twenty-five flavors available at the hotel’s on-premise chocolate shop.
112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008
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Frequently Asked Questions
– Which chocolate shop is famous in Paris?
Chocolat Alain Ducasse is one of the most famous chocolate shops in Paris.
– What’s the best chocolate in France?
Some of the best chocolatiers in Paris, like Alain Ducasse, Patrick Roger, and Jacques Genie, make some of the best chocolate in Paris, daring creations that are expertly crafted works of art in their own right.
– What is the most famous chocolate brand in France?
Valrhona is one of the most famous chocolate makers in France, as their chocolate making skills are unmatched. They have chocolate shops from Paris to Brooklyn.
– Who is the most famous French chocolatier?
World famous maître chocolatier Jacques Genin is one of France’s most famous chocolatiers, bringing high quality chocolate to his chocolate shops in Paris.
