After a long day of treading concrete and cobblestones in the pounding summer sun in Paris, what better diversion is there than to savor the moment with an ice cream cone in hand? Having traveled to Paris every summer since childhood (my mother hails from France), I can tell you from firsthand experience that there’s no better way to travel through Paris in the summertime. Here are a few of my favorite ice cream shops in Paris, where you and your clients can take a break from the touring madness and enjoy the calm and whimsy of a quintessential summer pleasure. So grab a cornet and muse — the tours can wait.
A quick note on the Parisian arrondissement system: For those less familiar with Paris, an arrondissement is an administrative division of the city into numbered districts ranging from 1 to 20. Arrondissements should not be confused with the named neighborhoods that can also be found throughout the city, however, and sometimes spread over several arrondissements. For example, the Marais, Paris’ oldest neighborhood, is located in the third and fourth arrondissements.
Berthillon
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Berthillon has been making ice cream in Paris for three generations. // © Berthillon
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(Fourth Arrondissement)
Berthillon is a classic ice creamery known for its artisanal
savoir faire. For three generations, this family-owned business has been devoted to crafting flavors that range from traditional favorites to exotic tastes. Some noted flavors include pear-caramel, mocha tiramisu and wild strawberry. Berthillon is located on the Ile Saint Louis, the Seine River island neighboring the Ile de la Cite and its famous Notre Dame Cathedral. The area features a much quieter and pedestrian atmosphere than other parts of the city, making it an ideal afternoon pit stop.
www.berthillon.frAmorino
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Amorino specializes in Italian ice cream, better known as gelato. // © Amorino |
(Throughout Paris)
Founded by two Italians in 2002, Amorino is a
gelateria that prides itself on crafting its gelato according to the purest Italian traditions, serving gelato with spatulas and never with scoops. Though the chain has several locations around Paris, my favorite is on Rue Vavin in the Latin Quarter (sixth arrondissement). At night, an impressive line forms outside the shop and into the bustling pedestrian-run street, surrounded by open-air restaurants and postcard gift shops. With flavors incorporating such traditional favorites as Tiramisu and Amaretto into gelato, this is the perfect place to enjoy the best that Italian desserts have to offer.
www.amorino.com/en
La Maison du Chocolat
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La Maison du Chocolat has locations throughout
the city and also sells delicious chocolates. //
© La Maison du Chocolat |
(Throughout Paris)
This upscale chocolatier expands its scope in the summertime to feature refined ice cream with flavors such as white chocolate and pistachio. Don’t fret if you are not in the mood for ice cream, either, since sumptuous chocolates and pastries also await. The shop located at Faubourg Saint-Honore, one of Paris’ poshest neighborhoods, will offer an entirely glamorous and old-world Paris experience.
www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/enCafé à la Banquise
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The neighborhood where Café à la Banquise is located was the setting for some scenes in the film “Amélie.” // © www.qype.fr |
(Eighteenth Arrondissement; 107 Rue Ordener)
A bistro is yet another ideal location to savor the refreshing treats that Paris has to offer, and this one is located in Montmartre — host to the Sacré Coeur, the Moulin Rouge and the setting for various scenes in the film, “Amélie” — and also one of my favorite neighborhoods. The cafe expands on its delicious ice cream flavors with its unique creations. Be sure to try their coffee parfait, frozen nougat or even the Norwegian omelet. Also, sit at an outside table, people-watch and enjoy the old-fashioned service of waiters in white aprons.
www.qype.fr/place/626208-Cafe-a-La-Banquise-ParisTuileries Gardens
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The Tuileries Gardens are located near the famous Louvre. // © Paris Convention & Visitors Bureau |
(First Arrondissement)
If you are looking to let out your inner child after spending hours touring the Louvre, set out to the Jardin des Tuileries, located directly across from the museum. In the summer, an amusement park is set up here along Rue de Rivoli on the Gardens’ north side, hosting flying chairs, small roller coasters, arcade games and a variety of prize competitions. But above all, this shop is home to the biggest soft-serve machine with the widest variety of flavors I have ever encountered (my personal favorite is peach-blackberry). Get a single flavor or mix any two of the 30 flavors, and enjoy a summer experience just like you might find in the States, but that will have you saying, “Oh oui!”
http://www.louvre.fr/llv/musee/jardins_tuileries.jsp?bmLocale=fr_FRFrench Government Tourist Office
www.franceguide.com
Paris Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.parisinfo.com
