Europe’s chocolate production uses cocoa beans that come from Central America, South America, Africa and Asia. In Paris, you’ll find all sorts of different chocolates to fit every mood and craving, but at Discovering Paris we decided to do a little research of our own, working on (and tasting!) different chocolatiers work to provide you with the best chocolates in Paris.

LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT: Elegance

The House of Chocolate presents a timeless collection of chocolate confections, characterized by their elegance and delicate balance. We were pleasantly surprised by the Quito (like the Ecuadorian capital) with its smooth and delicate filling. We also enjoyed the Vanilla Bourbon; you’ll sense the vanilla taking over as the chocolate melts in your mouth.

You can feel that a sense of tradition and attention to details are at the heart of this maison. It was founded 40 years ago by Robert Linxe, inspired by haute couture maisons. This brands deserves a place in our list of the best chocolates in Paris.

We visited their boutique at Rue François 1er in the 8th arrondissement and fell in love, because it is end-to-end Parisian chic. We were able to discover the Brand, its principles and even sneak a taste of their wonderful chocolate-filled macarons. Their passion fruit macaron can only be described as an explosion of flavor. They also make delicious pralines and truffles (even champagne flavored ones!). Maison du Chocolat has made its way into the international market setting up boutiques in New York, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Macao, Seoul and Kuwait.

Prices: As they vary between chocolates, pastries and other confections the following information is simply an example: a box of 14 chocolates is priced at around 18€.

Address: We visited their boutique at 52 Rue François 1er, Paris 75008. Open Monday- Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (20h) To check out their other addresses take a look at their website:

Website: www.lamaisonduchocolat.fr

PIERRE MARCOLINI: AUTHENTICITY

Marcolini is an expert Belgian chocolatier with Italian roots who found his passion for cacao at a very young age. He is also known for being very engaged with sustainable production, which is why he roasts cacao beans in his shop in Brussels (this is not a common practice amongst chocolatiers). They select their plantations carefully and only work with those that do not employ children.

Out of their collection the Venezuela really stood out to us, with its coffee and berry notes. Simply exquisite. Marcolini’s chocolates are the perfect mouthful of intense, authentic aromas perfectly combined with the renowned bitterness of the cocoa bean.

His boutique draws a beautiful contrast between the all-white setting and the different tones of the chocolates showcased around the boutique, as well as his famous macarons.

Prices: Individual chocolate pieces start at 1€.

Address: The shop we visited is located at 235 Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris 75001. Hours: Monday -Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (19h30) and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (19h) He has 6 other boutiques in the city.

Website: eu.marcolini.com

JEAN PAUL HÉVIN : PASSION

We came across Jean Paul Hévin’s shop when we were selecting The Best Parisian Macarons for our blog Hévin’s macarons are nothing short of amazing, and his chocolates are up to par. We fell head-over-heels for the Pablino, a sweet and delicious chocolate with a lot of character, its diverse notes allow you to really appreciate the diversity of the high-quality cocoa beans, known as the “grand cru” in French.

The boutique is organized in the style of a chocolate “bar”, with vendors located in the center of the boutique surrounded by all the different chocolates they offer. On one end, you’ll find chocolate bars (both popular in demand as well as those within a more affordable price range); on the other end you’ll find individually sold chocolates pieces, pralinés, macarons, and oh la la… pastries! Jean-Paul Hévin is a passionate pastry chef with a profound love for chocolate and heavily influenced by Japanese culture, a true example of balance, discipline, and quality. That’s why we put them in our list of the best chocolates in Paris.

Prices: Set of 12 chocolates for 15.50€. Chocolate bars start at 3.90€.

Address: We visited two boutiques: 41 Rue de Brétagne 75003 and 108-231 Rue Saint-Honoré 75001 (near Place Vendôme). Hours: Both open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (19h30)

Website: www.jeanpaulhevin.com

JACQUES GENIN: ORIGINALITY

From the moment you walk into his boutique in Le Marais, Jaques Genin has you wrapped around his finger. One of his most emblematic pieces is the Mint Lover, the minty flavors wrapped around the depth of this dark chocolate piece. Balanced and pleasantly surprising.

The boutique itself is pristine, embodying minimalism and focusing your attention towards the delicious confections that fill the room, presented as if they were precious jewels.

In addition to its intense chocolates, Genin produces (on site) some spectacular candies. We tried a mango with passion fruit and we can tell you that we’re wanting more.

This is, without a doubt a stunning chocolate shop in which you can feel the sense of detail, respect for the ingredients and their original flavors as well their uniqueness. It’s reputation is such that hundreds of tourists, mostly coming from Japan, make the trip to purchase these delicious chocolates; after all, they are only sold in Paris.

Prices: These vary as they are sold by weight (kg).

Address: The boutique we’ve described is on 133 Rue de Turenne, Paris 75003. Hours: Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (19h00) and until 7:30 p.m. (19h30) on Saturdays.

There is another boutique on 27 rue de Varenne, Paris 75007.

Website: www.jacquesgenin.fr

CHOCOLAT ALAIN DUCASSE: THE PURIST

World-renown Chef Alain Ducasse decided he wanted to produce the chocolates for his restaurants. This led to the creation of La Manufacture by Alain Ducasse in Paris. His chocolates are held to the same rigorous standards he is known for, as well as respecting the essence of the ingredients, all of which are carefully selected and of the highest quality.

From the moment you enter the Manufacture your senses are invaded by a subtle and delicious fragrance.

The concept of a factory, of a manufacture, have been beautifully translated in the décor of the boutique. If you are a devoted chocolate lover, you’ll find yourself right at home with a selection of chocolate in their purest form.

The Madagascar is a chocolate; but it is so much more than that as you can savor the deep flavors obtained as they strive to highlight all of the aromas of the cacao bean. There aren’t any whimsical flavors, however all the chocolates remain very rich in flavour and will have you on a cloud from the first bite. We also tried the Vanilla, and the idea remains the same; the vanilla isn’t there to add or complete the chocolate but rather to exalt it. A unique tasting experience.

The boutique’s team is very friendly, and they took the time to explain every little detail to us, and honestly, we were charmed. Without a doubt, one of the best choclates in Paris.

Prices: 12-piece box set sells for 19€.

Address: There are 9 locations in Paris; we visited the boutique located at the Manufacture itself at 40 Rue de la Roquette, Paris 75010. Hours: Monday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (19h30). Check their official website for details on opening hours for the other locations.

Website: www.lechocolat-alainducasse.com

Finally, here are a few tips to make the most out of your chocolate tasting (and purchasing!) experience:

• Don’t hesitate to ask the chocolatier or vendors about the percentage of cocoa, fillings, or any other information related to their products. According to the Club de Croqueurs de Chocolats of France, a good chocolatier should be able to answer any and all questions, as they love talking about their product.
• Avoid buying chocolate during the warmest months of the year.
• According to experts, chocolate should be tasted similarly to wine, in different stages, slowly, allowing the taste buds to awaken and indulge, so…take it easy
• To properly store chocolate, choose an airtight container, and keep it in a dry and cool area.
• The ideal temperature to keep chocolate in is between 16°C and 18 °C (61°F-64°)
• Avoid keeping them in the fridge, but if you must make sure to keep them in one of the bottom drawers and pull them out a few hours before tasting.
• When tasting, make sure to start by the pieces that have the lowest concentration of cacao.
• Water is the best choice to pair with chocolates when tasting, as it allows for all of the aromas to fully express themselves in your mouth. However, if they are a little less high-end you can pair them with tea, coffee, or even with a liquor such as cognac or rum.
• Certain chocolates need to be consumed shortly after their purchase, make sure to ask the chocolatier/vendor before you leave the shop!

Chocolate is part of France’s gastronomic patrimonyand of Europe’s Easter traditions. We hope that chocolates lovers (and those that are simply curious as well!) can soon enjoy these wonderful delicacies, made with such care and precision.

We haven’t stopped dreaming and neither should you!

Paris awaits…

The post The best chocolates in Paris appeared first on UAT - DescubreParis.com.

We want to dedicate a blog post to this wonderful building, just as we love to do in DescubreParis.com, with practical and useful information for visiting the most photographed monument in the world.

First, a Little Bit of History

The Eiffel Tower was built by engineer and builder Gustave Eiffel, a specialist on metallic structures, with the help of 300 workers for the Exposition Universelle of 1889. Its construction took two years. At the time it was the tallest building in the world at 276 meters high (301 yards).

Nowadays, the tower welcomes around 7 million visitors per year and is worth an estimated 434 billion Euros, that is a fifth part of the French GDP.

How is the Eiffel Tower Set Up?

Today, the Iron Lady is framed by a security glass installation at its lower level, the ground level is a patio (parvis), there are three floors (accessible by different ways), and each has different things to observe, besides enjoying the amazing view. It is important to remember this since at the moment of buying your ticket you should know how far up the tower you want, or can, go.

The Patio orParvis

Once you´ve gone through the first access checkpoints you arrive to the patio where you can find:

• Access to the elevators
• Access to the stairs to the first floor
• Restaurant, more like a concession stand
• An incredible view of the internal structure of the tower
• Exits

The First Floor (Premier étage)

• 57 meters above ground (187 Feet)
• Only accessible by elevator (or when coming down from the above floors, or if you have a reservation at the restaurant Le 58 Tour Eiffel)
• It has a 57-meters-long (187 feet) glass floor, to experience a floating view; don´t worry, not the whole floor is like this.
• Viewpoints and rest areas for enjoying the view
• There is a space called the CinEiffel where you can enjoy a video with information on the tower.
• Touchscreens with historical information on the monument
• Here you can find the restaurant Le 58 Tour Eiffel, with a spectacular view to the Trocadéro Gardens. It has two atmospheres: at noon is a relaxed, family restaurant, and at night it becomes a Bistro chic restaurant.
• There is a cafeteria with ready-to-eat meals and a gift shop

The Second Floor (2ème étage):

• 116 meters (380 feet) above ground
• Accessible by elevator or stairs (647 steps up)
• Magnificent view of Paris, do not hesitate to go all the way around
• Here is the famous gourmet restaurant Jules Verne
• A Bar à Macarons, this is a sales-stand of the famous French macarons
• There is a cafeteria with ready-to-eat meals and a gift shop

Top or Sommet

• 276 meters (905 feet) above ground
• The ride up is amazing
• The view will leave you speechless
• You´ll arrive at a closed room with historical information, the way out is through some stairs to enjoy the view.
• This floor has a reconstruction of Gustave Eiffel’s office
• Orientation panels
• A Bar à Champagne to celebrate the privilege of having arrived to the top of this majestic building.

Options For Going Up the Eiffel Tower:

These are the options for going up the Eiffel Tower:

Staircase Ticket to the Second Floor:

Access to the second floor (and first) by the stairs (647 steps). Sold only at the Ticket Se vende únicamente en las taquillas de la torre y para una utilización el mismo día. Booth of the tower and for same-day use. On your way down you can visit the first floor.

Prices:

Adult: 10,40€

Young Person (between 12 and 24 years): 5,20€

Children (between 4 and 11 years): 2,60€

Small Children (under 4 years): free*

Estimated visit time: Between 30 and 45 minutes to go up the 647 steps, plus an hour and a half for looking around.

IMPORTANT:

• It is not advisable to go up the stairs with small children, older folk or people with health issues.
• There is never much queue to go up the stairs, only the brave and physically adventurous can (or want) to do this.

Staircase and Elevator Ticket to the Top:

Access to the second floor by the stairs (647), and elevator to the top. Sold only at the Ticket Booth of the tower and for same-day use. On your way down you can visit the first floor.

Prices:

Adult: 19,70€

Young Person (between 12 and 24 years): 9,80€

Children (between 4 and 11 years): 5,00€

Small Children (under 4 years): free*

Estimated visit time: Between 30 and 45 minutes to the second floor, plus two hours for looking around.

IMPORTANT:

• It is not advisable to go up the stairs with small children, older folk or people with health issues.
• There is never much queue to go up the stairs, only the brave and physically adventurous can (or want) to do this.

Elevator Ticket to the Second Floor:

Access to the second floor through the elevator, on your way down you can visit the first floor. Available online and at the ticket booth.

Prices:

Adult: 16,60€

Young Person (between 12 and 24 years): 8,30€

Children (between 4 and 11 years):4,10€

Small Children (under 4 years): free*

Estimated visit time: an hour and thirty minutes

Elevator Ticket to the Top:

Access to the top of the tower through the elevators. Of course, it allows visits to the second and first floors. The ideal ticket to live the full experience. Available online and at the ticket booth.

Prices:

Adult: 25,90€

Young Person (between 12 and 24 years): 13,00€

Children (between 4 and 11 years): 6,50€

Small Children (under 4 years): free*

Estimated visit time: two hours and thirty minutes

Making Reservations for Le 58 Tour Eiffel**:

Yes, making reservations to have lunch or dinner at this restaurant grants you access to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, so it’s a good option if you can make it. Lunch plates go from 39€ and dinner from 86€. Reservations are not mandatory, but if you don’t make reservations you will have to purchase any tower ticket and check if there are tables available.

*Small children don’t pay, but must have a Free Entrance ticket.

Going Up the Eiffel Tower: from theory to reality

Visiting the inside of the Eiffel Tower is an unforgettable experience. But like all worthwhile things in life, it requires some “effort”.

It is important to remember that this is a very visited monument and it has a limitation to how many visitors it can hold, this number is constantly being monitored to preserve the safety of the structure. Access to the tower can also be affected by weather or other specific conditions.

It is ideal to buy the tickets beforehand through the official website:

• Go to the official website for the Eiffel Tower  and check availability and times.
• Entrance tickets are available up to two months before your desired date, we recommend reserving tickets as soon as you know you will be visiting Paris. Reserve your tickets online for a seamless experience.
• Buy the ticket all the way to the top: it is an unforgettable experience and is worth it.
• Either by night or day it is a beautiful view, just keep in mind that it can get pretty windy all the way at the top, and that in winter access to the top may be disabled due to bad weather. .
• If you are travelling with children under four, you will have to add their ticket to your shopping cart, it is free, but the child must have a ticket to enter.
• Remember that if you want to eat at Le 58 Tour Eiffel you can make reservations and pay online, these reservations will give you access to the first floor. It can be an interesting choice. Just remember this restaurant is close until 2021.

Keep in mind:

• Tickets purchased online are not modifiable
• Get there at the exact time on your ticket, they can deny your access if you don’t.
• You must print your ticket and present it in good shape, the barcode must be legible. There is no way to print at the tower and they won’t accept barcodes on your phone.
• You can access the tower through the East or West entrances, in any case make sure you are waiting in the correct line, there are signs available everywhere (Visitors with a ticket, Visitors with no ticket).

If you tried to buy online but could not or didn’t have time:

• You will have to buy the tickets at the Eiffel Tower ticket booth. You run the risk of there having no more available slots. Remember the tower has a limited weight capacity, if this happens you will be notified of visiting restrictions immediately.
• You will have to choose to either go up by night or day.
• If you would like to do it by day,please make it an early morning, be there as soon as you can, before the booths open (which is the same time the monument opens, 9:00 a.m., which means you will have to be there around 8 a.m. And even so you run the risk of there being too many people, for example during busy seasons.
• If you’d like to go up at night, you should try from 19:00 h. (7:00 p.m.) (7 p.m.).
• We suggest you try very early or very late at night because they are the least visited moments and that way you can use the rest of the day visiting other things.
• The tower has two access and exits, try going to the other side, maybe the booth on the other side is open.

Once inside:

• Follow the instructions of the personnel inside the tower.
• Be patient, there might be a long line of people.
• If you are with your significant other, don´t miss out on the spots marked as “A Place to Kiss”, these are spots where you can take a romantic picture with your partner.
• When you go down, take some time to enjoy the plaza, find the center and look up so you can appreciate the structure of the tower: it´s impressive.
• Enjoy this unique moment.

RESTAURANTS

Le 58 Tour Eiffel:

• ATTENTION: this restaurant is closed for a refurbishment through the beginning of 2021. This prices may change. French Bistrotype restaurant, casual dining at noon and chic and upscale place at night.
• For lunch: menus starting at 39€, with or without reservation. If you have a reservation, be there 30 minutes before the reserved time.
• For dinner: menus starting at 86€, reservation only. There are only two shifts at night, first at 18 h. (6 p.m.) and the second at 21 h. (9 p.m.). (6 p.m.) y el segundo a las 21 h. (9 p.m.).
• Priority access with your reservation.

Le Jules Verne:

• Gourmet restaurant
• Strict dress code: no tshirts, no shorts or casual sneakers. Dress suit and evening dresses.
• Reservation only, at least3 to 4 months in advance.
• Prices begin at 250€ per person.
• Exclusive elevator for restaurant patrons.

For more information on the restaurants:

How to get to the Eiffel Tower?

This will vary depending on where your starting point is, but the main access routes are as follow:

Metro Line 6, Bir-Hakeim Tour Eiffel Stop. 10 minute walk.

Line 9, Trocadéro Stop. 15 minute walk.

Line 8, École Militaire Stop. 15 minute walk.

District (Arrondissement): 16.

Schedule: From 9:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., open all days of the year.

Remember that the Eiffel Tower is part of our Detailed Travel Guides. Whether you get to go all the way to the top or not, what’s important is that you saw it in person and you were able to visit a monument that shaped architecture and the lives of everyone in the City of Light.

See you soon!

The post Everything You Need to Know to Visit the Eiffel Tower appeared first on UAT - DescubreParis.com.