A Reader Asks: “Where is the best place (or places) to buy chocolate truffles in Paris, France?” There are few bad places to buy chocolate in Paris, but here are some of our favorites.

If I could only visit one place in Paris to buy chocolate, then that place would be l’Etoile d’Or located near the Blanche metro stop and the Moulin Rouge. Denise Acabo, the proprietress, has gathered some of the finest names in chocolate from around France to sell in this shop: Bernachon, Le Roux, Dufoux, Bonnat, and others. From a sheer assortment perspective - and chocolates and confections only (no pastries), then this is it for me.

With a little more time and adding pastry into the mix, I would definitely add Jean-Paul Hevin and La Maison du Chocolat into the mix. Hevin has stores located near the Louvre as well as near Ecole Militaire, and the flagship LMDC shop is near the Place Madeleine.

I recently traveled to Paris and here’s my trip report which lists all of the places I visited to buy chocolate as well as my favorite places to realx and enjoy hot chocolate as well.

Previous Questions and Answers:

1. Dear Mr. Gordon, I made my first trip to Paris in the Spring of 2002 had had the most glorious 3 weks of my life. Wherever I travel, I always make it a point to go to the local chocolate shops and sample their wares. I was extremely disappointed in Parisian chocolates as they all tasted the same. You could not tell a lemon truffle from a Grand-Marnier truffle or a champagne from a coconut. My favorite combination is a chocolate and raspberry anything but try to find a 'chocolat avec framboise' anywhere in Paris and you'd have better luck finding a Hindu in McDonalds chowing down on a BigMac. I did however find the 'chocolate chaude' to be mesmerizing and I decided that I could live in Paris just for that alone. If I can find a good wholesale supplier for gourmet chocolate bars, I intend to serve 'chocolate chaude' at the inn that I currently manage. Some of my signiture chocolate desserts will soon be on the menu here. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. sincerly, Stephan
   Posted by Stephan  on  11/12  at  07:07 PM
2. Dear Mr. Gordon, Did you get the recipe for truffles that I sent you a couple months ago??? It was a recipe I had found in Midwest Living magazine and told you that there might be some copyright law that would prevent you from publishing it. I really don't know the in's and out's of all of that, but I did want to know if you received the recipe I sent you by e-mail and if you tried it for yourself????????? Jan Strange
   Posted by  on  06/16  at  04:22 PM