A Chocolate Easter Walk in Paris
Come and join me on a brisk Easter chocolate walk in Paris’ Easter Playground! I say brisk, as it’s still remarkably chilly for this time of year but let’s be optimistic: it’s a great temperature for transporting Easter chocolates.
Swinging over to Fauchon at Place de la Madeleine, it’s showtime in the City of Lights. Their chocolate eggs look like they’re dancing the Cancan.
Their bird-patterned chocolate eggs are also decked out in chic, cheeky pink bows. Chick, chick.
Pierre Hermé has a more mini chocolate egg design for his Easter windows this year. But don’t be April fooled, his bigger oeufs are nesting inside.
While Patrick Roger‘s window creations are not quite so mini, except for the piles of bells and fritures, or small chocolate/praline fish and seafood. Why fish? The French celebrate April Fools’ Day as Poisson d’avril and somehow chocolate fish find their way into sachets. I love having an excuse to munch on these while patiently waiting for the Easter eggs.
How can you transport this gigantic sculpture from Roger’s Madeleine boutique? No wonder they didn’t transfer this egg to the sculpture gallery upstairs. It’s just about as big as the staircase!
Spot the odd one out? No chocolate in this window since we’re at Brentano’s American Bookstore at l’Opéra but they always have such a cute vitrine next to Hermé’s boutique.
There’s another odd photo here, too. I cheated, as this isn’t taken in Paris but from my ‘local’ chocolaterie in St Germain-en-Laye. Pascal le Gac makes the most exquisite chocolates and macarons.
Speaking of macarons, check out Gerard Mulot‘s take on a giant multi-coloured macaron Easter egg! Apologies for the shiny windows and a stationary fire truck interfering in this photo, but it’s better than seeing the pompiers and all the folk peering in, too.
Arnaud Larher‘s chocolate Angry Birds are causing a lèche-vitrine (window-licking) sensation in rue de Seine with disgruntled bird game lovers. Emile, the Gorilla looks rather friendly. Personally, I prefer his Springtime macaron towers with Easter Bunny chocolate lollies.
It’s time for the bell at playground time at Pierre Marcolini’s boutique in Rue de Seine, Paris. His limited edition chocolate bell is designed to celebrate the 850th anniversary of Notre Dame Cathedral. My lucky children not only had the Easter Bunny deliver their chocolate eggs, but also the French chocolate bells, signifying the bells ringing from the Vatican. Somehow, I just couldn’t explain to them how the bells managed to leave the chocolate for them. Bad Bunny-mummy person.
Meanwhile, the chocolate an pastry walk continues with Context Travel. Next time you’re in Paris, come and join in the fun. For Easter, enjoy these chocolate bonus recipes below:
Chocolate Mendiant Easter Bonnets for Chocolate Macarons
Chocolate Pots de Crème (guest from That Skinny Chick Can Bake – appropriate, no?)
Passion Fruit and Milk Chocolate Crème Brûlée
Chocolate Crunchy Trifle (Katerina, guest from Diethood)
Chocolate Chip, Banana & Almond Cakes
Don’t be caught out on 1st April: Poisson d’avril!
Just one question: when do you have your Easter hunt? If it’s on Monday 1st April, be warned. The Easter Bunny may play a few tricks…
Jill Colonna
Paris and chocolate, and if I can walk with you, it’s a perfect walk, Jill! 🙂 I had so much fun looking at all kinds of chocolates. I’ll make sure to have enough suitcase to fit all the chocolate treats when I go there.
Aw two of my most favorite things in this world, chocolate and Paris.:) Hehe, love the fish!
Hehe. Chocolate and Paris together? I could say in French that ‘ça donne la peche’ (gives you energy, lol)
Hope you had a wonderful Easter. Thanks for the tour. Is that huge Easter egg with the macarons edible?
It certainly is, Ivy, although I’m not sure how the macarons would fare after being in the window for a couple of weeks. Best to just admire, perhaps!
I love the Easter displays in the chocolateries! Well, I didn’t love making them when I was working in one, but I still enjoy looking. And eating. 😉
Camille, didn’t love making them? Glad you have got over it and back to eating them! Cheers.
choc tours of Paris during Easter period, nothing can beat that 🙂
Indeed, Tony. Fun to watch, fun to eat and all with some history and facts thrown in!
Thank you for the wonderful Easter tour around Paris. Makes you forget about the cold weather gazing at these displays. I especially love the macaron egg. We are looking forward to our egg hunt on Monday, bunny masks and baskets at the ready. Being the 1st of April dare I say the bunnies forgot?
Bunny masks, too. Sounds like you were fabulously organised, Thomasina. Our bunnies didn’t ‘forget’ since we had our hunt on Sunday. We wanted them as much as the kids!
Ahhh, I almost forgot about Poisson d’Avril! I miss French Easter candy desperately, especially the oeufs pralinés from La Mère de la Famille. Eat one for me, d’accord?
Thanks, Ann – ate so much for you that I’ve broken out in praline spots! Hope you had fun with Poisson d’Avril yesterday.
How nice of you to take us on this marvelous sweet Easter tour through Paris. I have a feeling your girls will have something very special in their Easter baskets! I wonder what family member will get a fish on his or her back on Monday? It may have to be the dog…she seems to enjoy my sense of humor best of all 🙂 Hope you have a lovely holiday with your family!!! xo
PS…thanks for the mention!
Your dog is such a great sport, Liz. Hope he wasn’t too confused with fish taped to his fur – ouch!
Love your Context reportI got to go on Friday and it was divine
Ate myself silly with chockies provided
Miam miam
Glad you managed to get on another Context walk and sorry I missed you. This isn’t a Context report – just some pics… 😉
How wonderful. Thank you for this amazing tour. The macaron egg is 2die4.
Love that mac-egg, too, Lora.
Easter is a true chocolate wonderland in Paris, I’d be lying if said I wasn’t a bit jealous, everything looks wonderful. Happy Easter to you and your family 🙂
Have a wonderful Easter, Gourmantine. Jealous? You travel so much, dahlink. Just as well I didn’t make the post longer, then? 😉
With your photos I’m missing Paris so thank you for the walk, Jill. Next time I come, a chocolate walk sounds the perfect afternoon.
Enjoy your Easter weekend, J-Pierre. Yes, the chocolate walks are fun – sure you would enjoy it!
Your photos are wonderful – thank you! Makes us feel very excited that it is nearly Easter! Not off on Good Friday in Scotland, but we will think of you all there! Best wishes from Glasgow.
Thanks, Liz. Same here, no holiday tomorrow on Good Friday – we just get Monday holiday then back to the grindstone. All the more reason to stock up on good chocolate and go bananas!
Oooooh how I want! I guess I’ll have to settled with going around and checking out the chocolate shops in Nantes! You’ve inspired me to go and take photos! Now, the question is, how much did you buy – and eat?
I want to see your Nantes photos, Jamie! Ok, truth be told, I bought a ridiculous amount of fritures and of course some rather special eggs. I’ve finished the small fry already. This chilly weather is making me crave sunshine through chocolate! Never eaten so much in my life. BUT Lucie is now saying she prefers the dark stuff – forget the supermarket or Cadburys. She’s got expensive taste, God help us!