Rendez-vous à Paris

French chocolate is the best in the world. French chocolatiers use the best cocoa beans unearthed in the depths of the planet:  dark, milk, ganache or praline. The best way to enjoy them is to enjoy.

Christian Constant adds a touch of essential flower oil and spice to enhance the taste. I loved the cinnamon and jasmine green tea chocolate, and the Yemen flavor. If you dare, try vetiver, neroli, frangipani, ylang-ylang or lemongrass.

Creative and classic at the same time, Jean-Paul Hevin emphasizes pleasure and perfection. If you try the Roquefort chocolates, you’ll devour it in the brown foam, or try the caramelized toasted almonds.

Patrice Chapon puts candied fruit, such as pineapple or clementine, in chocolate. You’ll find ganache perfumed with basil or exotic fruit nestled amongst others filled with Sherry or Sauternes (to taste fresh). For something different try the marzipan cactus, lychee caramel and purple and my personal favorite: praline salt smoked in a shell with nougat. Yummy!

Arnaud Larher, confectioner divine, creates macaroons with violet or poppy. Think, analyze, draw these chocolates before offering them to your taste buds: yummy Praline Truffles with Cointreau called Muscadine, Truffle Gianduja with hidden roasted hazelnut rolled in cocoa. Beware!

But my favorite is Patrick Roger, whose wish is to recall a flavor in every chocolate, such as the ganache with lime. Diabolically sharp! And he is an artist, just look at his windows. There are always amazing chocolate sculptures.

Also try Le Valentin for her jams, chocolate orange, chocolate raspberry or chocolate-chocolate.

You will find a goutue mint ganache,  and tastes of the past like licorice ganache, bergamot, nougat …at La Mère de Famille.

Servant Chocolatier makes traditional sweets from different areas of France. The ganache is top and you will find a lot of other sweets, calissons (a traditional French candy), and jams.

To taste the delicious chocolates of Fabrice Gillotte, award 2009 at the Salon du Chocolat, run to “Goût, Thé and Chocolat”  at 13 rue d’Aligre 12e 01 43 40 34 45

And there is, of course,  Pierre Hermé, Debauve & Gallais, La Maison du Chocolat, Michel Cluizel.

Christian Constant 37 rue d’Assas Paris 6e 01 53 63 15 15 www.christianconstant.fr

Jean-Paul Hevin 231 rue Saint Honoré Paris 1, 3 rue Vavin 6e 23 bis Avenue de la Motte Piquet 7th www.jphevin.com

Patrice Chapon 69 rue du Bac 6e 01 42 22 95 98 52 Avenue Mozart 16th www.chocolat-chapon.com

Patrick Roger 108 boulevard Saint Germain, Paris 6e 01 43 29 38 42 www.patrickroger.com

Petite Fabrique 12 rue Saint Sabin Paris 11e 01 43 14 08 82

The Valentin 30 passage Jouffroy 75009 Paris 01 47 70 88 50

A la Mère de Famille 35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre Paris 9e 01 47 70 83 69 www.lameredefamille.com

Servant, 30 rue d’Auteuil 16e, 01 4288,49,82,  5 rue de Sèvres, 6e, 01 45 48 83 60 www.chocolaterie-servant.com