Jean-Paul Hévin

Métro: Notre-Dame des Champs (line 12) or Vavin (line 4)
Address: 3 rue Vavin, 75006 Paris
Other locations HERE
Hours:Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm
Cost: 7.90 euros for 5 macarons
Website: http://www.jeanpaulhevin.com/fr/

I think I have mentioned before that I work right by the Garden of Luxembourg. In a little street next to it, you will find a Master Chocolatier: Jean-Paul Hévin. I have heard his name many times here in France for he is truly considered one of the best. His shop looked very fancy and is all dark chocolate brown so you feel like you are inside a piece. Isn't it everybody's dream: swimming in chocolate?

 

Of course, you noticed that it is not chocolate pieces on the pictures. Well, like any French artisan masters, it costs an arm to buy their products. And I am on the budget! Yep, if you want chocolate, get the big bills out (about 25 euros for 16 small pieces). If you really want your chocolate fix, get a chocolate lollipop for 4.50 euros. But I opted for some macarons (8 euros for 5), let's be honest here: it's still expensive but I'd rather spend 8 euros to get fat---ter than 25. Most macarons' flavor are a variation of chocolate (duh!). So I chose a few and off I went to pay with my lovely little blue card (no it's not gold, not even close). Cashier looked at me horrified and say: "We only take the card for purchases over 20 euros" WHAT?!? So beware my friends, come with your change.

I purchased a couple pastries to make it 20-ish. I did not like the pastries at all: way too rich with loads of cream, butter and all that jazz. But the macarons... yummy! Ah, I could eat loads of them. My favorite of all time is the Normandy (pictured above). Huge kuddos for the unbelievable texture and the burst of flavors especially the salted caramel. I could spend 8 bucks every week of those (that is if I had them).