Choco Story: Le Musée Gourmand du Chocolat
28 blvd Bonne Nouvel, 10th
Open daily 10am-6pm.
I love chocolate! This is the typical delicious “gourmandise” (greedy delight) that children and adults prefer, by far, to many other candies! Adults know its aphrodisiac qualities and how it makes us happy (because it releases endorphins).Every year French people consume several kilos of chocolate per person! So now to the new chocolate museum in Paris.
First of all there was Choco Story in Belgium, which is normal because many consider Belgian chocolate the best on earth. Then the French asked for their own museum and Choco Story agreed to open another museum in Paris at metro Bonne Nouvelle. This is really a wonderful Museum! From the outside you might think it’s not so big, but when you get inside you’ll change our mind. A really nice guy welcomes you at the door, and after you’ve bought your ticket he explains how to visit the museum.
The museum is well-organized in three parts. Firstly, there is the history since the discovery of chocolate, and its exploitation by the populations from Latin America. There is a whole culture around chocolate in the countries where chocolate comes from, and it is fantastic to explore it. You also learn where the word “Chocolate” comes from. Secondly you can admire, upstairs, the history of chocolate since Europeans discovered it during the Renaissance period, and the actual steps in making chocolate. There you learn how Europeans integrated it to their culture and transformed this delicious spicy drink into something sweet, and then into a solid thing you can also eat or cook. The specially-designed china and crockery adapted for drinking and cooking chocolate are also on display.
The last step of the visit in the lower level is the most exciting part — for the tasting!! Here you’ll find beautiful chocolate sculptures, fun games, and the last Belgium producer of chocolate. Then you will be welcomed in the tasting room where you will learn how to make chocolate candies with pralines. Just before leaving, take the time to see the film in the projection room near the tasting one and learn how chocolate arrived in your home!!
You can bring your children to the museum, there are a lot of fun things for them and great explanations. For adults it’s just a cool place to learn everything about your favorite treat. By joining the first floor you will find a shop place where you can buy souvenirs and everything in chocolate or accessories for making it. If you paid for the tasting option you will also have the right to taste a wonderful cup of Belgium hot chocolate! The nice guy at the entry let me taste a chocolate wine! A quite surprising but delicious thing that reminded me of a Porto flavor, and after you drink it, it leaves a taste of chocolate on your tongue: just extraordinary!
So all I have to say is: a wonderful experience!! To visit the museum you will need around two hours, the full rate is €9 (reduced rate for students €8, kids 6-12 years €6). I recommend taking the line 9 station Bonne Nouvelle It’s just in front of the entry of the museum. Enjoy!
