The Best Tearooms in Paris
Posted by Rino Jasper on June 25, 2009 in Where Have You Traveled with your Beauty-id On-the-Go Pack?
The best of both worlds: sure Beauty-id business is brisk, but we always make time to take in the sights and sounds of Paris.
My Beauty-id On-the-Go Pack and I fly to Paris for business (and pleasure!) several times a year, and clients often ask me where to go in the city of light to get the best food, drinks, shopping, or just to plain people-watch and relax.
Although Beauty-id takes up the better part of my waking hours, I always find time to linger in my favorite Parisian tearooms. After all, what better way to take a break from the bustle of the city, if not over a cup of tea and a patisserie?
I love Angelina's cozy vibe for conducting Beauty-id business on cold winter days
The best of both worlds: sure Beauty-id business is brisk, but we always make time to take in the sights and sounds of Paris.
Mariages Freres has the largest choice of teas in Paris, it's Beauty-id's favorite
My Beauty-id On To Go Pack is never far away, even during teatime at Mariage Freres!
A favorite on blustery winter days is Angelina on the rue de Rivoli, a stone’s throw from the stately Tuileries gardens and just across from the Louvre. I tuck into an éclair au café along with a cup of Darjeeling while my husband swears by the deliciously rich homemade hot cocoa and a Mont Blanc (a stunning tower of chestnut purée and whipped cream).
In the summertime we like to stop by La Carette on the Place du Trocadéro—a hip place to be seen and ideal for people-watching with its roomy terrace.
Another great terrace, and a little more central, is the famed Café des Deux Magots on the Boulevard Saint Germain, right across from L’Eglise Saint Germain des Près, one of Paris’ oldest churches.
When Beauty-id business has me up bright and early, I like to schedule breakfast meetings at the legendary La Durée. With their generous choice of pastries (you’ve surely heard of their renowned macaroons), and the quintessentially Parisian décor gracing the second floor of their Champs Elysées location, La Durée is worth the detour! Note: Be sure you queue up in the right place—the line on the left is to buy pastries, and the one on the right is to get a table in the tearoom. Don’t forget to request seating upstairs.
My favorite tearoom of all is Mariage Frères (also a great venue for business meetings), not only for their impressive assortment of cakes, but also because they offer the best tea selection in Paris, not to mention that their Earl Grey Imperial and Bergamot -flavored Darjeeling is to die for.
Mariage Frères is where I stock up on tea to bring back to the US; each bag is made of traditional French cotton muslin.
Here are some of my all-time favorite teas from Mariage:
- Vert Provence Green Tea: mellow, fruity and floral
- French Breakfast Tea: a rich, elegant and refined flavor
- Earl Grey French Blue (my favorite for breakfast) – velvety bergamot and royal blue flowers.
- Marco Polo (their bestseller) – a fruity afternoon blend.
What about your favorite Paris spots? We’d love to hear about them! And if you’d like to read more about life in Paris, Beauty-id has a lot to share… tell us what tickles your fancy.
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