26.3.10

Shopping

In a very limited area, close to Montmartre, there are some rather surprising shops to be found.

One of them was a surprise to me and I discovered it thanks to Carol Gillott, ParisBreakfasts, with whom I after a nice lunch made a little walk. It’s an amazing shop, “A l’Etoile d’Or”, run since some three decades by a surprising and charming lady, Denise Acabo. This candy shop is by many considered as the best in Paris.
Denise, with her pig-tails, always dressed like a school-girl, with necktie and a kilt-like skirt, is one of the sweetest and most charming shop owners I have met. She will immediately use the “tu” instead of the formal “vous”. You feel welcome, she doesn’t force you to buying (but you just can’t resist)!
Denise offers no own production, but sells only the very best of what you can find on the market. This includes the Lyon-based chocolate maker Bernachon, the Brittany-based Henri Le Roux caramel-maker..., both considered as world-leading. Here you can see what was left a few hours after I got home.








Another shop was known by me, as it’s a place where you can buy Swedish food (which I do very occasionally). It’s called “Affären”, which simply means “The Shop”. It has been here for some five years. I was told by Agneta (to the left on the picture) that it will fairly soon move to another address with some more space. I appreciate that more room is needed, considering the large choice available, some 400 articles including of course different kinds of herring, salmon, meatballs....

The last shop here was a discovery for both of us. It’s a “boot maker”, “Clairvoy”, selling own home made production of very exclusive shoes since 65 years. Among their customers you will find some of our local and some international stars, theatres, the Paris Opera, Moulin Rouge (the cancan dancers), Lido, Crazy Horse...
The map below should help you to find the way.

38 comments:

James said...

I've been thinking about Paris all day so it's nice to see your post. They all look like very nice shops with wonderful selections.

Counting the days. :)

Jennifer K said...

I live in Paris too and have heard many things about A l'Etoile d'Or, mostly from David Lebovitz's blog. Denise sounds charming and I really want to go, but I'm now trying to cut down on sugar! Guess I'll have to wait. Thanks for all the photos and information.

joanna said...

Peter:
Sweet Dance...
beau propriétaire du magasin de chocolat - est-elle quelque chose comme le chocolat de film avec Juliette Binoche ? distribuant le chocolat qui alimente votre âme?

I love the shoes -- been looking for a beautiful pair of Tango shoes here in the States and I may have to look at this shop -- just think I can eat sweets then Tango with out guilt ..
Joanny

Simony said...

What a delicious shop to visit! The place must smell like chocolate, no?
No wonder why the lady is sooooo sweet! ha ha ha...
Imagine how uplifting it is to be surrounded by chocolate all day!
PS:I saw you on Carol's blog, well, only your back!
The Swedish store is full of a lot of things that I don't know.Tell us more!

Corine (See You Soon Paris) said...

It's dangerous hanging out with you and Carol....I would be both fat and broke....but looking good in those feathery heels...lol! You and her are making me drool today over sweets.....
Denise looks like a cutie pie...I want to wear pigtails like that!

Louis la Vache said...

«Louis» would like to see all of these, but being a chocoholic, he's particularly interested in L'etoile d'Or.

Owen said...

You don't have a little bit of a sweet tooth by any chance do you ???
:-)

hpy said...

Le caramel breton au beurre salé! Miam!!!!!!!!

SusuPetal said...

Oh, that candy shop...I want to step right in!

claude said...

Les deux premières boutiques sont très allèchantes. Cela me rappelle mon pépé qui nous achetait du sucre Candy dans une belle boutique aussi, mais je ne me rappelle plus laquelle.
Il nous achetait des caramels aussi, des berlingots et des bonbons au coquelicot. Yum !!!!

Adam said...

You can combine the two further down in Rue des Martyrs - a Swedish sweetshop! They sell nice things, a bit less 'sugary' than French or English confectionary.

That lady is surely very nice, but she does look rather...shall we say eccentric!

Bagman and Butler said...

Happy I met you too...but after this blog, I want to go shopping!

Nathalie H.D. said...

Denise seeems to be one of a kind: someone who says "tu" to you only a few minutes into the conversation, that's soooo un-Parisian! Good for her ! If she can get away with it, her candy must indeed be the best in Paris because few Parisians would appreciate such familiariar ways...

A wonderful post Peter.
I just took a pound just reading it and looking at the pictures!

Parisbreakfasts said...

Ah ha!
Brilliant to group these 3 specialty shops together Peter!!!
BRAVO

alice said...

Ces boutiques ont un air de caverne d'Ali Baba pour une gourmande telle que moi!
Ca me fait penser à un truc que j'ai lu je ne sais plus où au sujet de "bonbons" suédois salés qui m'avaient paru très bizarres, ça te dit quelque chose? Tu en mangeais quand tu étais petit?

Starman said...

I've seen A l’Etoile d’Or but never went inside.

Carole said...

Bonsoir Peter
Ah ça c'est vraiment du lèche-vitrine ! tu me donnes envie avec tes chocolats ! bonne soirée !

Kate said...

All three shops would be very hard to resist. I cannot pick a favorite, but would visit all of them, if I had the chance!

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Thats a lot of very interesting things to shop!

Have a good weekend!

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Wow three more places for my friends and I too seek out :-) next time I am over !! Thanks Peter.

Wania said...

Dear Peter

This is wonderful!!!! I love shopping...

Easter is coming ... but I'm so far from Paris, maybe not so far...
I hope to have a good news soon.

Thanks for the suggestions.
Kisses

PattiKen said...

Oh, heavens, I think I gained 10 pounds just looking at those chocolates!

Vagabonde said...

I read all the posts I missed. I had gone south, but not to Menton, just to Texas and came back last night. It was warm there, 82 degrees (28C) and trees had many leaves already. I enjoyed your tour of Notre Dame. I am not a religious person but always enjoy looking at the stained glass windows or go to listen at some organ music. Don’t you think that St Eustache, near les Halles, has better organ music than Notre Dame? I saw where I grew up on the map you published, near the Sacré Coeur. I have a picture of the apartment where I lived in my current post, which is my blog first anniversary – 63 posts only compared to your 600! You are very prolific and your posts are so entertaining.

BLOGitse said...

herring! oh yes!
I miss good herring...
Great pics and information again, thanks!

I came also to say bye, bye for a while - I'm busy packing and then going to have relocation break!
See you again in April!
Take care!

BLOGitse

Ruth said...

That's one loooong Oxford shoe.

That first shop sounds great, and with such a warm, open shopkeeper, I'd stay a while.

Alain said...

Les chaussures à plumes, elle sont top ! Le magasin Suédois, cela t'évite d'aller jusqu'à Ikéa, c'est déjà cà.

Maya said...

That last shop has some great shoes for dancing! I may have to visit next time I come to Paris!

PeterParis said...

James:
I will look for some other interesting shops! :-)

Jennifer K:
You can go there just for the pleasure of the eyes! :-)

Joanny:
Youshould try the tango dancing on the Seine banks! (I made a post a bout it.) :-)

PeterParis said...

Simony Silva:
I went to get my hair cut when I saw the photo! :-)

Corine:
You may be even more broke if you bought these shoes! :-)

Louis la Vache:
Why then hesitate? :-)

PeterParis said...

Owen:
Maybe! :-)

hpy:
Oui!!! :-)

SusuPetal:
You have the address... and if you need a guide...! :-)

PeterParis said...

Claude:
Il était gentil ton pépé! :-)

Adam:
Thanks for the tip! I missed that shop! :-)

Bagman and Butler:
Don't forget that you also must work! :-)

PeterParis said...

Nathalie:
Her "tu" is not at all agressive! No problem! :-)

ParisBreakfasts:
Thanks Carol for guiding me! :-)

Alice:
Non, ce ne me dit rien, mais en Finlande en trouve des chose bizarres! :-)

PeterParis said...

Starman:
... and now you regret it! Next time! :-)

Carole:
Des fois il faut se laisser faire! :-)

Kate:
I hope you will get the chance! :-)

PeterParis said...

V Rakesh:
Thanks! :-)

Anne:
Next time!! :-)

Wania:
May I understand that there is a chance to see you in Paris fairly soon? Kisses! :-)

PeterParis said...

PattiKen:
No, no... You can of course look as much as you want! :-)

Vagabonde:
The St Eustache organ is highly rated, that's what I also understand! :-)

BLOGitse:
Looking forward to find you again in April, at a new location! :-)

PeterParis said...

Ruth:
I'm sure there will not be any problem with the conversation! :-)

Alain:
Elles te plaisent ces chaussures! Maintenant tu connais l'adresse! :-)

Maya:
It's when, your next visit? :-)

Trotter said...

Hope you left your credit card at home!!!

PeterParis said...

Trotter:
I'm afraid I brought it! :-)