Best Places to Have Tea in Paris
I come from a nation of tea drinkers. Common wisdom has it that everything will look better after a cup of Lipton's, and friends will often greet each other with a cheeky "Cuppa tea then, luv?"
But I've always been a coffee drinker. Oh, the odd herbal brew has passed my lips, but none of that weak milky stuff, thank you very much! It wasn't until I first came to Paris in the summer of 2000 that I started to appreciate the humble tea. Well, not-so-humble, and definitely not weak or milky, as it turns out. Delicious, but what I love most, perhaps, is the ceremony involved. It’s brought out my inner Eloise who, it appears, just loves to play dress-up. Happily, she's not on her own.
My first salon de thé experience was at Mariage Frères in the Marais, where Tea Is King. Stepping into the fragrant, dark shop is like stepping back to 1854 when the Mariage brothers first opened their teashop. (The family had been in the tea trading business since the 17th century.) Canisters line the walls from floor to ceiling, and the teller sits in a little wooden booth—you have to pay her first before you can collect your goods. But just past this is a lovely tearoom, perpetually bright thanks to the skylit atrium and warm yellow walls. With the salon’s colonial décor and male waiters in cream suits (I've only seen women working the register) you know you’re in for a treat—especially when you wander by the pâtisserie cart.
Try not to be overwhelmed when they hand you the tea menu. With almost 500 blends to choose from (yes, you read that correctly—500), it's going to take you some time to decide. But that's exactly why I love Mariage Frères: no one's going to rush you. They'll happily help you select the perfect brew, and then they'll leave you on your own to enjoy it. And enjoy it you will. The teas are sourced from around the world, and flavors run the gamut from sublime green teas all the way to ain't-nothing-subtle-about-it violette. You'll find black teas, fruit teas, 'perfumed' teas and more. The best part is, although a pot costs 7 euros, it's good for at least 3 cups (you can always share) and comes with its own Art Deco-style warmer, so it's not going to go cold while you take in the ambience.
May your ambience be as interesting as mine on my last visit: a guy of maybe 30, dressed like an F. Scott Fitzgerald character on his way to play tennis, reading Jane Austen and cooling himself with an Oriental fan as glass-bead bracelets jangled along his forearms. I'm positive he's the same guy I saw three years earlier, although on that occasion he wore a frilled shirt and gold brocade vest, and wrote in a large leather-bound book with a voluptuous quill.
Mariage Frères serves light meals. 25 euros will get you their delicious brunch, which consists of brioche with tea-flavored jams, orange juice, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and prawns, a pot of tea and a selection from the pâtisserie tray. I chose a meringue tart flavored with Marco Polo tea, but the red fruits tart is also a winner. Don't forget to stop by the store on your way out to buy tea (average 5 euros for 100 grams), teapots and accessories, and even tea-scented candles. There's another store directly across the street if that one is busy; you can also shop at their counters at the grand department stores (Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, Samaritaine, and Bon Marché) or visit their other tearooms (details below). Another reason I love them is you can shop online; they'll ship to anywhere except Japan. (In Australia, you'll find a select range of Mariage Frères teas at Simon Johnson.) My favorites are Marco Polo, Eros, Violette, Sur Le Nil, Pleine Lune, Noël and Sakura 2000, but check back with me in a few months—I’m sure the list will have grown.
Next is Ladurée. They've recently opened lovely, airy premises on the corner of Rue Bonaparte and Rue Jacob in Saint-Germain-des-Prés and have another luxurious outlet on the Champs-Elysées. But I prefer the original 1862 store on Rue Royale--especially in winter, when the smoky windows, cherub-painted ceiling, and ladies in stiff black aprons combine to give it a Belle Epoque feel. I love how the tiny tables get crowded with all the accoutrements (in this case, solid silver) that come with tea. And because the tables are packed close together, you never know what conversation you'll overhear or what type of dog will nudge your ankle in search of treats. (At which, of course, I discreetly drop some; Eloise would expect no less from me.) You can always head upstairs if the main room is too crowded for you, though.
While Ladurée has nowhere near the range of teas as Mariage Frères, their house blend, a delicious melange of fruits and spices, makes a great gift in its celadon green packaging for 8 euros. Their meals are delicious, too, but if you only have room for one little thing, make it a macaroon. For Ladurée is where the macaroon was invented at the turn of the twentieth century by Pierre Desfontaine, grandson of the founder, Louis Ernest Ladurée. Apparently there are a few other places in town that make a mean macaron, but I wouldn't really know—I keep coming back here to get my fill. Don't miss the rose, violet, cherry, or the lime and basil. Take out is most definitely available. I dare you to decide on only one delicacy. Ladurée is famous for its creations, and I've seen special marquis set up outside to cater for the crowds who gather at Christmas to collect the traditional Büche de Noël. You can't go wrong here. You can check out their various menus and specialties at their website.
Paris's elegant covered galleries were built in the nineteenth century so the ladies could promenade even in the foulest of weather. The most famous of these lovely arcades is the glass-roofed, mosaic-floored galerie Vivienne. Here, away from the traffic, (and sometimes amidst the stars—actress Mathilde Seigner and designer Jean Paul Gaultier sometimes drop by) you'll find A Priori Thé, a fresh, intimate teahouse set amidst antique bookstores, one of Paris's finest wineshop/epiceries (Lucien Legrand Filles et Fils) and stylish homeware stores. Wicker chairs inside invite you to snuggle in, while outside the traditional wire-framed chair is a good place from which to watch the passing traffic, where ladies still promenade in their finest.
If you're in the mood for a terrace—and who isn't when the weather warms up?—head for L'Heure Gourmande. Situated in a tiny pedestrian passage between rue Dauphine and rue Mazarine, this is the perfect spot for a lover's rendezvous, your only company being locals taking a shortcut, or students from the nearby language school. Discreet and charming, with seating on the cobblestoned terrace outside or in a cozy area inside, L'Heure Gourmande serves deliciously fresh meals (salads, omelettes) for between 8 and 12 euros—I had a chicken and citrus salad for 10 euros. Brunch is 23 euros. Don't miss their Thé des Sages (4.5 euros). Their hot chocolate also draws rave reviews.
Another lovely terrace is that of Carette Pâtisserie and Salon de Thé, where you can watch the world go by from beneath the shelter of plane and chestnut trees.* Carette is the perfect summer retreat, situated on the Place du Trocadero in the 16th arrondissement. My neighbors on the terrace have occasionally been Chanel-suited elderly ladies who take off their gloves to prepare their tea just how they like it in the delicate china and silver service—cubed sugar, of course, never granulated (5.5 euros). I have it on good authority that the giant pistachio macarons (3 euros) here are wonderful, but I wouldn’t really know, being faithful to Laduree and all that. While you’re at it, try the pain poulet—fresh, fresh chicken and salad baguette, dribbled with tasty mayonnaise (8 euros). I love the waitresses here; they can be a little quirky and have always looked after me well. When it's cold, snuggle up in the original dining room around a small marble-topped table and warm yourself with their wonderful hot chocolate. Try not to drool too much over the amazing array of viennoiseries.
*The last time I was there, I watched the police randomly stop drivers and check their papers. They were met with mixed results: resignation from the African and Arabic drivers, indignation from an exquisitely tailored man and his entourage in a dark Mercedes. Far more interesting was the guy who chatted amicably with a police officer until a plain-clothes officer came to vouch for him. What that was about will keep me playing "what if?" for ages.
There are many, many other salons that I have on my must-try list: L’Appart’thé, Le Loir Dans La Théière, the café at the Mosque of Paris, Angelina's, Loradisa, and, if I’m feeling grown-up enough, high tea at the Meurice or the Bristol. I'll visit them on my next trip—if I can tear myself away from the list below!
Mariage Frères
30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, 4eme
tel. : +33(0)1.42.72.28.11
Mº: Hôtel de Ville
30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, 4eme
tel. : +33(0)1.42.72.28.11
Mº: Hôtel de Ville
13 rue des Grands-Augustins, 6eme
tel. : +33(0)1.40.51.82.50
Mº: St. Michel
tel. : +33(0)1.40.51.82.50
Mº: St. Michel
260 Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 8eme
tel. : +33(0)1.46.22.18.54
Mº: Ternes
tel. : +33(0)1.46.22.18.54
Mº: Ternes
Open every day, restaurant noon to 3 p.m.; salon de thé 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Store hours from 10:30a.m. to 7:30 p.m..
Ladurée
16, rue Royale, 8eme
tel: +33(0)1.42.60.21.79
Open every day from 8:30a.m. to 7p.m.
Each Sunday from 10 a.m. til 7pm
16, rue Royale, 8eme
tel: +33(0)1.42.60.21.79
Open every day from 8:30a.m. to 7p.m.
Each Sunday from 10 a.m. til 7pm
75, avenue des Champs-Elysées, 8eme
tel: +33(0)1.40.75.08.75
Open every day from 7:30a.m. to 00:30p.m.
21 rue Bonaparte, 6eme
tel : +33(0)1.44.07.64.87
Open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
(though they were closed this past August)
tel: +33(0)1.40.75.08.75
Open every day from 7:30a.m. to 00:30p.m.
21 rue Bonaparte, 6eme
tel : +33(0)1.44.07.64.87
Open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
(though they were closed this past August)
A Priori Thé
35-37, Galerie Vivienne, 2eme
tel: +33(0)1.42.97.48.75
Mº Bourse
Open every day 9a.m. to 6p.m.
35-37, Galerie Vivienne, 2eme
tel: +33(0)1.42.97.48.75
Mº Bourse
Open every day 9a.m. to 6p.m.
L’Heure Gourmande
Passage Dauphine, 6eme (enter from 22 rue Dauphine or 27 rue Mazarine)
Tel: +33(0)1.46.34.00.40
Open Mon-Sat from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sun from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
(later in summer, although closed in August)
Passage Dauphine, 6eme (enter from 22 rue Dauphine or 27 rue Mazarine)
Tel: +33(0)1.46.34.00.40
Open Mon-Sat from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sun from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
(later in summer, although closed in August)
Carette
4 Place du Trocadéro, 7eme
tel: +33(0)1.47.27.88.56
Mº Trocadero
Open daily
4 Place du Trocadéro, 7eme
tel: +33(0)1.47.27.88.56
Mº Trocadero
Open daily
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