My brother’s got me on a vintage television commercial kick lately…
The other day, I decided to seize upon his top recommendation for getting peanut-infused chocolates right here in Paris- something that every card-carrying American is bound to love. Located just across that little winding river, Michel Chaudun‘s shop is a place that made for an excellent afternoon deviation from schoolwork.
Love padlocks cover both sides of this bridge. Each one seems to bear the names of a couple, and an anniversary of some sort. Apparently these started popping up on bridges in Europe in the 1990s.
I think that they look kinda cool- a creative act of spontaneous art that gives this bridge a distinctly Euro character. Besides, I’m not one to crack on these testaments to everlasting love.
Musée d’Orsay just in the background, a bateau-mouche drifting by….ah, la vie en rose.
Finally over the bridge, and you’ve got our man Thomas Jefferson standing watch. The word is that he always dreamed of coming to Europe, but didn’t get here until a diplomatic appointment in 1784 (at the age of 41). He spent five years in Paris that were arguably some of the most memorable of his life. Shocking
“Behold me at length on the vaunted scene of Europe!…You are perhaps, curious to know how this new scene has struck a savage of the mountains of America…Were I to proceed to tell you how much I enjoy their architecture, sculpture, painting, music, I should want words. It is in these arts they shine.”
-September 1785 (not much has changed)
You know what caught my eye in this window? That’s an easy answer, if you are a Hallinan- it’s the Dremel. All of this stuff, by the way, is made of chocolate, and I kind of feel like Charlie gazing in awe over the loads of amazing creations on display at the start of the movie.
You’d hardly believe that this place is real! Michel Chaudun cut his teeth at La Maison du Chocolat before starting his own business, and with credentials like that, you can bet that this is going to be good. What I didn’t account for in visiting his store was his talent to fuse amazing food with amazing art.
I love how this place could almost be mistaken for a tchotchkes shop filled with dusty and unwanted knick-knacks. The glorious reality is that everything in here instead reflects a labor of love and passion that assure you that M. Chaudun is in the right line of business.
Another Dremel, a pair of sunglasses, a Coke bottle….Willy Wonka, eat your heart out!
Here’s what I brought home from my day. One had the French version of peanut butter inside (it was very refined!) the other ones had a noisette praline inside….or something like that.