It’s hot in Paris, and when you’re in a city that eschews air conditioning, it’s important to find other ways to cool down. Luckily, Paris is also home to more than a handful of great glaciers or ice cream shops.
But before we delve into our faves, here are some important words to know when you place your order:
Une glace – an ice cream
Un sorbet – a sorbet
Une boule – one scoop
Deux boules – two scoops
Trois boules – three scoops
Un cornet – a cone
Une coupe – a cup
Merci ! – Thank you!
Now, on to more important things!
1. The Oldest: Berthillon
It’s hard to talk ice cream in Paris without mentioning Berthillon, the French glacier that has been churning out luxury ice creams on the Ile Saint-Louis since the 50s. While you’ll find several shops selling the famous ice cream, there’s only one original shop, on the rue Saint-Louis-en-Ile. Here, you can sample all sorts of flavors, from classic vanilla or dark chocolate to more innovative whiskey-coffee, lavender, or lemon and cilantro praline. (Sample it with us on our tour of Paris’ islands and Notre Dame.)
Berthillon – 29-31 rue Saint-Louis en l’île, 75004 Paris
2. The Most Ubiquitous: Amorino
Nearly everywhere you go in Paris, you’ll find an outpost of this gelateria, an Italian-style gelato shop that is famous for scooping its ice cream into beautiful flowers. While it might not offer the artisanal charm of some other shops on this list, Amorino’s gelato is delicious (and is available in flavors like dulce de leche, blueberry cheesecake, or cream.
Amorino (find all addresses in Paris here)
3. The Most Creative: Une Glace à Paris
The co-owner of Une Glace à Paris, Emmanuel Ryon, received a Meilleur Ouvrier de France recognition for his work in ice cream and pastry, and it’s not hard to see why: these homemade ice creams are made with some of the best ingredients and boast flavors like beech-smoked vanilla or buckwheat nougat. (Test some more MOF-made creations on our Best Bites of Paris tour!)
Une Glace à Paris – 5 rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004 OR 44 rue des Abbesses, 75018
4. The Most Exotic: Bachir
Bachir brings cool, creamy flavors from Lebanon to Paris. Made entirely with organic ingredients, these ice creams feature flavors like rose, lemon, or pistachio that can be mixed and matched to suit your tastes. The Achta ice cream is one of the stars of the menu – a combination of cream ice cream and pistachio that has stolen the heart of many a Parisian.
Bachir – 58 Rue Rambuteau, 75004
5. The Chicest: La Glacerie
Paris is one of the world capitals of fashion, so it’s perhaps no surprise that this chic vibe has even made it to the city’s ice cream. At La Glacerie, ice creams are sold, not in a cone, but in a tube, like a lipstick! With a huge variety of flavors made from only the best ingredients, ice cream never looked so cool.
La Glacerie – 13 rue du Temple, 75004