Chocolate
The magical world of chocolate in Paris with the Salon du Chocolat
Who does not love chocolate?
No-one will argue that once you have eaten a piece of chocolate, you will come back for more. According to a study 42% of French people eat it to help against stress. The most popular are chocolate bars followed by chocolate bonbons like Rochers.
The French chocolate market represented 2,762 million euros in 2012! It is constantly growing. The main consumers in Europe are the Germans with 11.6 kg yearly.
Not only adults love it, but also children, who are known to eat more than 11g a day (2008).
DEFILE 2012 – KIMONO ZANSHIN – NATASHA SAINT PIER- Copyright Raffoux
For all chocolate lovers one event not to be missed is the Salon du Chocolat. The fair travels every year to many places across the globe. A few days after London and just before Lyon, it will be back in Paris next week for the 19th time.
It lasts five days and goes from Wednesday October 30th to Sunday November 3rd. Last year the Salon du Chocolat made a record with over 135,141 visitors!
This year the founders of the salon, Sylvie Douce and her husband François Jeantet are expanding and opening a new hall (Hall 5/1) just for confectionary and regional pastries. There the visitors can taste various bonbons like berlingots, caramels from Normandie and Calissons from Aix en Provence. There is also a pastry show case in the hall where adults and children can see how cupcakes, éclairs, St Honorés and many more delicious desserts are made.
Voland Chocolate
Over 250 exhibitors will be there in the 20,000 sqm space. It will be great fun for the entire family with so many things to do.
The theme of the fair is the magic of chocolate. You will learn about the history of chocolate, how beans are transformed to make chocolate bars, how to cook with chocolate, what wines go best with chocolate and why it is healthy for you.
Already the 18th century gastronome Brillat Savarin had proved the benefits of chocolate and for him being healthy meant eating chocolate.
Many top chefs, young talents, pastry makers, maîtres chocolatiers, artisans will be there, but also chocolate historians, nutritionists, professors and many celebrities.
Defile 2012 avec ensemble des personalites – copyright Raffoux
DEFILE Salon du chocolat 2012 – DELICIEUSE MAHARAJANE – ELE ASU – copyright Raffoux
The Salon du Chocolat will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Maison Hénin and the 100th of Leonidas. On Thursday October 31st the Choco Awards Ceremony will take place at 4 pm in the Cacoa show space.
The fair has so much to offer to the children with its workshops like Les Petits Choux or L’Atelier des Sens but also with the Ultimate Snack. Sign up early for the snack, which you can have in the confectionary Hall. It is also for adults. There is a free babysitting center from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Chocoland.
A treasure hunt organised by citycake.fr is planned. Check out the program.
At 5:00 p.m. daily there will be fashion shows. Personalities will wear the fancy chocolate dresses prepared by the stylists and maîtres chocolatiers. This is an absolute must and a beloved moment for the visitors to watch on the catwalk the beautiful models, all wearing the amazing high heels of Talons Aiguilles.
Here are some of the designers and maîtres chocolatiers who will be there this year:
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Arnaud Lahrer & Lauren Bitar, Emmanuel Ryon for Cacao Barry
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Christophe Guillarmé, Michel Panariello for La Chocolaterie de Puyricard
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Jean Doucet, Christelle Brua for Le Pré Catelan
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Sonia Philippot for JEÏTO, Bruno Rouly for Les Délices d’un Gourmand
DEFILE 2012 – CARMEN – ALEXANDRA ROSENFELD – Maitre Chocolatier Jean Paul Hevin – copyright Raffoux
DEFILE 2012 – YUUGOU YOROI KIMONO – YOAKE SAN – copyright Raffoux
If you care for chocolate demonstrations, tastings or would like to find out more about the world of chocolate, why not joining one of the choco demos or go to the chocosphere?
The workshops at the Chocosphere go on daily from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Last year 10,000 spectators came to watch the shows. Some of the themes for this year are:
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why is chocolate healthy for you
- the secrets of chocolate
- the history of chocolate
- how wines go well with chocolates like the Vins du Roussillon and Cognac
- the magic of Japanese chocolate
The Choco Demos are also opened from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Here are a few things you can experience live:
- recipe of a hot chocolate with Jean-Paul Hénin on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.
- macarons with Pierre Hermé and Mickael Marsollier on Thursday at 5:00 p.m
- recipes of lollipops with Laurent Duchene (Best French Worker – Pastry Maker) on Friday at 11:00 a.m.
- pancake with matcha and chocolate with Maki Maruyama & Takanori Murata, Maison de thé Jugetsudo & Pâtisserie Walaku on Sunday at noon
Demonstration at Salon du Chocolat 2012 with Susumu Koyama – copyright Raffoux
In 2012 many came to see Jerome Chaucesse, pastry chef at the well-known Parisian hotel Le Crillon.
Other chefs cooking with chocolate are Christelle Brua from le Pré-Catelan. She talks about her Tarte au chocolat in an interview and said it has been on her menu since 1999 as it never goes out of style. Her clients love it.
DÉMONSTRATION AURÉLIEN HOUILLON & JÉROME CHAUCESSE – SALON DU CHOCOLAT 2012 – copyright Raffoux
On Sunday the fair will have an Asian theme.
And on the way back home you may want to stop at the bookshop where many books about chocolate will be there for sale. Many authors will sign their books daily.
Hope you give it a try if you are in Paris!
More information:
** WHERE IS IT?
VIPARIS, Porte de Versailles – Pavilions 5/1 and 5/2-5/3
**HOW TO GET THERE
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Subway: Line 12 stop at Porte de Versailles, Line 8 stop at Balard
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Bus: Line 80 – stop Porte de Versailles then Liness 39,42,169 stop at Balard.
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Tram: T2/T3 stop at Porte de Versailles
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Car: Via the inner ring road – get out at Porte de la Plaine or Porte de Versailles and Via the outer ring road, get out at Porte de Sèvres or Porte de Versailles.
**PRICES:
Adults: €13 – Children from 3 to 12: €6.50 – under 3 is free
**WHEN IS IT?
October 30th to November 3rd
**OPENING HOURS: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
For more visit the salon du chocolat website.
