My friend, Chef Sarah, recommended a couple of places she wouldn’t miss if she had only a few days in Paris.  Alain Ducasse’s chocolate shops – were among her recommendations — especially the one on rue de la Roquette which is where the chocolates are made.  We could peer through the windows to see the chocolate beans being roasted, and then melted and poured.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have my new iphone so the photos aren’t so good.   The shop is off the street in a courtyard.  The minute we stepped into the area the aroma of chocolate –pure chocolate– overtook us.  Wow– it was wonderful.  I was happy to see that their chocolate beans came from fair trade countries and not Africa where child-slaves harvest the beans.   The chocolates are displayed as if fine jewels.  In a way they are — check out the prices!

We met a friend at La Coupole for lunch.  It was established in 1927, on Blvd. du Montparnasse was a meeting place for artists and writers in that era.  The walls are lined with photographs of the famous who dined there.  We have passed it many times but never dined there and so decided to try it.    We weren’t sorry!

Although a very large interior it didn’t feel impersonal.  The art deco design is from the 20s.

Many of the restaurants in this area of Montparnasse specialize in shellfish.  This large elegant display in on the right immediately upon entering the restaurant.  Not the FISH above.

Suddenly the lights went down and the waiters came out with this cake (or facsimile) with sparklers on top signing Happy Birthday (In French of course) for the young woman at a table closeby.

My first course was mushrooms in a puff pastry.  It was delicious.  We had a fillet of white fish with leeks as a main dish, followed by chocolate covered profiteroles for dessert.

The much admired and esteemed former president of France, Jacques Chirac died last week.  His funeral was held last Monday.  We happened by St. Sulpice Church just after the ceremony.  You can see the black ribbons on top of the EU and French flags at the top of the stairs.

Fabrics are shaped in the form of models… I thought it was quite artistic and worth  noting.  We saw this in a small clothing shop on rue de Seine in the 7th

We love to walk on Rue Cler — a street closed to traffic — with lots of wonderful little shops and eateries.  This is one of La Duree’s shops — which are many scattered all across the country and even at the airports, now.  Note the beautiful ceiling — almost as good as their macaroons.

Does anyone know what this is?  The green prickly thing is the burr — the actual fruit of a chestnut tree.  Inside the burr you can see chestnuts — which are the seeds of the tree.  Who knew?  We were warned not to touch the burr… it is really sharp.

And can I close this blog without a photo of these fabulous tartes?  Just down from La Duree is another of our favorite shops.  Nothing more need be said except, ‘No — we didn’t buy one… and we haven’t even had a croissant yet.”