I'm drawing in my hotel room in Clermont-Ferrand whilst at the
19th Rendez vous du Carnet du Voyage conference...remembrances of the fabulous 3-day
IMPERIAL CHOCOLAT À CHATEAU FONTAINEBLEAU on Friday...Hurry up! You can still go today.
Friday was a tad misty, a tad gloomy but who cares when such beauty awaits inside the chateau (just 30 minutes from Paris c/o Gare de Lyon).
Forget the rush to Versailles
And the annoying crowds
And long lines.
Fontainebleau makes you feel like a princess (or prince) especially if you visit during the week.
Jaw-dropping splendid decorations
The current exhibit on..
Your reward after visiting the castle...a short walk through the courtyard et voila -Salon du Chocolat
Banks and banks of superb chocolate to taste
And buy
Some of tje best chocolate sculptures ever
Many created with Fontainebleau in mind like this stairway.
Perhaps the best chocolate box ever. Why didn't I get it?
Created by the one and only president of
RELAIS DESSERTS, patissiere FREDERIC CASSEL. At the billetterie I said. I was the guest/invitée of Frederic and the ticket man said, "You know, I think he is the best pastry chef in France." I agreed. You
must stop in on your way to visit the chateau.
Pastries made for kings and queens IMHO.
True I only got this viennoisserie because it was citron and something different. Utterly fab. Coming home to the Ile Saint Louis, crossing my bridges with an early departure for the
RENDEZ-VOUS DU CARNET DE VOYAGE the next morning at 6am. I made it and bought THREE new sketchbooks I probably didn't need. See above picture.
HELLO from Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne ❤️