Monday, June 26, 2023

Balade sur l’île de Berthillon

 Yesterday the temp hit 92 in Paris

After the pool 🏊 & the marché 🍒 I came home completely wiped🥵

Immediately I drank plenty of water 💦 ran my wrists under streaming cold water, sat in front of the fan. I even threw on a cold, wet T-shirt (too cold!).  But I could not figure out what to eat for lunch 🥗= serious state of confusion 🤔 a sure sign of overheating

Basically I vegged in front of the fan till 5 pm. I felt the urgent call for a bag of chips. Hello SALT…Bonjour Carrefour 

Protected with sunglasses, hat, water bottle & hand fan I ventured out. It wasn’t so bad

Toute Paris was lined up as usual at Berthillon on 31, rue Saint Louis en l’ile.

This man is fanning his infant before he has his first baptismal taste of Berthillon ice cream🍦Initiation starts early for Parisians 

You could say that I live on L’Île de Berthillon, not l’Île Saint-Louis.

At least on the weekend. Especially on Sundays

Sunday is a high holy day for Paris ice cream eaters 🍦 
Some people make a pilgrimage to the Vatican.  Some people walk all the way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. In Paris on Sundays they invade the island, going to Berthillon, preferably the original address. 

Other restaurants on the Ile have permission to serve Berthillon. 

*Be aware they do not have the original lavender paper cups. Only HQ does. Small distinctions make a difference.

Do you prefer a cup?

Or a cone/cornet? 

Choices, choices. Another conundrum like the coffee mug vs. cup & saucer ☕️

Oddly you usually pay a little more when you buy from other venders. 3,50€ at original HQ Berthillon. At the other end of the lIle the price can rise to 4,50 or even 5€. Highway robbery but when you’re desperate you take what you can get.

All this exhaustive, investigative ice cream research 🔬 could only lead in one direction.

I succumbed to my new fav ice cream parfume/flavor - Agenaise in a cone🍦 

Although I am a ‘cone person’ 
“Nothing comes between me and my ice cream” (to misquote Brooke Shields Marilyn).  I still have remnants of my ice cream spoon collection. 

Some spoons 🥄 from Venice gelaterias - hard to throw out. 
I could go on about ice cream🍦much longer but I want to mail out 📬your watercolors & letters today dear ❤️PBers.
💌
Thank you all for visiting my WATERCOLOR SALE 👏🎉🍾
Today is the LAST DAY !
📭💌📭💌📭 Bonne Monday 📬💌📬💌📬


 

32 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:43 AM

    Carol, I also love Berthillon and buy there several ice cream parfums to taste. And also collect tiny ice cream spoons from all over the world. Due to your Toulouse post, I visited the city this last weekend. Toulouse is incredibly beautiful, I am amazed by the city. People are superbe. Also went to Albi, just 55 minutes away by train. Love your posts and all your great travel/shopping tips.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:05 AM

      Isn’t that terrific! I must go back. I intended to visit Albi but when the Sciatica kicked in I thought not..an unusual city.

      Delete
  2. Bonnie L7:37 AM

    I am a fellow cone head! The long lines at Berthillon (HQ) are totally understandable…nothing else compares. Time in line allows you to consider, then waver, then finally settle on, a flavor before getting to the counter. The sit-down salon is pretty fab, too.

    Love seeing Parisiennes in their little sun dresses. Stay cool, Carol. Lucky you living close by Berthillon.

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    1. Anonymous8:00 AM

      Cone-heads 🍦unite 👍
      Perhaps the Cup-heads are more introspective? Not gobblers?
      Are Cone-heads 🍦sensualists? Or may they have unresolved attachment issues to Mum ? 🤔
      Cup-heads have separated from the mother. Are they more mature?
      Many complex issues to consider in greater depth then the mug vs cup controversy perhaps..?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8:02 AM

      What you say makes sense. The long lines provide time to ponder 🤔
      No wonder patrons often get 2-3 flavors

      Delete
  3. I guess you can wear shorts in Paris!! I would struggle waiting in a long line in that heat for an ice cream which would melt so quickly. Heat makes me impatient! On my first trip to Paris I remember going to Berthillon and we had a meal inside. Am I confused or did they or do they still serve food? Stay cool 🗼❤️

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    1. Anonymous7:52 AM

      They do serve pastries + ice cream but no sandwiches 🥪 🙁
      The tea salon is lovely and the best way to enjoy their cuisine 👍

      Delete
  4. I'd be inclined to take the highway robbery versus standing in that line on a day like this! (Or getting a pint at Monoprix?!)

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    1. Anonymous10:01 AM

      NO Berthillon at Monoprix !! Mon dieu 😦

      Delete
  5. Anonymous10:02 AM

    Nothing comes between me and my Calvins’ (jeans) Brook Shields.
    Was she quoting Marilyn? All this time I had no clue. BL

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    1. Anonymous10:04 AM

      You’re so right BL !
      I got that so wrong
      Marilyn slept only with her Chanel

      Delete
  6. Anonymous10:06 AM

    Love this! Berthillon is the BEST! Dorrance

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous10:36 AM

    Are you on Patreon? I'd love to be able to support you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:54 PM

      Thank you That’s very nice
      I have to change my buy me a cup of coffee ☕️
      I will announce it soon ❤️

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8:59 PM

      Please do. You deserve it with all the fab postings you do. Keeps us in touch with Paris. ❤️🙏

      Delete
  8. I went there:) Walked past your door;) Took a pic.Love your aquarelle of the cups.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:23 PM

      I am going to walk by your door Monique tooo & not go in 🙁

      Delete
  9. Sukicart12:55 PM

    I'm a cone person for sure and much prefer some of the other ice creams to Berthillons. My favorite is Une Glace a Paris followed by Martine Lambert.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:19 PM

      Glace is excellent 👍
      Martine Lambert does not ring my bell 🤷‍♀️

      Delete
  10. Anonymous1:13 PM

    Thank you for this post..people just sweating and trying to get ice cream, fanning themselves and wearing summer appropriate clothing..what! shorts in Paris.yes if there isn't A/C and the fashion police hovering around. I love Toulouse and Albi also..a part of France that is under appreciated. Also the countryside around these beautiful towns is fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous3:21 PM

      Now I want to go back to Toulouse 🙏
      Such a long trip 😞 that’s why is isn’t overcrowded 👍

      Delete
  11. Adrien Bray8:30 PM

    Definitely a cone person, they're edible, delicious and not throw-away-able...glad to see you reuse your spoons Carol 😉 I carry my own with me 😁 Enjoy your hot weather treats! 🍦🍦🍦

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous3:30 AM

      Rule #1 Never leave the house without a spoon 🥄!! ☺️

      Delete
  12. Anonymous3:31 AM

    92 ? 64 degrees here.
    Rancho Palos Verdes
    Suburb of Los Angeles.
    Close to the ocean. Kirk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:32 AM

      And I am beside the Seine Kirk
      So should I move to Rancho Verdes?

      Delete
  13. Rose F.7:44 AM

    Carol, I love your posts as you travel the city. This one I especially enjoy as I feel I am walking with you since our flat is so close by. We love Bertillon and have tried many of their incredible flavors. The raspberry sorbet is so intense! Stay cool and keep eating ice cream. PS I am a cone person except for the raspberry sorbet in almond macaroon, though Not a walking dessert.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous7:37 AM

      ‘Walking desserts’ YES 👍
      All for it 👏👏

      Delete
  14. Anonymous1:58 PM

    Try the buckwheat potato chips sold at Carrefour and I think Monoprix. Slightly more healthy and delicious.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous7:32 AM

      Oooo News to me
      Thank you ☺️
      I ❤️ LOVE anything Buckwheat !!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:18 AM

      Bret’s La chips de Sarrasin au sel de Guérande
      @ 5,25€ (!!)
      I am passing

      Delete
  15. Paula Brown4:08 PM

    Don’t often comment; but can identify with the heat you are experiencing in Paris ( except that you do not have the luxury of ac). It is 99 in ne OK this afternoon. I prefer a cup; but like so many, will eat ice-cream any il’ way❣️Love your painting of the cups. You shadows are beautiful.

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  16. I love ice cream too! Have never had the chance to eat Berthillon ice cream though. I only do cones now as am trying to avoid single use plastic materials when possible (many take away cups are lined with plastic).
    You need to get some HYDRALYTE tablets for hot weather! This helps replace the salts in your body so you don’t end up dehydrated, even drinking lots of water you can get dehydrated.
    I get round tablets in a tube that I dissolve in a glass of water/my drink bottle. You can use two for full strength but often I just use one but do it every day. You can also use sports drink powders that are hydralyte too, just pop a spoon of powder in (but can be a bit messier). I tell everyone this - stay hydrated! 🙂

    ReplyDelete

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