Cédric Grolet opens his first chocolaterie in Paris

The star French pastry chef opens his first chocolaterie in Paris – Cédric et la Chocolaterie

Nestled at Avenue de l’Opéra, Cédric Grolet unveils his most personal and emotional project to date – a chocolaterie designed not to display chocolate, but to make people feel it. More than a boutique, it is an immersive world where architecture, sensation and craftsmanship merge into a single experience. The intention is immediate – to awaken emotion before thought.

The entrance sets the tone with a sculpted silver tree that feels like a gateway into a storybook universe. Inside, the walls are covered with matte chocolate-inspired reliefs, giant tablet patterns that give the impression that the building itself is made of cacao. The counter is finished in biscuit-like enamelled lava, a subtle translation of pastry into interior design. Everything is tactile, generous, and deliberately close to the visitor.

At the heart of the space stands a monumental 150-kilogram chocolate fountain flowing continuously at 45°C. It perfumes the room, warms the atmosphere slightly and creates a sensory presence that makes the material feel alive. Instead of refrigerated vitrines, the chocolates are kept downstairs at 17°C and rise into the boutique through miniature glass elevators, turning each purchase into a discreet theatrical moment.

The creative approach follows the same clarity. Grolet chose to design all recipes with children as his only judges – instinct, honesty and pure palate before technique. Pralinés are shaped like the nuts that compose them – pecan, hazelnut, peanut, almond – so the flavour is visible at a glance. Ganache tablets are boldly sculptural, pâte de fruits luminous and legible. Nothing is cryptic or ornamental – luxury here is transparency elevated by precision.

The architecture, created with Atelier Cibē, embraces a modern fairy-tale sensibility. The proportions are deliberately playful, slightly oversized, evoking the feeling of having stepped back into childhood for a moment. It is a space that does not intimidate – it welcomes, surrounds, and involves the visitor. It is luxury by closeness, not distance.

This opening marks a new chapter for a chef who has already reshaped the world of haute pâtisserie. Today, with more than 600 collaborators and established addresses from Paris to London, Monaco, Saint-Tropez and Singapore, Cédric Grolet continues to expand the codes of French luxury gastronomy while remaining anchored in emotional truth. This chocolaterie is his most intimate signature yet – a place made to be experienced, not just seen.

Official Website - cedric-grolet.com
© Cédric Grolet