Ice Cream
Selections from the

The Crème de la crème

Bertillon The standard-setter for ice-cream in this city (or, perhaps in all of France). Located on the Ile Saint-Louis, this place will spoil you with its traditionally made flavors from seasonal fruits (wild strawberries, raspberries, plums, apples, mandarin oranges...) Unfortunately, the store gets crowded as soon as the fine weather arrives. Open Wed-Sun, 10am to 8pm, 31 rue St-Louis-en-l'Ile, 4e, M° Pont Marie, tel. 01 43 54 31 61

Octave Here, you won’t find a single preservative, added coloring, or chemical flavoring. This ice-cream maker from Toulouse uses fresh fruit to concoct his special flavors, which is why they tend to vary with the seasons. There are a few out of the ordinary surprise tastes such as licorice, honey-nougat and cinammon. You’ll also delight in some original, savory creations artistically designed in ice-cream. 2 scoops 3,40 Euros, 1/2 liter 11 Euros, 1 liter 18,5 Euros. Open Wed-Sat, 10am to 1:30pm & 3-7pm, Sun 10am to 2pm, 138 rue Mouffetard, 5e, M° Censier Daubenton, tel: 01 45 35 20 56

Le Bac à Glaces
Not far from the Bon Marché department store, this little shop offers some excellent choices such as almond milk or various citrus fruits, as well as classics like vanilla flavored with authentic Tahitian pods. You’ll also be surprised to discover further treats including a number of vegetable-based specialties. An extra “plus” for weight-watchers is a multiplicity of “light” versions, made with aspartame. 2 scoops 3,10 Euros, 2 liters from 6,40 Euros, 1 liter from 12,80 Euros. Open Mon-Sat, 11am to 7pm, 109 rue du Bac, 7e, M° Sèvres-Babylone, tel: 01 45 48 87 65

Glacier Calabrese
Italy has always been celebrated for its ice-cream, and this shop certainly won’t let you down. In the business for over half a century, Luigi Calabrese welcomes you into his ’60s-style parlor... Besides classics (lemon, chocolate, strawberry), discover some exotic alternatives such as sorbets made from orange flowers or rose petals, figs, licorice, and even camomile.Open everyday until midnight, 15 rue d’Odessa, 14e, M° Montparnasse-Bienvenue, tel: 01 43 20 31 63

Pascal Le Glacier
Pascal Crombette, the owner of this sanctuary of frozen delights, uses only the freshest seasonal fruits and mineral water to achieve superlative tastes. Filling the freezers in this pleasant ice-cream parlor, you’ll find a variety of “temptations” from fresh peaches to figs from Provence, melon, blood orange, and a divine caramel with a hint of chicory. 2 scoops 2,30 Euros, 1/2 liter, 9,30 Euros. Open Tue-Sat, 10:30am to 7pm, 17 rue Bois-le-Vent, 16e, M°La Muette, tel: 01 45 27 61 84

Available in bookstores in France and the UK or online at www.petitfute.com