Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mariage Frères has been trading tea and spices on the rue de Bourg-Tibourg since 1854.
Frères, from eggshell-thin ceramics and
delicate hand-blown glass to robust Japa-
nese cast-iron. They sell tea-flavored
pastries, tea-scented candles, even a tea-
flavored chocolate from a recipe developed
back in 1860. The shop leads naturally into
a serene tearoom, decked out in colonial
rattan and potted palms, quietly animated
by a murmur of conversation and the clack
of white china cups. A general luncheon
menu is served from noon to 3pm; after-
noon tea is from 3pm to 7pm.
Now that it's on an entrepreneurial roll,
Mariage Frères has expanded beyond its
historic location in the Marais, launching
two other shops/salons in Paris (13 rue
des Grands-Augustins in the 6th arrondisse-
ment and 260 Faubourg Saint-Honoré in
the posh shopping district of the 8th), as
well as one in Berlin (Franzôsiche Strasse
23) and another in Tokyo (Suzuran-Dori,
5-6-7 Ginza). You can even order Mariage
Frères tea on the Internet these days—but
what a pale experience, compared to
browsing along that Wall of Tea in Paris.
30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, 4e (
&
33/1/
42 72 28 11;
www.mariagefreres.com).
(
De Gaulle (23km/14 miles); Orly (14km/
8
2
⁄
3
miles).
L
$$
La Tour Notre Dame,
20 rue du
Sommerard, 5e (
&
33/1/43-54-47-60;
www.la-tour-notre-dame.com). $
Hotel de
la Place des Vosges,
12 rue de Birague,
4e (
&
33/1/42-72-60-46;
www.hotelplace
desvosges.com).
