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Berthillon Glacier
Category: Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
31 rue St Louis en l'ile75004 Paris
Neighbourhood: Île de la Cité - Île Saint Louis
01 43 54 31 61
- Nearest Transit:
-
Pont Marie
Sully - Morland
Saint-Paul
- Hours:
Wed-Sun 10 am - 8 pm
- Price Range:
-
€€
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
107 reviews for Berthillon Glacier
92 reviews in English
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Review from Jill D.
3/20/2012 4 photos
Okay. This is hands down the most tongue stimulating "glacier" ever!!! I decided to write because I saw some reviews that questioned the deliciousness of Bertillon. Are you kidding?! Ha!
There is no comparison in what Bertillon produces, serves and sells anywhere. The salon INSIDE is exceptionally clean and proper the way I imagine it was 100 years ago. Was it open 100 years ago? Who cares. It is tasty today.
If you grew up eating drug store ice cream, grocery store ice cream or icees on the street, you will not understand what hit you after tasting Bertillon. It's the Rolls Royce of ice-cream! -
Review from Brittany B.
3/12/2012
The best ice cream in the world? I think not. It is good ice cream and I liked the sundaes you can get in the room next door.
We ordered a hot tea and two sundeas - one with meringue and one peach melba. I choose two ice cream flavors - chocolate and butter caramel. These were a part of the meringue sundae with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. The peach melba had pear sorbet and a warm soft peach with whipped cream, raspberry sauce and an almond tuile.
Overall it's definitely good ice cream but I wouldn't trek out of the way to try it. I've had better ice creams in Italy and LA.Listed in: Paris
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Review from Stephanie H.
2/20/2012
I hate desserts...ask any one of my friends..steph, eat a dessert? ha..that's a funny one. BUT the poire sorbet at Berthillion is absolutely to die for....it tastes exactly like a frozen pear but creamier.
Was in the 16th arrondissement but I walked here three times the week I was in Paris...for the poire sorbet. The cassis isn't too bad either. -
Review from Peter C.
4/29/2012 1 photo
Their ice creams are amazing! I had their honey nougat and it was delicious! They're a bit pricey for a single scoop (and it was a small scoop too) but it's definitely worth it to try it out. They have a lot of different flavors to choose from as well. Mmmm... definitely want it again now :O~
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Review from Jane K.
1/5/2012
By brain exploded after the first lick and I'm not quite sure how I got through the rest after that little experience.
I can't wait to do it all over again. -
Review from Amelia R.
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Berthillon ice cream shop is all types of precious!!
Our feet were about to fall off so we opted to sit down in the the little boutiquey cafe area and we were served by a brunette Lady Gaga look a like.
Mandarin orange was the hands down winner of the 6 flavors we ordered. Excuse em moi, Lady Gaga. Could you bring us another scoop of mandarin, S'il vous plaît?
Coconut was firm second place. Mango was a bit too "floral" tasting. Vanilla was wonderful. The other flavors were forgettable.
The total bill for these small divine icy sugary nuggets was a small fortune. But, hell.... when in Paris, pack less clothes and more money.
Another little tid bit....this darling street is saturated with other stores that sell Berthillon, so if you want the real deal keep walking till you find the store front. It is totally confusing. -
Review from David M.
12/26/2011
Came here on the advice of a friend who grew up in the area. I absolutely love Berthillon, and the lines reminded me of LA for some reason. I cannot imagine having a better chocolate ice cream, ever.
Yeah it's expensive but c'mon, you're going to blow your hard-exchanged Euros on something, right? Might as well be on some awesome 'glaces'! -
Review from Mike J.
3/18/2012 1 photo
Sweet bliss
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Review from Chris Y.
11/29/2011 1 photo
Berthillon was indeed as good as all the Yelp reviews and guide books claimed, but I found it hard for me to give it 5 stars: how can it be the best ice cream ever if it doesn't have the best flavor of ice cream?? It was the best *chocolate* ice cream I've ever had, but I would like to have said it without the qualifier. If only they had chocolate-chip ice cream...
It was a great little shop down a Parisien side-street, kinda reminded me of that movie "Chocolat" without all the town drama. The lady was very nice and spoke accented English, which made ordering and paying much easier than if I tried speaking in French. It was actually very reasonably-priced, too!
I guess you could say that this ice cream, to me, is like Roger Maris' famous, former, asterisked home run record. (Because he played a longer season than Babe Ruth)
The Best Ice Cream Ever*
* but not available in chocolate-chip -
Review from Nate B.
10/25/2011
The best ICE CREAM I HAVE EVER HAD... EVER...
My girlfriend and I grabbed two cones.
We headed over to a bench behind the Notre Dame under the cover of an umbrella and we devoured them.
We kissed and took a picture that will capture our happiness for forever! -
Review from Rainey S.
11/19/2011
See those stars? Double them! This place is absolutely amazing!!!
I don't eat ice cream a lot...sometimes it "gets along" with me...sometimes, not so much...so I've taken to just kind of not eating a lot of it. Plus, the ice cream in the states...is well...mediocre.
However...after being told I MUST go to Berthillon in Paris, I decided for once to do as I was told. My habits are now reformed!
In the span of 24 hours...I had THREE double cones of Chocolate Noir and Caramel au Beurre Sale (Salted Caramel)...THREE!!!!! Needless to say, that coupled with the rich French food...well...let's just say it was all worth it! Literally I wanted to go back before my morning train to Bayeux!
I would move to Paris for Berthillon (and other reasons, but Berthillon primarily!!!)...seriously...and without speaking hardly a lick of French!
Damn...now I want a cone...and I'm in California. Sigh... -
Review from Ralph W.
1/13/2012 1 photo
some of the best gelato we had ever! too bad we had to travel all the way to france to get some! This place is sort of near Notre dame.
Listed in: our paris trip
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Review from Marck N.
11/28/2011
Another spot on my to do list to visit. After the La Conciergerie, I steered my partner to Berthillon Glacier. The weather was cold, but I would not let that stop me from trying the ice cream.
Once finding the store, I was expecting a long line, as it was noon. But to my surprise, there was no crowd at all. A plus for me as I was served immediately. I ordered the chestnut with rum and my partner, the fig sorbet. Both were excellent, but I like mines better. The richness of the ice cream with the flavors of both the chestnut and rum was wonderful. It warmed me up during the cold noon.
A great stop for a nice sweet pick me up for the day. -
Review from Jess L.
10/8/2011
Totally got lost trying to find this place, but it was worth it! Plus getting lost around that area really isn't such a bad thing :)
Although, it probably wouldn't have been that difficult to find except that all that I wrote down for the directions were 'Berthillon' near Notre Dame - except there are so many icecream shops in the area with Berthillon somewhere in their name - eek. Just look for the one with wooden exterior and an oval shaped hanging signage - better yet, just look for the one with the lineup ;)
Tried the pear and raspberry sorbet, both were amazing. Thus far in my hunt for favourite ice-cream shops (world edition) - Berthillon is second only to Grom :) -
Review from Olivia B.
Paris
9/26/2011
Since I moved to Paris, it seems ice cream has become a main staple in my diet. I can't get enough of it. My Sunday afternoon ritual wouldn't be complete without a pit stop at Berthillion (also included are the Marché aux Fleurs, Shakespeare & Company, and the street performers around Ile St Louis)! If you find yourself in Paris on a sunny Sunday afternoon, take note of my ritual and I promise you won't be sorry.
The salted butter caramel is out of this world (matched only by the one at Grom).
Side note: beat the lines and head to any one of the ice cream windows on Ile St. Louis selling Berthillion -
Review from John L.
10/18/2011
The finest Salted Caramel ice cream that I had ever experienced tasted like someone sprinkled iodized table salt on a pint of Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche ice cream. Until now.
If you're thinking of anything remotely close to that description:
1- I'm sorry
2- Disregard that notion completely; this is an entirely different animal
Ice cream in the United States is doomed to mediocrity thanks to entrenched bureaucratic interests demonizing (and often exaggerating any ill effects of) raw milk. I can write volumes about this alone; but for now suffice to say that, unfortunately, one is forced to leave the country (the U.S.) in order to experience the highest level of ice cream possible. Shame on us!
I don't know exactly which salt Berthillion uses for its Salted Butter Caramel (Fleur de Sel? Fleur de Mar?) but it has absolutely no chlorinated notes. The signature flavor of the caramel (the "burnt"-like quality) was fully developed without being bitter; and the texture of the ice cream was the finest to ever hit my palate.
Also-- I don't know exactly how or why but the French have the flavor of Vanilla absolutely nailed (evidenced in Laduree's macarons and other instances)! In the case of ice cream; I suspect the "lactosy" quality of the raw milk interacting with the vanilla flavor may accentuate it.
In short...this is my favorite ice cream on the planet (a distinction formerly held by Buenos Aires' Persicco)! -
Review from Lydia W.
7/18/2011
Best ice cream I've ever had, and I've had a lot.
Unless you're made of money, I'd recommend just getting ice cream from the line outside the restaurant. It costs 9euro to eat 2 scoops of ice cream inside, when it's 4.5euro to go. There are plenty of scenic places to consume your delicious ice cream around the area. Take your dessert down to the river and admire the beauty of Paris while knowing you saved yourself 4.50 for a future trip to Berthillon.
I especially loved the gianduja with candied orange pieces. The pistachio, cassis, and dark chocolate were also fantastic. -
Review from Amar S.
2/22/2012
Good. Salted caramel ice cream was the best, but it doesn't top what you can find in NYC.
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Review from Jeffrey M.
12/22/2011
I have taken to traveling with Yelp as my primary guide. Be it US or Europe, I have found many a great spot thanks to the reviews and postings of my fellow Yelpers. Berthillon Glacier is one of those places. This is the premier ice cream in Paris. The lines are worth it and don't fret as there are dozens of tiny spots that sell the fabulous glacé.
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Review from Belinda S.
7/15/2011
It's good but I am used to American sized portions! I think a single scoop here may be equivalent to a sample taste/spoon in the US.
Bigger, please!! I am what non-US people call, "a fat American".Listed in: Paris
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Review from Catherine B.
1/30/2012
BELIEVE THE HYPE. Every flavor is to die for. So come here till you've tried all the flavors. My favorite is "caramel buerre sale" (toffee) and pistachio.
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Review from sylvia t.
10/15/2011
How good is this place?
We first visited Berthillon's with a parisien friend after the kids asked for the best ice cream in Paris. Having just arrived from the gelato overload in Italy we were not expecting much. But wow! Imagine intense flavors of fruit, not too sweet, but just like immersing yourself in the middle of the fruit and soaking in the essence through your pores. That's glacee at Bertillon's.
Our last visit - we took a 60 euro taxi ride into town on a 4 hour layover at CDG, just to have ice cream in the shadow of Notre Dame. It would've been a shame to miss it. -
Review from Barbara S.
9/20/2011
One of the best things I have EVER eaten!
In the one week we were in Paris, I had this ice cream four times! Yes, it IS that good!
Each time I would go for 3 scoops; 2 Chocolate Noir + 1 Salted Caramel
Scoops are small - they are really the perfect size! -
Review from Brian I.
9/2/2011 6 photos
The employee working the icecream/sorbet stand does speak english. no worries.
Ice cream: portion is small
Mango - smooth and light.
Raspberry - sweet, icy, and deliciously good.
Pistachio - cold creamy pistachio.
Tiramisu - creamy and smooth but still packing that tirmisu flavor.
If your near Notre Dame, just walk here to get your ice cream. Then walk back and enjoy your visit at Notre Dame with your ice cream. -
Review from Vero K.
1/28/2012
This is my favorite ice cream on the planet. The flavors are delectable, and they are insanely and unbelievably true to their stated flavor. Fraises des bois and marrons glacés---the best!! I love their framboise-rose also. There is no bad flavor here, though. When we lived in Paris, my husband and I had Berthillon ice cream at least twice a week. Now that we're living somewhere else, we can only dream about it.
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Review from Aubrey R.
9/23/2011
Agree with every other review about Berthillion.
AMAZING!! So good we had to visit twice to try different flavors, and because my husband just had to have it again...
Flavors tried between the two of us:
1) Vanilla - more like a vanilla bean, a bit overrated if you ask me
2) Chocolate - tastes like unsweetened cocoa powder again (not too sweet, but wonderful)
3) White Chocolate - not as sweet as a traditional white chocolate
4) Honey Nougat - my favorite, sweet cream ice cream with honey pieces
5) Gingerbread - definately worth a try - gingerbread pieces in the ice cream, tastes just like a gingerbread cookie!!
Definately go to this ice cream parlor and do not stop at the other "Berthillion" choices on the way... it's not the original place it is just serving that style.
Glaciers are definately the way to go in this quarter - everyone is walking around with a cone it seems...so be sure to carry around some euro... -
Review from David G.
1/5/2012
Blood orange was divine. Why 3 stars? The line and atmosphere were closer to Disneyland waiting for a ride than Paris. An investment in improving service would vastly improve the experience.
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Review from Mimi L.
10/7/2011 1 photo
I had to walk across to the island and in the rain for the gelato and it was worth every sweat and tear. I tried the pistachio and raspberry gelato. The pistachio was very creamy and full of the nutty pistachio flavors that I loved so much. The raspberry gelato was amazing. Very refreshing, fruity, and fragrant. If I go back I would get the fruit flavored ones because I thought it just hit the spot a lot better.
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Review from Yaka H.
6/5/2011
Located on "Ice Cream Island," this is the original Berthillon location. The other places on the island are just outposts that sell Berthillon ice cream.
I tried a scoop of the chocolate ice cream with praline pieces and candied orange peel (Gianduja a l'orange).
Oh. My. Goodness... The chocolate ice cream base was very creamy. However, the addition of candied orange peel pieces put that flavor over the top. It was delicious. I personally love candied fruit peel, so this was major for me. I wish I can get this flavor in the US.
The portion size is pretty small (compared to gelato places [Amorino] and American ice cream parlors). So I would definitely recommend getting more than 1 scoop.Listed in: Paris Eats!
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Review from Mike C.
Now that's some tasty ice cream and hot chocolate!!!!
So I've been in Paris now for about 4 days, and basically been eating 3-4 times a day and I haven't worked out in over a week. So coming to a dessert place just only exacerbated my unhealthy conditions...but hey...it's only like once a decade I'll probably be visiting Europe, so that should be your mentality if your on the fence of whether to come in or not.
But seriously..this is some great ice cream and some awesome hot chocolate. Probably the BEST hot chocolate out there. And they go all out too. Comes with the hot chocolate, steamed hot milk and thick whipped cream. You just have to see the picture to fully embrace what I enjoyed. http://www.yelp.com/bi...; you see what I mean. Pretty fancy setup they have here.
But that's not all. To continue on with my gluttonous habits on this late afternoon and snowy day in Paris, I also went with their Coupe Griottine. A giant vanilla ice cream with strawberry sorbet topped with more whipped cream and raspberry sauce. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Regardless if it is a nice and sunny day outside or if its hella freezing and super cold like I experienced, you should still come here and yes you should eat as much as you can. Note though, its CASH ONLY. And you need to plan ahead since their only open from Wednesday to Sunday.Listed in: Paris Sweets
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Review from Laine L.
1/15/2012
This is the best ice cream on earth!! Baby angels came down from heaven and danced on my lips. A world of taste exploded in my mouth. A sensory adventure in every bite, each more wondrous than the last. Sweet, sour, even bitter, merged into an orgasm of ice cream. Stars shone, flowers bloomed, babies laughed, puppies were born, eternity opened up.I knew my life had changed.
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Review from Joanna T.
5/18/2011
Salted. Caramel. Ice cream.
Berthillion can be summed up in 4 words - salted caramel ice cream. Sweet, but not overly so, it is one of the highlights of a Paris trip.
We ate a lot of Berthillion ice cream on our last trip (in fact, a disgraceful amount) because our apartment was around the corner. Coincidence? I think not.Listed in: Why I'm Fat - Paris edition
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Review from J. L.
1/3/2012
Best chocolate ice cream in the World!
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Review from Jeff G.
12/26/2010
Undoubtedly the best ice cream in all of France, and perhaps the entire EU. However, the lines at 31, rue St. Louis can get very long during the summer months. I recommend waiting, it's definitely worth the wait.
Berthillon Glacier can be found in restaurants all around Paris, but you'll pay much more, sometimes double, and you'll get smaller portions, if you can believe it.
I'm not one to queue up for anything - but this is an experience I recommend not missing. -
Review from Brice R.
7/13/2011 1 photo
I do not need to add anything to the laudatory reviews : they are true, ice cream there is delicious.
But, what's even better is the "macaron glace" (that you can only have at the real Berthillon not other retailers on Ile-Saint-Louis). You get to pick the flavor of the macaron (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry...) and you can have a scoop of any ice cream you want inside (like an ice-cream sandwich but way way better). My favorite combinations : chocolate macaron with either pear or strawberry sorbet. -
Review from Abhaya P.
12/22/2011
In my opinion the best ice-cream in the world. Gelato shops in Rome come a close second. I have lost count of the number times I have visited this place over the years but it must be getting close to about a hundred!
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Review from Alice C.
5/26/2011
One of the best quality of ice cream I've ever had in my life! The rich, creamy and thickness is very similar to Italian gelato. This is beyond ice cream. It is SUPER ICE CREAM. And you cannot compare to the dairy in Europe so to try to find ice cream of this caliber in the states would be futile.
Flavors I tried that were delicious:
Honey nougat
dark chocolate
praine
pistachio.
If you have the stomach and time, I would suggest coming every day until you have tried all of the flavors! Unfortunately, I was only able to go one day so I ordered FOUR SCOOPS!
Tip: Surrounding shops sell Berthillon ice cream so if you want to avoid the long line, just go to the shops around that says "Berthillon" glace. Two scoops is 4.50 euros. -
Review from Steph C.
11/7/2010 1 photo
I've been to Berthillon twice now and was really stoked for my second visit. I feel less strongly about the place now than I did a month ago, but I would still recommend it without hesitation.
The place is tiny and pretty cute, a literal hole in the wall, with nowhere to sit and enjoy your ice cream. The hole is manned by one worker, who, based on my two trips, is probably not too friendly. I wouldn't ask for samples, that's for sure. You choose between a "simple" and a "patissier" cone - basically, standard or waffle. I've tried both and I'm sure they're both fine ordinarily, but on my second visit, my patissier cone was stale. It doesn't matter how good your ice cream is if you put it in a bad cone. This was one of the worst I've had, and I peeled most of it into the trash like it was wet cardboard.
You then choose your number of scoops and flavors. The scoops are really tiny, so if you're used to American portions I would suggest at least three. Three is probably equivalent to a full-sized scoop at home - they're really doled out by a melon baller. They're cute, which is an advantage, but I suppose bigger portions wouldn't hurt.
I've spewed a lot of criticism so far, but the ice cream is truly remarkable. The texture is smooth and creamy yet wonderfully light, and the flavors are strong but do not rely on excesses of sugar. I think I actually prefer the fruit flavors to everything else - I've tried passionfruit, mango, and strawberry, and all three were bloomed with the pure essence of the fruits they were meant to deliver. They were crisp and refreshing and absolutely wonderful. I also love the caramel, with its browned taste and restrained sweetness. The ginger caramel, however, is the least of the flavors I've tried - the ginger is just overpowering. No other complaints, though. The hazelnut was just right, as was the luscious tiramisu. Even the vanilla was more than vanilla.
I doubt I will ever come to Paris without stopping by Berthillon, but it pains me that the place is inconsistent when I can visit at most once every two to five years. The awful cone and the less than pleasant scoop of ginger caramel on my most recent pilgrimage left me very disappointed. I hope that my next trip will restore my faith in Berthillon.Listed in: Brain Freeze is My Heroin Rush
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Review from Kim S.
3/13/2011
Definitively THE best ice cream! A must have if you ever are in Paris - lots of cafes serve it so you don't have to necessarily go to Ile St. Louis and wait in line...
My favorite flavors? Pistache, Praline, Nougat au Miel when I am at the main store. Otherwise, just plain vanilla when I am elsewhere. yum, can't wait to be back in Paris! -
Review from Erich D.
11/14/2011
This ice cream parlor is located on a small island on the Seine River around a bunch of quaint Parisian restaurants in a lovely little neighborhood. I ordered a scoop of the mango flavored sorbet in a cone and also had some of the caramel au beurre salé which tasted very much like caramel popcorn. I liked the flavors and texture of the ice cream/sorbet and it was a nice cold treat on a very warm day in Paris, but the stuff is very sweet. It's so sweet that you'll very likely want a glass of water afterwards.
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