Belgian (or equivalent) chocolate: Paris or Amsterdam

Have you checked to see whether your departure airport has a quality-chocolate shop? Decades ago I bought some very good Belgian chcolates (I think Neuhaus) at either Schipol or the Frankfurt airport. I don't believe the prices of brands like that vary, so buying at the airport shouldn't cost more than buying in the city.

I'm not up on the newer brands.

I have good news: this is not going to be a problem, whatever you choose.

I've bought incredible chocolates in Paris, and Amsterdam, and frankly, in most major cities across Europe that I've wandered through. I think that if you want awesome chocolate, you can find it (probably quite easily) in any major city. I don't exactly go looking for it, yet every time I come home from Europe (or Japan - awesome chocolate there, too!) I seem to return home with a full shopping bag.

Now, I love me some good chocolate as much as anyone, but I wouldn't make travel choices based on a perceived need to shop for it in one major city over another. They have figured out what tourists like, and are happy to address our chocoholic needs.

Paris has many excellent chocolate shops. Patrick Roger, Jean-Paul Hévin, Jacques Genin, Pierre Hermé, to name just a few.

Even if there are direct trains now, you can still add a stop in Brussels if you want.

I was going to name exactly the shops that Balso has mentioned — they all have exquisite chocolate. Plus my personal favorite, La Maison du Chocolat, and Debauve & Gallais.

A lovely lady gifted me a small selection of Patrick Roger chocolate a couple of weeks ago — I felt truly lucky. Just four pieces - but they were divine.

Extra stop:
Paris to Brussels, €29 times two people.
Brussels to Amsterdam, €29 times two people.
Paris to Amsterdam, €35 times two people.

Not worth €46 just to stop in Brussels for an hour. And we only have one day in Amsterdam.

Unless there’s a way on the SNCF site to book a multi-city route on one ticket , which I haven’t discovered.

Thanks all, for the Paris chocolatier suggestions!

Also a block from Manneken Pis is Mary chocolate; chocolatier to the royal family. Google maps has it as temporarily closed. When we went to Paris in 2015 we went to supposedly the top 8 chocolate shops, some of which were already mentioned. We visited each shop when we were in their part of town and sampled a couple pieces each.

1. Patrick Roger
   Address: 108, blvd. St. Germain
   Metro: St.-Germain-des-Près

2. La Maison du Chocolat
   Address: 225, rue du Faubourg St. Honoré
   Metro: Place des Termes

3. Michel Chaudun
   Address: 149 Rue de l'Université
   Metro: Invalides

4. Christian Constant
   Address: 37 rue Assas
   Metro: St. Placide or Rennes

5. Josephine Vannier
   Address: 4, rue du Pas de la Mule
   Metro: Bastille

6. Jean-Paul Hevin
   Address: 231 Rue Saint Honoré
   Metro: Tuileries or Pyramides

7. Michel Cluizel
   Address: 201, Rue St. Honoré
   Metro: Tuileries

8. Pierre Hermé
   Address: 72 Rue Bonaparte
   Metro: St.-Germain-des-Près

9. Jean Charles Rochoux Chocolatier
   16 Rue D Assas, 75006 Paris, France

Neuhaus chocolate has some shops in the U.S..

Thanks for the list and addresses! Out of those nine, did any of them stand out more than the others?

The one we back back to and bought some to bring home is La Maison du Chocolat.

In Belgium, another good chocolate that is between Neuhaus and Mary, is Galler. It has a shop just off the Grand Place

Just to note that several of these chocolatiers have more than one location.

We picked up some chocolates & a few Kouign-Amann at Maison Georges Larnicol last time we were in Paris in 2019. Everything was delicious!

I think I will need to add all of these everyone has mentioned to a TripIt French Chocolate itinerary for 2023! Bookmarked!!

By the way, if Belgian is what you want, Neuhaus has a store in Paris. Not too far from the Arc de Triomphe.

Neuhaus also has options in the Netherlands. https://www.neuhauschocolates.com/en_US/stores