Tea is chic as ever in Paris, and what better time of year to enjoy it than when fall and winter roll around? To duck into a warm, cozy Parisian tea salon on a chilly afternoon anywhere in la Capitale is a treat. But to sit by the fire in one’s own salon and enjoy one’s own personally chosen teas might be even a notch better.
There are a variety of tea purveyors in Paris where great teas can be purchased for home enjoyment – my current favorite is Le Palais des Thés (The Palace of Teas) which has five boutiques in Paris. Fresh and personal are the buzzwords at Le Palais des Thés and after a few minutes of smelling, tasting and trying, it’s not hard to see why.
Le Palais des Thés at 61, rue du Cherche-Midi in the 6th arrondissement
In 1987, Frenchman and tea connoisseur François-Xavier Delmas founded the company with the idea of sourcing the freshest and most exceptional teas from around the world. For the past 25 years, he and his team of tea experts have developed relationships with the best tea growers anywhere. Today, they bring the fragrant and delicious results to their nearly 30 boutiques worldwide.
Founder Francois-Xavier Delmas & Aurélie Bessière selecting a new green tea in China this year
Delmas’ niece, Aurélie Bessière, is President of Le Palais des Thés USA, and for nearly two years, she has devoted herself to sharing her uncle’s passion for tea with the American market. She spoke with me recently about Le Palais des Thés’ special approach to the tea business:
Q: What makes Le Palais des thés unique in the world of teas?
A: Our success comes from direct, personal relationships with all our tea producers. It is a typical practice for tea purveyors go through big marketplaces and intermediaries in Germany and India. However, the team at Le Palais des Thés handles everything directly. We know our growers and producers and visit their tea plantations regularly. We keep a close eye on tea-producing techniques, product quality and working conditions. What comes out of these personal efforts is mutual trust, friendship and access to the world’s best and freshest teas.
Q: Where do you get your teas?
A: We source primarily from China, India, Japan, Taiwan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. For a visual feel of what some of these places look like, my uncle has a great blog called “Discovering Tea” (in French, it’s "Chercheur de the") where he posts gorgeous photos of tea estates in remote places.
Q: What is your earliest tea memory?
A: I was 10 years old on vacation in France and tasted my uncle’s ‘Thé des Moines’ (Tea of the Monks) for the first time. It is a perfumed green and black tea, and I fell in love with the taste and fragrance. Now, whenever I have it, it makes me nostalgic for that childhood moment.
Q: What is the biggest barrier to people seeking out tea?
A: What we find is that some people don’t know how to make it – or think they don’t. So we try to provide easy-to-follow tips on how to prepare various teas. This has implications for how people enjoy tea. For example, some people think that green tea is bitter and that they don’t like it. We help them see that if green tea is made well, it is wonderful, and they often become a total fan of it. Too, all these exotic and nuanced teas are still quite new to most people so we consider it our mission to educate and help people discover the stunning world of tea.
Q: Where did the name ‘Le Palais des Thés’ come from?
A: Of course, it literally means The Palace of Teas which is a great name for the ‘royal treatment’ we give our teas and our customers! But it is also a play on words in French – ‘le palais’ also means ‘the palate.’ In addition, Le Palais des Thés also sounds like ‘le palais d’été’ which translates as ‘the summer palace’ and is a tribute to the summer palace in Beijing, China.
Q: What are your most popular teas?
A: The top three teas that sell very well are ‘Thé du Hammam,’ a green tea with berries that is wonderful hot or iced; the ‘Thé des Moines,’ a secret green and black tea recipe from Tibet; and the ‘Grand Yunan Impérial’ which is a lovely black tea from China, round and smooth in the mouth and very easy to drink. Coffee lovers like this last tea especially.
After our conversation and my recent visit to the Palais des Thés boutique on the Left Bank in Paris, I found it easy to see why tea is so popular in France. When you have a culture that is used to appreciating the nuances and characteristics of wines, then the leap to flavorful teas is natural. Le Palais des Thés even has a special line of seasonal teas made in small batches called ‘Grands crus,’ just like wine.
Choosing teas to buy is a pleasure at Le Palais des Thés stores due to the knowledgeable staff and also the chance to taste and smell the various teas. Although there is no place to sit down for a tea-and-pastry moment (several Paris restaurants and tea salons do serve the Palace of Teas’ offerings including Hermès on the Left Bank), the bright and airy boutiques making slow browsing and learning a must. And it’s hard to resist the wonderful teapots and other accessories, many of which are made especially for Le Palais des Thés.
Teas can be purchased loose or in muslin tea bags. The tea bag labels include helpful hints such as what time of day the tea can be best enjoyed as well as water temperature and steeping instructions. I am always tempted by the boxed tea selections which come with nine varieties of teas, each with six muslin teabags that are individually wrapped.
Entering a Palais des Thés boutique is a fascinating glimpse into the world of tea. In addition to the Paris shops, Le Palais des Thés has stores in major cities all over France. And two new boutiques are slated to open in New York later this year. If you haven’t tried this French company’s approach to tea, think about sampling some in your salon this winter season.
NB: If you are in Paris this winter, don’t miss the first ever museum exhibition devoted to tea at the Musée Guimet. Entitled “Le thé à Guimet – Histoire d’une boisson millénaire,” the show traces the history of tea over millennia. As part of the exhibition, visitors can taste the commemorative tea developed by Le Palais des Thés for the Guimet. The Guimet Museum is located at 6, place d’Iéna in the 16th arrondissement. The exhibition is on view through through January 7, 2013.
French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter
Tea lovers in the U.S. can also buy Le Palais des Thés’ teas on their U.S. website. The teabags and loose teas are well displayed and described. And the boxed tea samplers make great gifts for oneself or others who love tea.
And at ‘The Art of French Cooking with Susan Loomis’ event in Dallas this November, we’ll get to taste an assortment of teas from Le Palais des Thés…it’s just one of the many special tastings and activities at this exceptional culinary experience of France in the U.S.!