One of the greatest pleasures of a Parisian life is the hot chocolate. Thick liquid heaven. Rich, but so delicious you would never share and you do drink it all. An art some special places have just got down pat but failed to share with the rest of the world. I die for the sweet treat, taken for afternoon tea, in pretty tearooms and boutique cafes across the country. Best with a macaroon (look no further than the Ladurée tearooms - there's actually a cute, but expensive little one at Versailles) or pain au chocolat. The chocolat de maison or chocolat chaud specialité, as it is called, is never cheap, generally somewhere around €7, but never dissapoints. 

My very favourite place to take a chocolat was Angelina's - tearooms not far from Le Louvre. To match they had the most amazing, to die for cakes. I mean I have had delicious things in NZ, but never has cream been whipped so to such a fluffy cloud. The icing dribbled across the speciality - the "mont blanc" - melted on my tongue. I do not lie when I say that it was the most delicious thing I ever ate. I went back several times. Do not miss it! 

My recommendations:

Les Deux Magots

6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés 75006

(Bit snobbish, but pull on some nice threads, smirk back at the waiters and have your treat - this place is famous and they like to take it out on the tourists now. Ignore them.)

Café de Flore

172 Boulevard Saint-Germain 75006

(Just down from Les Deux Magots is another fancy joint, which is famous for having provided Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre with their espressos as they philosophised. Kate Moss has been known to visit - it's one of her favourite spots in Paris. She even did a shoot there recently. Same advice as Les Deux Magots. Don't try and share a hot chocolate though. Goodness no! C'est impossible mademoiselle!)

Angelinas

226 Rue de Rivoli 75001

(Perfect after a morning spent in Le Louvre. Possibly my favourite place in all of Paris. Almost.)

le Loir dans la Théière

3 Rue des Rosiers 75004

(Bit more indie and a lot more casual. A great place to drop in to for a slice of home made cake and the hot chocolate that seems to flow endlessly from your little jug after a hard day's vintage shopping in Le Marais.)

Me, a teeny bit excited, at Angelina's.

I would love it if anyone knew of somewhere in Auckland (or even NZ) that I could get hot chocolate like I have described and could tell me where that is.