Berthillon (on Île St Louis) has been the reference forever (an ice cream discovery during my student years when my roommate and I used to walk across town…after studying all day on weekends to reward ourselves with “deux boules”), but serious competitors have joined.

For me, only the Italians surpass us so I love to treat myself to vanilla or coffee (or both) or hazelnut praline at Grom, from Piedmont (81 rue de Seine, 6th)…superb ice creams; or for Sicilian sorbetto like beet or lemon sage at Galeria Siciliana (41 avenue de la Bourdonnais, 7th); or at one of Raimo’s (59-61 blvd de Reuilly, 12th, or 17 rue des Archives, 4th, or 65 blvd St Germain, 6th) for basil-lemon, ginger or orange blossom…oh so refreshing.

Ice creamly yours, Mireille