TeaChat

I just heard good things about this place in Paris, and was wondering if anyone had every visited it?

http://www.mariagefreres.com/boutique/UK/welcome.html

I've been there. You should know that they have several stores/tea rooms in Paris, though. One is in the Louvre, for instance.
It's a nice place to go with someone to have a cup of tea. I don't know who you're travelling with but for those who don't like hot tea, they also have drinks like iced tea/fruit juice "cocktails" that weren't bad at all.
Obviously, you can also buy all kinds of tea in the store and some teaware.

Downsides:
- Very expensive, in fact it's rather overpriced.
- The teas I had there (1 Japanese, 1 Chinese) were all brewed "western style" rather than traditional. They were still good though.

That being said, it was still a very enjoyable experience. It's just great to enter a store that is so fragrant and all about tea
I would definitely check it out if you have the time.

Oh! Looks very posh, I hope you have a great time there. I've been to the Louvre, granted I was only 6 and didn't really appreciate tea yet

Reputation of these stores in France is not so good. It is posh, very expensive, and even if you manage to find some nice tea (which is not easy), you will pay for it, more than you would have paid in a specialized shop. Nice place to have a cup of tea though, but there are way more interesting things to do in Paris.

David R. wrote:Reputation of these stores in France is not so good. It is posh, very expensive, and even if you manage to find some nice tea (which is not easy), you will pay for it, more than you would have paid in a specialized shop. Nice place to have a cup of tea though, but there are way more interesting things to do in Paris.

MARIAGE FRÈRES is to France as Teavana is to USA perhaps, sort of.

I don't know Teavana, but if you are talking about a shop with plenty of rich old ladies, rising their pinky "english-style" while sipping on a very expensive but poor quality tea, you may be right !

I fear there may be a lot of tourists in these shops actually.

Chip wrote: MARIAGE FRÈRES is to France as Teavana is to USA perhaps, sort of.

I don't think so.

They have some very good teas, especially their Gold needles, Saphir Himalaya (ask Victoria!) and Gold Himalaya.

I've been to the Rive Guache location. Let me just say that it is NOT the European Teavana. Sorry, no.

Yes, it is expensive. I found the service to be snooty, but this is Paris, alas. I still had a good time and can recommend going there. I would get black tea or something we would consider English, or "Western" style. It does not make sense at all to order, at the shop or online, Oolongs or Japanese tea. You can get as good or better from other places. It's really more the exclusive pinnacle of Western tea tradition. That said, it was 6 years ago I was there and things may have changed somewhat...but I doubt it.

As long as you don't try to make it something it isn't, you'll be fine.

David R. wrote:I don't know Teavana, but if you are talking about a shop with plenty of rich old ladies, rising their pinky "english-style" while sipping on a very expensive but poor quality tea, you may be right !

I fear there may be a lot of tourists in these shops actually.

You're half right. There will be raised pinkies, but you'd have to look pretty hard to find bad tea. Look around and you may see someone like Dame Maggie Smith!

I have heard some good about their Darjeeling and other black teas to be totally fair. But I am not into black teas.

I am not familiar with this Maggie Smith. Impressive filmography though.

David R. wrote:I have heard some good about their Darjeeling and other black teas to be totally fair. But I am not into black teas.

I am not familiar with this Maggie Smith. Impressive filmography though.

Maggie Smith has played nearly every posh old woman in any film ever made. She's currently hilarious in "Downton Abbey" on PBS (the show isn't a comedy though).

My experience of the place (MF) is based on my understanding of tea at that time. I really don't think it's that bad, but many active TC'ers would not be in to most of their offerings. I think a more accurate comparison than Teavana would be Harney and Sons here in the states.

tortoise wrote:

David R. wrote:I have heard some good about their Darjeeling and other black teas to be totally fair. But I am not into black teas.

I am not familiar with this Maggie Smith. Impressive filmography though.

Maggie Smith has played nearly every posh old woman in any film ever made. She's currently hilarious in "Downton Abbey" on PBS (the show isn't a comedy though).

My experience of the place (MF) is based on my understanding of tea at that time. I really don't think it's that bad, but many active TC'ers would not be in to most of their offerings. I think a more accurate comparison than Teavana would be Harney and Sons here in the states.

Is she in Tea with Mussolini? I could be wrong though since I am not good at recognizing faces

gingkoseto wrote:Is she in Tea with Mussolini? I could be wrong though since I am not good at recognizing faces

Yes, she is.