The Paris Cheese Shop Ina Garten Calls Her Favorite Worldwide
On a trip to Paris, celebrity chef Ina Garten has been sharing tips and recommendations for fans about visiting the European city on Instagram. Garten could be considered somewhat of an expert when it comes to the city of lights (she even wrote a cookbook titled "Barefoot in Paris"), so when she described one Parisian cheese shop as her favorite in the world, we had to take note. "Too much cheese; too little time! ... Barthélémy is my favorite cheese shop in the world and it's right around the corner," Garten wrote in her Instagram caption, sharing a series of photos from the shop.
Affineur and fromager Nicole Barthélémy has run her establishment with devotion and care for nearly five decades, recommending cheeses to customers according to the season and their plans so the perfect cheese board is always within reach. "Like a tiny lolly shop," Barthélémy described the atmosphere of the fromagerie to ChannelCheeseTV in 2014, "better to have a small shop really full, than a big one empty."
While there are of course many cheese shops in Paris, this one has built an impressive following over the years, and it's no wonder why. In addition to a glowing recommendation from Garten, Urbansider claims celebrities like Catherine Denuve and Charlotte Gainsbourg are known to frequent the store. The Paris travel blog also shares Barthélémy has been the official cheese supplier of Elysée Palace since the early 1970s.
A charming cheese heaven
Barthélémy is located in the seventh arrondissement, per Urbansider, the same area of central Paris home to the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars gardens, famous art museums, and countless outdoor cafes (via Paris Perfect). With a beautifully painted storefront and meticulous displays, it's no wonder travelers on TripAdvisor describe the small shop as a cheese heaven; Bon Appétit even calls Barthélémy a "master's degree in French cheese."
Not only does Barthélémy sell a plethora of styles and types of cheeses, but Condé Nast Traveler says the shop makes it, too, aging each batch to perfection. The Paris fromagerie has a cellar, from which cheeses are carried up to the shop floor using a set of stairs hidden beneath a trapdoor.
Should you find yourself in Paris, why not try the housemade Fontainebleau or ask for a recommendation from one of the knowledgable staff members that would be best enjoyed with a fresh baguette by the Seine? Who knows, maybe you'll be lucky enough to run into Garten in the shop or on the neighboring streets, and you can thank her for the excellent travel advice.