Fauchon in Paris

               

Have you ever been to Fauchon in Paris? The first time I went to Fauchon's was over twenty years ago. At that time it was the fore runner of designer grocery shopping. Where the salesclerks wore white gloves. Where if you weren't carrying a "Kelly bag" and wearing an Hermes scarf you felt out of place. At Fauchon's you could order any type of food, from anywhere in the world, and it would be yours, in a black and white Fauchon sack, in less than 24 hours.

               

Fauchon use to have a trademark style about it. An elaborate, chic, country flare style. Where antique wooden tables held edibles that were lavishly stylized. Such as eggs balancing a mile high, or exotic fruit pouring out of a cornucopia, with its perfumed air tempting you. Or expensive delicacies that made your eyes pop out of your head from curiosity. You couldn't touch anything. A salesclerk would take your order. He would wrap carefully each item in tissue paper, as if it were the queen's jewels. Though most customers sent a list and had it delivered.

               

But times have changed...  Fauchon is as chic as ever before, but with a more welcoming twist to it. Where tourists can walk-in, and eat sushi, as if it were a baguette with Camembert at the local bar. The interior has been renovated into a sleek, contemporary haven...where you can buy designer, ready-to-eat, on-the-spot, go-go-food.

At first I thought Fauchon had lost it's soul...it's personality, until...

               

When we were in Paris last week, Chelsea and Sacha took a peek into Fauchon. I noticed the two of them starring at a bushel of apples. As if the apples were golden and not as in Delicious, but rather real gold?!

               

Fauchon's apples stole their heart. They stood gawking at them. I thought to myself, "Am I missing something? Apples? What gives? I mean here we are in Paris, at Fauchon, and I thought their taste buds would burn for a petite four or something exotic, like I don't know what, but never did I think they would swoon over apples?"

               

"Honestly God, is my child starring at the basket of Fauchon's apples?" I asked myself.

I was certain I was going to drool a puddle of embarrassment if he continued to stare at them. So I tapped on the window and shook my head like only a Mother could do, and raised my hand, like Hello? Apples!

               

Sacha later told me the apples were each stamped with an intricate golden seal that said, "Fauchon." "They looked so cool!" He beamed.

Oh la la Fauchon is still at it, it can take a simple apple and make us think we are Eve in the Garden of Eden. Tempting us mortals into thinking it is heavenly!

Photos: Taken on the outside of Fauchon's looking in at Chelsea and Sacha.

Note: I thought about asking the driver if I could borrow his truck and do a little antiquing while in Paris.

Comments

[Gail]

Dear Corey,
As always, I love your posts! I went into Barnes & Noble today & had a clerk help me find a copy of Victoria magazine. O, la, la! What a wonderful article and pix of your lovely home. I would love to hire you to fix up my home. I wish I had your talent. There will be more pix in more magazines to come for you.
xoxo
Gail

[Lea]

those were indeed special apples... I bet that driver would have said yes...

XO

[shelley noble]

Wow, Corey! I LOVE especially that shot through the window of Chelsea looking so grown and young lady like and Sasha looking in profile so intently downward! Brava!

[TACE]

Cool photos. Very candid like! I wonder if the apples were actually for sale or if they were for decorative purposes.

[Pinkie Denise]

Oh, Corey
I love this post, Seeing Sasha and Chelsea through that window,I can seeing you watching...wow, this incredible world of blogging, its incredible too, whisking us across the lands and sea to be right there too. You enjoy your Sunday and we are trying to
stay warm and dry in the crazy storm........
Pinkie Denise

[Linda]

I love Fauchon but what happened to their Christmas decorations? They must have used up all of their budget putting gold labels on their fruit.

[Di Overton]

I have always loved Fauchon but a few years ago they opened a shop in The Marais and it wasn't the same, now it's closed. Fauchon is Place de la Madeleine as Hermes is Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré put them elsewhere and they are just not the same.
How wonderful that they stamped their apples with gold - who else but Fauchon would think of doing that?

[Elaine L.]

Such WONDERFUL photos of your beautiful children. Your posts are always wonderful!

~elaine~

[frieda]

Fauchon!? I did not know about it at all..

[Marie-Noëlle]

Have Chelsea and Sacha finally bought apples? ... or sachets of golden seals ???

[Jeanne]

Love you
Everything is Tres chic
I would love that place for certain.
Thanks for taking me on a tour of your world.
I always leave enchanted.
Love Jeanne

[marita]

fauchon's exuberant tempting style and display still seems to work, even luring the younger generations inside perfectly captured by your attentive look.
however i'm sure provence apples have more taste to offer without any sofisticated stamps or luxurious wrappings.

[Candy]

How interesting. I've never even heard of Fauchon. I love that you caught the two of them gawking at apples.

[Katy]

Wonderful place, I'll bet. Maybe you should buy a lot of those apples and keep the seals!
I also made a trip to Barnes and Nobel and bought the Victoria Magazine to see your article. Just yesterday I got the new Somerset Life, too. You go, girl!

[rel]

Corey,
Hmmm, nice! Something else to add to our list. ;)
rel

[Mary]

I remember looking in those windows, but just like Laduree, I was too nervous to enter - it all looked so posh.....and expensive! I "do" Harrods food hall when in London though - so amazing, and now and then treat myself to a little something tasty - well I did before the dollar plunged so drastically! Now it's fish 'n chips from a corner 'chippie'.
Chelsea & Sacha are being well trained in grocery shopping I see!

[Alison Whittington]

Ooooohhhh. I always thought (silly me) that Fauchon was a fancy bakery. Because years ago, my father, on a trip to Paris, bought me a forest green tin full of chocolate-chip cookies (yes, that's right, chocolate-chip cookies from Paris: "Palets Bretons auz perles de chocolat") frm Fauchon at 26 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris. If I'm reading the sticker correctly, they cost 36 francs.

I love this tin. I keep paints and art supplies in it, along with my Cadbury tin that he brought me from England. (Do you see a trend?)

After what you have written, I can see why he would have been in there. He's not much for bakeries, my father, but he adores gourmet grocery stores and white-glove service.

[Shannon]

Corey,

I'm dying right now. I thought I was on another website (sartorialist) instead of yours and I'm looking at the girl in the window and think "wow, she looks just like Chelsea" and so I look closer to see who this girl is with to see if I can recognize the other person, and I see that it's Sacha and my heart started beating a mile a minute. I think "I've got to tell Corey!! Does she already know??!! How exciting!!" And then I scroll down a little more and realize I'm on your website, LMAO!! OMG. I was so convinced that I was on the other webite, that my eyes didn't see your side bar!!

[Betty C.]

I remember going into Fauchon as a student in 1980 -- it was so unbelievably chic!

[Suzanne]

Corey, I'm still laughing with the image of your head and hand waving to Sacha at Fauchon's window!!! Honestly!

[Evelyn]

I have never had a desire to visit France ... but since reading your blog, I now have this deep, burning desire to visit and soon. I just have to get to the flea markets and fill up on treasures and now I have added Fauchon to my list as well. Thank you for such great inspiration!

[Beverly]

Isn't it amazing how something as simply as buying the necessary supplies of life can be turned into a trip to wonderland?

The pictures of Chelsea and Sacha are beautiful!

[Karen Cole]

Oh Corey....what a glorious life you lead.

The thing that makes blogging so utterly addicting is the fact that SO MANY things in this world become beautiful and perfect, when I wouldn't have noticed before. Apples....mmmm , truck, beautiful, reflection of truck, mezmerizing, box of apples, gorgeous....I could go on.

[jennifer Paganellli]

too funny!!!!!!!Everything they do down to the apples...love your blog and writing style you are too much..thanks for sharing your life in Paris...I'm saving my pennies..Jennifer

[clarice]

Oh I went to Fauchon 26 years ago. I can still remember it now. It was amazing and the window displays, of my gosh. I admit I am sad they changed but life goes one. Clarice-who love life the way is was in the past, but needs to be better about changes

[the farmers wife]

Corey - What a fabulous post. I live vicariously through you. Winter in Paris? Golden apples at Fauchon? Wow - the stuff of dreams I tell you. We're stuck out on the Illinois prairie dealing with coyotes and runaway hogs.....in need of some adventure and elegance, which you gladly provide. Thanks!

[Mari-Nanci]

Checking to see that my TypePad account works, this time. And it does. Wheeeeeeeeee!

No more need to copy and paste my info in here every time, in order to Comment.

Oh happy day!!!! ^_^

Mari-Nanci

[le petit cabinet de curiosites]

I would love this truck . Next time WE borrow it to go antiquing to Vanves

[tut-tut]

Great twist on photographing them! Love that logo, too.

[qualcosa di bello]

aaahhhh...yet another place on my go-to list! :)

[Di]

Wow - apples stamped with a Fauchon stamp! That truly would be an apple for the gods! I love looking in the windows of Fauchon - my last trip to Paris there were trees made of green and yellow maccaroons (sorry I am not sure of the correct spelling as out macaroons here in Scotland are sweets made by mixing potatoes with icing sugar and then dipping them in chocolate and coated in toasted coconut - not quite as refined as those in Paris!!)

[martina]

Sort of the way I felt visiting Harrods for the first time-but Fauchon sounds far classier. Does it smell wonderful in the shop? The smell of butter, fresh produce and fine cologne? I love the sweater and matching scarf Sacha is wearing. If only young American men would dress with such panache. Chelsea always looks glamorous.

[My Melange]

I went on my first trip to Paris...and loved it. Their vegetables looked so perfect, I thought they were wax....but them you walked up closer and realized they were REAL!!!

[Blondie]

I'm so un-cultured! I have never even heard of Fauchon's until today! It sounds lovely though!

[beachy]

Ooh la la is right! And you've given me inspiration, Corey!!! Hubby and I have a gourmet shop, and although we're not licensed to sell fresh produce, etc., we can certainly add a little French-flair to our window displays! hmmm Fauchon-a-la-CapeCod! lol Now if only we could get a truck like that! =)

[Tammy]

Oh Corey,
I always feel like I am in Paris when I visit your blog. Your children are beautiful and the apples look delicious. Someday if I make it to Paris, I will have to visit this store.

[Hasmin]

Love this...I'm getting to know Paris from a local's perspective. Fauchon's graphics are way coool, and loving the 6th photo of Chelsea & Sacha...hazy cool! I know Corey, I say love and cool way too much on my comments, but what more could I say? hmmm...maybe it's time for a thesaurus? :-)

[Rosemary]

Corey,
How temepting!! No I have never been, but will have to add it to my list of places to see while in Paris.
Lovely photos of the children!!
Rosemary

[phyllis]

Yes do! Ask that man for the truck! I'll be right over...amazing wonderful photos and cute story too...I love what I found on page soixante-deux of my new Victoria today!!!

[amydeanne]

sounds like quite the store! I love the shot of them staring at the apples.. too too funny!

What interesting history about the guessing game piece! throughly enjoyed reading it!

[Becca]

I have never been to Fauchon but they do seem to have the ability to market things beautifully! The photos of your children through the window are charming.

[Lynda]

Corey, how I've missed reading your blog! It's always a pleasure to travel to Paris with you ... only there would something as simple as an apple be turned into something so wonderful! Wishing you and your lovely family a very happy 2008! ~ Lynda xo

[rochambeau]

Dear Corey,
Beautiful photos of Chelsea and Sasha at Fauchon! Like them very much! interesting through the windows.

Congrats on your new post at Somerset!
You Go Girl!
Constance

[Betty @ She's Sew Pretty]

Oh Corey, you just have to tell! How much is one Fauchon apple?

[tommie]

corey-as I searched for apples this evening (upon arriving in town) I thought of you.....

[kathymcelroy]

I enjoyed my visit to your blog. You have beautiful children. Your photography is wonderful. It sounds like you live a fairytale life.
kathy

[Eclat]

I never knew Fauchon in Paris sold groceries! In NYC, they only sold chocolates...the location in NYC is closed now. I was sad to see it go...I wanted to have my "moving to France" party there. :0)

[Travelingmama]

I wonder what a gold seal would taste like? Hmmm... but if you take it off then it's just an apple, right?

[Caffienated Cowgirl]

And now I know where we will be visiting on our upcoming trip to Paris!

[mikaelah]

so great to come here and go on a little excursion with you!

[susanna]

I laughed out loud as I often do when reading your posts, Corey. I can just imagine you standing outside, tapping the window, gesturing, What? Apples?! at your kids. Well, I suppose it makes sense...you find beauty in the little things, too. And I couldn't help but notice that your children know how to wear scarves with style! Sigh...only in France... :)

[lucinda]

i adore fauchon - particularly for their madeleines. right now there is a fancy tin of them on my desk - which my indulgent friend jacqueline brought me back from Paris last week. alas, she kept the shopping bag...

[Merisi's Vienna for Beginners]

Corey, this is a wonderful story!
The images are exquisite, my favorite is the truck: The reflection and the repetition of the black and white, sublime!