Hotel Henri Meunier – Paris’ Secret Chocolate Palace

For me, it's the home of Ami and Tami (or, if you prefer, Hansel and Gretel), but actually not just for me...

And a story that went like this:

The story begins with Antoine Brutus Menier, born five years before the end of the 18th century, to a wealthy family. As an adult, he studied at the military academy, where he specialized in pharmaceutical matters. He served in Napoleon Bonaparte's army, participated in the failed invasion of Russia, and was one of the few who returned to Paris.

Upon his discharge from the army, he was employed at a hospital (Val de Grasse in the 21th arrondissement – ​​another place well worth visiting as a tourist rather than a patient) as a pharmacist. At the age of XNUMX, he married a wealthy woman and opened a thriving ‘tambourine’ in the Marais. The business spans many areas, but Antoine remains faithful to his old love – brewing potions and powders – and makes a living at this occupation.

He opened a factory in the city of Noisyelles on the banks of the Marne River, a city that over the years became the 'factory city' (like Eindhoven for the Philips company in the Netherlands): from 200 workers to thousands, schools built by the family, houses for workers, and a mayor's office that was the property of the family for 88 years until 1959.

The pharmaceutical factory that became the chocolate factory

The pharmaceutical association of the time (the Pharmacists' Guild) was furious about the charlatan sales (and the money he made) and demanded that he stop his unauthorized practice of medicine. Antoine agreed with their arguments and therefore, at the age of 42, he applied for pharmacy studies, graduating with distinction in two years – putting an end to their claims. Meanwhile, inside the thriving factory, cocoa powder was used here and there to coat particularly bitter pills.

Antoine's son, Emile-Justin, falls in love with this brown powder and tries to create different, unfamiliar flavors from it... At the age of 26, his father suffers a stroke and Emile-Justin becomes the owner of the house. And, as mentioned, he is a chocolate lover...

Emile purchases cocoa bean plantations in Nicaragua, plants sugar cane farms throughout France and sets up production lines for chocolate bars – not yet divided into cubes, as we know them today. At that time – Mennier chocolate was the only one produced in bars and identified with yellowish wrapping paper. The family continues to get richer and soars higher and higher. Of course, the descendants of the family continue to build grand houses, such as the (very!) magnificent Hôtel Mennier in the western corner of Parc Monceau (which is now divided into private apartments and can be viewed from the outside), and buys itself a beautiful castle – Chenonceau Castle in the Loire Valley (still owned by the family today) – in my humble opinion, the most beautiful of all French castles.

The Menya Family Chocolate House

The grandson, Henri Meunier, also wants a hotel, a mansion of his own, and if possible near Parc Monceau, next to the luxurious family hotel. He turns to architect Henry Faran and he builds him a grand house in a neo-Renaissance and partly neo-Gothic style. But the mansion should not only be elegant, but also remind everyone of the source of the family wealth. And it is indeed like that – reminiscent of a chocolate house – the witch’s house from which Ami and Tami ate…

Every time we stand in the yard and look around, we see chocolate, in its various shades of brown (and no, white chocolate, it's not chocolate...), we remember the flavors of chocolate, and the aroma of chocolate (the one that used to be at the end of Ramat Gan near the Elite chocolate factory).

Today, you too can enter Henri Menier's hotel. It serves as a conservatory and the home of the district's Bridge Society. After you've soaked up the chocolate sights with your eyes wide open, enter the main building - which has an elegant staircase. Go up slowly, leaning on the beautiful railing, hoping that the magnificent hall, which rises to a height of 12 meters, is open and will welcome you.

And what happened to the family business, the chocolate?

Well, as often happens, when moving away from the founding generation, the chocolate fire no longer burned among the descendants of the third generation (who needs to work hard when the castle of Nhonsho belongs to him…) and competition from the Swiss Philippe Suchard and the Dutch Van Houten – took its toll. In 1965, the company was sold to the global Nestle corporation.

But the chocolate house remains intact…

How to get there?

Well, it's very easy to get to and it's not that secret...
District: 8.
Metro station: Courcelles or Monceau
Metro: Line 2 (blue).
Henri Meunier's mansion (Hôtel Présidentiel) 8 Rue Alfred de Vigny 75008
And please do not confuse it with the luxurious 'Hotel Meunier' that stands on the corner of the street at the intersection with the beautiful Parc Monceau.

And what else is around?

Lots!
First of all – Parc Monceau. Breathtaking, stylish, elegant, and so beautiful…
At its western end was the Monnier Museum, and at its eastern end, the Sarnoushi Museum of Far Eastern Art.
In the southwestern part of the park – the Museum of Miracles of Camondo – with a sad family story.
Highly recommended! If you like, the de Camondo family is a Rothschild family originating from Istanbul, of which there is no male heir left.
Near Monceau Park:-

• The tiny, expensive and nice Poncela market.
• Alfred Dreyfus' apartment upon his release and acquittal on Rue Renaudes – a street lined with Art Nouveau houses.
• The Demi Monde brothel area he wrote about Emile Zola.
• The lovely Proslavic Church of St. Alexandre Nevsky

Want to live nearby?

The 8th arrondissement, where the Hotel Henri Monnier is located, is an aristocratic, quiet and beautiful district. If you want to live close to the place I mentioned, you should look for hotels and apartments around Parc Monceau. Also, note that Parc Monceau also borders the 17th arrondissement, where some of the places mentioned above are located (for example: Poncelet Market). So if you are looking for an authentic Parisian place, not the most central but not the farthest from the center, then the 17th arrondissement is also an excellent option.

So whether you decide to live in the 8th or 17th arrondissement, you can find recommended places to stay here:

• Recommended hotels in Paris
• Recommended vacation apartments in Paris