I took the tour with a friend and we were a little surprised to see a large group (20 people) waiting when we arrived at the Mulot store and workshop on rue de la Glacière in the 13th arrondissement. Edd’s tour 3 years prior had been a small group of 5 people which would have been a much better size for such a small space where the tour takes place (it is, after all, a working kitchen!). For our tour, they split the group into 2 and one half of us headed to the macaron kitchen whilst the other took the tour of the chocolate-making kitchen. Still, 10 people in the tiny kitchen where they produce over 1000 macarons a day is a lot!
When we arrive, we’re greeted by a huge amount of nougat macarons cooling, being filled and waiting to be packaged…
The tour is conducted in French with a translator but, speaking fluent French, I noticed that the translation was often just the basics. If you asked him (and you can bet I did!) Chef was very happy to answer questions and divulge many of their “secrets” (knowing that without all the equipment and expertise, knowledge doesn’t really do you all that much good!) and for someone like me who is fascinated by the process of macaron-making, I was interested in way more that our guide was offering in her translations. I admit that I am probably not your ordinary guest! I guess it also depends on who is your guide and, in fact, ours was conducting her first tour, so perhaps was getting an idea of how much/ little needs translating (I don’t imagine it’s easy – trying to gauge people’s interest in the actual process of making macarons versus their interest in eating them!).
We got to see the neat macaron-piping machine in action. So cool, but I do enjoy the process of piping myself – it’s very therapeutic!
For €22 per person, this is definitely one of the cheaper “food tours” in Paris but it clocks in at just over an hour, so it’s also one of the shortest. For me, though, it was totally worth it and my friend (who doesn’t even make macarons, she just enjoys eating them!) thoroughly enjoyed it also.
Useful links:
Meeting the French
Meeting the French – workshop visits
Meeting the French – Gérard Mulot chocolate and macaron workshop
Meeting the French – behind the scenes at Mulot on Paris Breakfasts
Meeting the French – behind the scenes at Mulot on the Boy who Bakes
Meeting the French – behind the scenes at Mulot on Mélanger