:::: Dalloyau

This is one of Paris's landmark patisseries. Dalloyau (pronounced Dall-why-o) has been making its own chocolates and pastries since 1802 and to maintain a reputation of excellence for 200 years is some achievement. Everything in Dalloyau is luxury personified.

The pastries are works of art, each tasting even better than it looks. Forget the calories that you may be downing for one of those divine treats and enjoy the indulgence. It is obvious that the only chocolate taken seriously by the French is dark and as rich as possible.

Of the sweet delights, the Opera is legendry - layer upon layer of textured chocolate. In a similar vein there is the equally sinful Louvre - shaped like the Louvre pyramid and consisting of a dark chocolate exterior protecting an even richer filling of chocolate mousse.

To make up the top 3 chocolate temptations, try the Chocolate Royale. Chocolate coating covering chocolate sponge and interspersed with layers of chocolate mousse.

As a lighter alternative the fresh summer berries in a creamy Crème Brule like base is so wonderfully subtle and airy that it takes your breath away. It's true that no one makes pastry like the French. Although not sampled by this reviewer, the croissants from Dalloyau are meant to be amongst the best in Paris. The early Sunday morning queues are testimony to this.

For those who prefer to stay off the sweet (if you don't sample their desserts though you will never forgive yourself) there are some expensive light packed lunches to choose from. You can also sit down and have lunch or Tea at Dalloyau's restaurant, which over looks the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens. However, you are probably better off buying the extra pastry or two for the amount you will have to pay to sit in and then going off to the adjacent Luxembourg Gardens and eating there.

Dalloyau is a wickedly divine treat and not one to be missed. You may even lose weight in the long run because believe me once you have sampled Dalloyau's delights you are unlikely to want to eat any other pastry.