Paris is home to Berthillon, the historic ice-cream maker founded in 1954.
Berthillon is based on Île Saint-Louis, an island in the Seine at the heart of Paris. The company became known for carefully made ice creams and sorbets, with an emphasis on pronounced ingredient flavors and seasonal fruit. Its shop became a destination for visitors exploring the island.
Berthillon is often discussed alongside French glacier culture, where “glacier” means an ice-cream maker or frozen-dessert shop. It is not an Italian gelateria, although both traditions produce churned frozen desserts and may offer similar flavors.
The company’s reputation is tied to Parisian location as much as to its recipes. Île Saint-Louis is one of the central historic islands of Paris, making the shop particularly associated with the city’s food-tourism landscape.