“Did someone say chocolate?” a child’s voice chirped, breaking the Parisian hum of Avenue Van Dyck. Tourists often stroll past number 5, none the wiser to its scrumptious past. Avenue Van Dyck, inaugurated in 1867, might be short, just a stone’s throw from the grand Parc Monceau. But hidden within its elegant facades lie stories as rich as a bar of Menier chocolate. You see, number 5 was once the opulent home of Émile-Justin Menier, the chocolate king of 19th century Paris. Imagine, if you will, carriages pulling up to this very spot. Ladies in their finery, gentlemen in top hats, all eager for a taste of Menier’s latest creation. The scent of chocolate, believe it or not, once wafted from this very building! Those intricate carvings on the facade? Rumor has it they were designed by Jules Dalou, a sculptor who clearly appreciated the finer things in life, just like Mr. Menier. Avenue Van Dyck might not be paved with chocolate, though I wouldn’t blame you for checking. But it’s a delicious reminder that even in the grand avenues of Paris, sometimes the sweetest stories are hidden in plain sight.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to