Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Free Cone Day in Paris


Just like everywhere in the world apparently, anybody could walk into a Ben & Jerry's today and get a free ice cream! I went to one of their sales points today in the Saint Germain area to check and, well, yes, it was true! Of course, it was not exactly the best day to do this in Paris because not only has it been pouring all day, but it was very cold too! Of course you will ask "why on earth would a Parisian go to Ben and Jerry's whereas the best ice creams are to be found at Berthillon?" Well, maybe because Berthillon has only one outlet (and a few resellers, OK), because they have a lousy website with no English version, because they're not open on Mondays and Tuesdays, because they don't deliver, they don't accept credit cards...). LOL!

63 comments:

  1. I'm very envious as I wanted to go to Ben and Jerry's today. However the nearest one is over an hour away, so no free ice cream for me. But I'll be leaving for Paris in 5 days, so that makes things better...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cool that you found a Ben & Jerry's at which to take this fun photo. Even if it was rainy and cold, a free cone's a free cone!Did you know about the event beforehand, or just stumble upon it? Hope you got some ice cream, even if it isn't like Berthillon. (If so, which flavor did you get?)Thanks for reminding me about this, as I can go get my free cone tonight!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ha Ha, the sexy passionate side of Eric. Hello, so much passion in your comment about the hows and whys of ice cream in Paris. I wasn't content on getting a free cone. I bought a pint of Low Fat frozen yogurt "Lighten Up! Cherry Garcia" by Ben & Jerry's. It has pieces of chocolate and cherries in it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Same horrible weather in London today. Not exactly the best here either... but who would have thought such temperature end of April ?!! Crazy weather, Loic
    http://brohardphotography.blogspot.com
    http://www.photo.net/photos/Loic Brohard

    ReplyDelete
  5. Berthillon ice cream is very good but I think very expensive and their store on Ile St. Louis is a little out of the way. But, if you're in Paris on a sunny day, it is a rare treat indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ALL the way across the pond, in North Carolina, it was also cold today. Very strange for late April.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It is cold and sunny here today, but my daughter is eating ice cream right now! I personally LOVE their Karamel Sutra ice cream. It is my favorite, followed by Cinnamon Buns.

    My new favorite ice cream is a Haagen Daaz flavor though, and tied to France. It is called Fleur de Sel and has salt from Brittany in it. Mixed with caramel, of course. The sweet and the salty are just heavenly!!

    Hope you enjoyed it lots!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love ice cream any day, any time of the year. Welcome Paris to Ben & Jerry's! So gooooood!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. IIIICCCCCEEEE_CCCCRRREEEAAAMMM*mouth waters* Well that sounds pretty neat. I for one have never been to Ben&Jerry's I can hear the gasps. I have always wanted to go maybe I will..hmm.By the way Eric I love the picture as always.But did you sit on the floor to take it? :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. I´d love to be in Paris during the free cone day, I´ve been reading about it for at least 2 years. Free or not free, I always stop by Ben & Jerry for a cone. And by Berthillon too of course. I love their variety of flavours.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Louis la Vache is VERY picky about ice cream. He only likes TWO kinds: home made and store bought.......
    Ahhhh....Berthillon! When Louis lived in Paris, he lived close to Berthillon......

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ithink I read about the free Ben and Jerry's icecream in the Paris metro. Was it crazy? There is no outlet in Scottsdale, unfortunately. I will have to console myself with a pint of my favorite Hagan Daz.Sorry, thighs.
    I read a few yrs. ago that there was a contest to name a new flavor. The journalist who wrote the story won, as she came up with Carmel Sutra.Great name.
    One day, Berthillon will become more capitalistic and consumer friendly!!! Which brings to mind Galeries Lafayette. Last Monday,I couldn't figure out why they weren't rushing everyone out at 7:30pm.It was because it was the very first day they were staying open till 8pm. It seems that Printemps and Galeries are now going to be open till 8pm every night (I couldn't figure out if it was open Sun after 12pm) to be in line with the other major dept. stores around the world. Berthillon, your holdout days are numbered.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Crazy Daisy,
    I've got a silly one too,

    Je CRIE -- VOUS CRIEZ -- TOUS LE CRI -- POUR LA GLACE

    I SCREAM -- YOU SCREAM -- WE ALL SCREAM -- FOR ICE CREAM

    BTW everyone, I am not going to eat the whole pint in one sitting. It will take several nights. I like to eat it in the evening while watching films on TV (usually documentaries). I know, you are thinking, boring. Hey, that is what my night life has come to.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just walked by a Ben & Jerry's on my way home from work, and I stopped counting at 80 people in line. Yes, EIGHTY + people willing to stand in line for heaven knows how long for a free ice cream!! I guess I'll have to pay for my own New York Super Fudge Chunk. I do always try to get a cone at Berthillon when in Paris though. I LOVE their sorbets.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Well, Lois,I think that is a FUN way to conjugate French verbs!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I agree with christie - Haagen Dazs is the way to go. When Ben & Jerry's sold to a big-time corporation, the ingredients took that fateful downturn to using shortening. Most Haagen Dazs varieties are real food all the way. A peek at their website says they were giving away ice cream too! Hey! Where was I when this was happening!?

    ReplyDelete
  17. got to my local B&J's at half seven tonight and the queue was just too long, i don't understand why i wanted ice cream anyway when it was so chilly tonight. the things we do for freebies...

    ReplyDelete
  18. ps. we stopped by for warm coffee instead - but starbucks was only the nearest coffee around...

    ReplyDelete
  19. Can anyone help me with the sign? What does "les morceaux qui dépotent" mean?

    ReplyDelete
  20. i always wanted to interview the people who wait up to an hour in line for a free ice cream cone about whether they would wait in line for an hour to vote.

    ReplyDelete
  21. So when all of you get together for your fabulous picnic, why not take some VIDEO, so we can participate. Make it "Short and Shallow," like Frog on a Blog and share it with the world. Or all of the PDP world anyway. We want to see and hear you all! And who is bring the ice cream anyway?

    ReplyDelete
  22. We LOVE Ben & Jerry's! We enjoyed a cone after dinner just the other night, although it wasn't free - far from it. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Got my Ben&Jerry's. And it was good. It was a lovely first time. I got Imagine Whirled Peace. Delicious!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Here in Aspen, it was a beautiful spring day and since it's off-season, there aren't very many people in town so there wasn't much of a line at all. The Ben & Jerry's is directly across from the park so the park was host to a number of families while they enjoyed their free ice cream.

    ReplyDelete
  25. marti, I think it means that every ice cream is not free; or something like that. However, I learned French at home. So, I was one of those kids who really didn't listen to everyone talking -- since they were older than me. And, I would answer them in American-English (if I could get away with it). Spoiled, huh.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I heard Ben and Jerry uses environmental-friendly ingredients? If so, that's good.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Okay, I am going to comment on Eric's photo for a change.

    I love the way he captured the peoples' hands. As you may or may not know, in art school, you have many long and grueling hours drawing, painting and sculpting peoples' hands (and feet).
    First there is the young woman holding an ice cream cup and spoon, next a young woman holding an ice cream cone with her fore finger extended. Next is the young woman -- her hand looks like she is going to go into a ballet hand position. Next we have the business man holding the brief case. Then the young man holding an ice cream cone. And last, the man with his hands in his pockets.

    If you had been in one of my classes, I am sure the professor would have given you 100% on hand composition.

    Excellent! Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  28. LOL Louis LaVache.

    There used to be a place in Enghien les Bains (near Paris) where the ice cream was simply to die for. My favorite was "glace aux marrons" (like chestnut-spread taste? only better and lighter) but they had many, many flavors and people drove there from Paris and environs. We went back a couple of years ago to see what happened to the place. The proprietor was still in business, but now he had a *huge* business. Clearly, word got out. The ice cream was still to die for. I just wish I could remember the name of the place, though.

    ReplyDelete
  29. And then, there is that last little hand with a bright green shirt peeking out RIGHT between Mr. Dark green shirt's pants(that's trousers to you, UKLynn).You were much too polite to comment on it, Lois!

    ReplyDelete
  30. LOL Louis LaVache!!!

    How did I miss this yesterday! Oh I know, I was WORKING! Silly me!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Mmm... I love Berthillon!! I made two trips to Paris before I found them open for business (guess I must have gone on a Monday or Tuesday...) I love their ice cream cones that have a spot for a scoop on each side. Two is better than one!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I clicked on the photo to enlarge, and noticed the raindrops on the man's briefcase. I wanted to see the rain in the photo because Eric said it was raining in Paris. Those raindrops really took me there.

    I suppose it's not too late for me to go get free ice cream, but the closest Ben & Jerry's I know of is in Burbank. It's late, I don't want to go out. Kind of chilly here today, too. Relatively speaking, of course.

    Where has Pont girl been? And SUZY SUZY SUZY? Busy, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  33. phx-cdg
    "And then, there is that last little hand with a bright green shirt peeking out RIGHT between Mr. Dark green shirt's pants(that's trousers to you, UKLynn).You were much too polite to comment on it, Lois!"

    Yes, I was not going to mention that - because of composition. In painting, I just paint that out. Artistic license -- I have that.

    LOL for bringing that to everyones' attention. It's real!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I am enjoying the pop arty cows in this photo. The afro and mohawk are certainly eye catching.. ahhhh marketing...

    ReplyDelete
  35. Ben and Jerry passed out free Cherry Garcia ice cream in San Francisco when Jerry Garcia passed away. It didn't feel like a marketing ploy. It was a sweet dairy ode to the Bay Area musician. People were crying in the streets, his music was blaring from every window...

    ReplyDelete
  36. Without question;there's only ONE place to buy ice cream in Paris :
    Glacier Berthillon.
    After the PDP picnic you should all go there and have raspberry icecream and fig sorbet in a two scoop cone. Then the rest of us will be really jealous(as if we're not in the first place) ;)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hi Petrea - I missed you all here at PDP & beyond - crazy busy at work + man troubles... No worries though, I'm glad to be back!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Welcome back Pont Girl! MEN!

    Hey everyone, I just found this blog post about PDP and CDP you might want to check out:

    http://thecreme.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/how-do-you-say/#comment-11

    ReplyDelete
  39. It's 9am, I'm at work, and hungry. Before starting work, I come here to check for a new post, and find a Ben and Jerry's post - I love their ice cream.

    So thank you for making me even more hungry now, Eric :(

    ReplyDelete
  40. OK Michael you beat me by 30 minutes! The Creme de la Mode lady (I'm not sure the author is a lady actually, nothing says soon her/his blog...) wrote an email to let me know.

    It's actually very well written and witty (just like all comments in this box, needless to say!). I like that.

    Tomorrow is the 1st of May, Labor Day in France so we don't work ;)

    ReplyDelete
  41. I certainly hope you are not implying that because the blog is witty it couldn't possibly be written by a lady, Eric....? LOL. No clearly not.

    I didn't even know Ben & Jerry's have their own shops. There, that's how sheltered i am. No idea where there is one near to me in the UK. In fact, anything free in the UK would make headlines i think. Free ice cream? I just can't imagine it. How the other countries live, huh?

    Eric i so applaud your critique of bad service. I do so on my blog too if i find it. I get so fed up with nicey-nicey reviews of places which obviously leave a lot to be desired. In fact, i want a column. About honest reviews of service, retail and experience. Well, about anything would be good....

    ReplyDelete
  42. Once again, down on your knees Eric! ;)
    I have never eaten B&J's ice creams! I have eaten a lot of Berthillon ones but as Eric said they're not very commercially shrewd...it's so good any way.

    To answer Marti, "dépoter" is a verb which means "to take from the pot/jar", and in French slang it also means something like "it rocks", the sentence means about "the pieces which rock!". It's a play on the words, kinda double-entendre. I'm not really able to translate it... :S But this verb is not any more used nowadays: a little bit cheesy!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Eric
    "Tomorrow is the 1st of May, Labor Day in France so we don't work ;)"
    You don't mean we won't have our daily photo, do you? You know we're all addicted... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  44. Ice cream >heat >summer >holidays ... Ahh Stop it Eric ;)... Too hard to work with all that temptation :() ... Though, the grey sky in Paris today (& yesterday, I can confirm it) should invite me to ... only work! Well... not really... Vivement demain...

    ReplyDelete
  45. Perhaps you mean decant, Guille? Though it doesn't have any colloquial meaning to it other than to pour from one vessel to another.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Sounds like Ben and Jerry's would be the place to go in Paris under the circumstances you suggested. Nice photo.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Yes it is true B& J's free scoops were everywhere around the world & I missed it! Next time I will be early. Like Petrea, I too clicked on the photo & enjoyed those raindrops too!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Lois "Je CRIE -- VOUS CRIEZ -- TOUS LE CRI -- POUR LA GLACE

    I SCREAM -- YOU SCREAM -- WE ALL SCREAM -- FOR ICE CREAM

    LOLLLLLLL!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Berthillon IS the best. I was in Paris in February a few years ago, and went there for ice cream even though it was snowing!
    But Ben & Jerry's is good, too (Cherry Garcia) -- and free is free, after all.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Marie,
    "Ben and Jerry passed out free Cherry Garcia ice cream in San Francisco when Jerry Garcia passed away....People were crying in the streets, his music was blaring from every window...."
    I remember that. You wrote that so beautifully.

    Alexa! Going for ice cream when it is snowing -- that's crazy! I'm still smiling at that one. You're funny

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thanks, Michael! Thanks for the link to! Eric, if you get much more famous... :)

    ReplyDelete
  52. After phx's discussion of the department stores, I wonder if Samartaine is open yet? I still want to have lunch on the roof. What's up with that this year?

    ReplyDelete
  53. Marie: great comment on Jerry Garcia's passing! Awesome little slice of life :)

    ReplyDelete
  54. The Samaritaine is still closed Jeff. And for a long time obviously. You have to find an other roof to have lunch!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Jeff may I suggest the restaurant at the top of Pompidou?

    ReplyDelete
  56. Monica, good one but...6,50 euros for a tea, qui dit mieux?
    The Quai Branly Museum roof top restaurant is to try. I've never been but it seems to be nice. What's more, you probably see the Eiffel Tower and the Seine from there...

    ReplyDelete
  57. Thib "Eric
    "Tomorrow is the 1st of May, Labor Day in France so we don't work ;)"
    You don't mean we won't have our daily photo, do you? You know we're all addicted... ;-)"

    You must have been kidding Thib... Can you imagine a day without a new photo on PDP? I can't LOL...

    ReplyDelete
  58. In Eric we trust.

    Guille, 6,50 euros... c´est pas bon! Quai Branly Museum seems to be just the right place then.

    ReplyDelete
  59. I guess it was free Ben and Jerry's cone day internationally. We had free cones yesterday here in San Francisco, too. I can't tolerate crowds or lines (or ice cream; I'm sadly lactose intolerant), so no B&J's for me. But I would have braved billions (and a tiny tummy ache) for a little scoop of Berthillon. Mmmm ... Berthillon. Next best thing to gelato in Italia! (Sorry, but even the French must admit that good gelato trumps the best of Berthillon.)

    ReplyDelete
  60. yes, it's also in Singapore. but colleagues who happen to walk past said there were long long long lines of students queuing for it. it will take 1 hour's wait to get it.

    ah.. does berthillon delivers worldwide like the famous french bread poilane? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  61. Great angle! And why is it on free cone day I'm about a 1000 miles from a Ben and Jerrys?

    ReplyDelete