It's one of the world’s most beloved sweets, but few know much about it. At the Gourmet Chocolate Museum (Musée Gourmand du Chocolat) in Paris, taste your way through the evolution of chocolate as you trace its 4,000-year past, from mystical cocoa rituals in ancient Aztec tribes to the shiny chocolate treats you see gleaming in the store windows of posh Parisian chocolatiers. Sample a variety of chocolate products while witnessing how they're made, and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate at the end (if option selected). From the 1st July until 30 september 2016, have a break with the chocolatier and make your own chocolates in a 10-minute workshop : "French mendiants", chocolate discs with nuts and fruits (if option selected).

Paris’ Gourmet Chocolate Museum (Musée Gourmand du Chocolat) is the Van Belle family’s third Choco-Story museum, after Bruges and Prague. Located in central Paris, this chocolate museum gives a rich glimpse at the evolution of chocolate. All the descriptive panels are in English, French and Spanish, and there are children’s activities for your little ones, including a treasure hunt.
On your self-guided tour of the 2,789-square-foot (850-square-meter) museum, browse more than 1,000 original artifacts across numerous exhibits and demonstrations that recount the 4,000-year history of the cocoa bean in all its forms. Starting with the Olmecs, Mayas and Aztecs, learn about the important role cocoa played in ancient cultures.
Jump forward to 1502, when Christopher Columbus and his crew robbed a Mayan trader, and in the process, nabbed some cocoa beans. Unimpressed with the goods, he nonetheless brought the cocoa beans back to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella as a curiosity. By the end of the 16th century, the use of cocoa spread across Europe. 
You'll also see how the chocolate-making process has streamlined over the centuries. Watch demonstrations to discover the secret behind the shiny outer coat that makes chocolate treats so appealing, and taste some of the chocolate products made on-site. Enjoy the milky smoothness of Costa Rican chocolate, the superb melt-in-your-mouth fruitiness of Peruvian chocolate, the sweet aromas of cocoa beans from Vanuatu and more. And don’t feel too guilty about indulging today — as you’ll learn, chocolate has many health benefits!
At the end of your visit, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate (if option selected) and browse the museum shop to purchase any books, souvenirs or chocolate products you like.