Berthillon is a French manufacturer and retailer of luxury ice cream and sorbet, with its primary store on the Île Saint-Louis in Paris, France. The company is owned and operated by the Chauvin family, descendants of the eponymous Monsieur Berthillon, who opened the first store in 1954.
Berthillon sells its ice cream in bulk and by the scoop from its shop on the island, but many other retailers in Paris sell its ice cream in cones and cups, and some grocers sell larger amounts. Berthillon's fame derives in part from its use of natural ingredients, with no chemical preservatives, artificial sweeteners or stabilizers. Its ice creams are made from only milk, sugar, cream and eggs. Flavourings derive from natural sources (cocoa, vanilla bean, fruit, etc.). Fifteen flavors are produced everyday by the chefs depending of the season, the availability at the market and the customer's demand. In total about sixty different flavors are produced by the Maison Berthillon throughout the year.
Many consider Berthillon to be the best ice cream of Paris and maybe of France. It is annually visited by Parisian, French tourist but also people from all over the world looking for delicious and flavorful ice cream or sorbet.
Like many family-run Paris businesses, Berthillon may be closed for part of the summer (usually the last two weeks of August)but you still can find their ice cream at the numerous retailers in the streets of the Ile Saint Louis. Competitors to Berthillon in Paris include other local purveyors, as well as a few multinational chains, such as Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs and the local chain, Amorino.