Incredible but true! At "Les Belles Envies", located on rue Monge, you can enjoy pastries, chocolates and cookies that are practically sugar-free... Yes, it's possible! You're thinking, "Okay, they've replaced the sugar with honey and that's it!". Not at all, friends: at Les Belles Envies, our pastries and chocolates have been specifically developed to achieve a very low glycemic index, 60% lower than a classic pastry. Coconut blossom sugar for pastries and maltitol for chocolates are the order of the day.
You may not know it, but sugar isn't the only thing that raises blood sugar levels. In fact, refined white flours have a glycemic index almost as high as sugar. At Les Belles Envies, you'll never find refined white flour. Instead, we use wholemeal or even semi-complete flours of various types, which, thanks to their fiber content, help to reduce the glycemic load. All pastry ingredients have been rigorously selected to meet strict, stringent specifications.
This initiative is the brainchild of Alixe Bornon, a diabetic since the age of 13, who couldn't stand the thought of not being able to enjoy the delights of desserts and other pastries because of her illness... She joined forces with Doctor Jean-Michel Borys, who dreamt of prescribing pastries and chocolates to his diabetic patients. Add to this chef Louis Taine, a pastry chef and chocolatier for the past 10 years, and you have a trio who are constantly on the lookout for new tastes and flavors, while always guaranteeing very low glycemic indexes.
In fact, all the store's products are tested to guarantee a glycemic index between 15 and 20, when a classic pastry reaches 70-80. No sugar, aspartame, stevia or other chemical sweeteners are added.
One of the best-of is the lemon tart. Usually very sweet because of the lemon, which has to be toned down, this version has nothing to envy it. Acidic and light, we love it.
Another success is the Chocolate Finger, which also has the advantage of being gluten-free (gluten intolerants beware, it's for you). Just grab your cake and relax with a cup of coffee or tea along the counter.
You'll also love the exquisitely fresh galet coco, also gluten-free. It combines shortbread, coconut ganache and Madagascar vanilla-infused pineapple heart, all enhanced with lime zest.
Every week, a new recipe is created to pass the tests. So not only can you indulge yourself, but you can also vary the delights. Let's be clear, just because the glycemic index is lower doesn't mean you have to gorge yourself on 4 of them at once... Above all, it's an opportunity for you to indulge yourself from time to time, to be able to eat a delicious dessert with your friends without any difference.
The place is also the temple of sugar-free chocolate. We love the tasty, elegant, sculpture-like creations, such as windmills and chocolate pencil pots. A whole aisle of chocolate bars and an array of chocolate bonbons await you. Enough to stock up and treat yourself to a pretty boxed set. Special mention for the raspberry-violet, which is to die for. Green tea with mint, orange and Sancho pepper or simply vanilla bourbon, the hardest thing to do is stop...
Add to this a delicatessen offering spreads, chocolate bars and travel cakes, and you've got yourself a real treat. Note that a second boutique is about to open at 17 rue Poncelet in the 17th arrondissement. Scheduled to open around May 20.
Discover the place in pictures :
Whether you simply want to pay attention to your diet, or are a type 1 or 2 diabetic, come and do your shopping in this atypical and gourmet place!
Practical info:
Les Belles Envies
3rue Monge
75005 Paris
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm
Sunday, 10am to 7pm
Count between €5 and €6.50 for a small pastry and between €16 and €38 for a large one to share.
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Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.
Dates and Opening Time
Next days
Sunday:
from 10:00 a.m. to 07:30 p.m.
Monday:
from 11:00 a.m. to 07:30 p.m.
Tuesday:
from 11:00 a.m. to 07:30 p.m.
Wednesday:
from 11:00 a.m. to 07:30 p.m.
Thursday:
from 11:00 a.m. to 07:30 p.m.
Friday:
from 11:00 a.m. to 07:30 p.m.
Saturday:
from 10:00 a.m. to 07:30 p.m.
Location
Les Belles Envies
3 Rue Monge
75005 Paris 5
Route planner
Accessibility info
Prices
pâtisserie: €5 - €6
grands gâteaux: €16 - €38
Recommended age
For all































