Visit Nina’s Paris Tea Salon

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French tea time is always a delight, and nowhere more so than at the beautiful petite salon de the Nina’s Paris Tea Salon. Truly a hidden gem in the heart of Paris, Nina’s Marie Antoinette Tea Salon is the perfect place to enjoy a cup of delicious tea along with their famous Ninasette cake. Often missed completely by tourists, you will love the sweet white and gold interior, the black tiled floor, and the decor. It is a reminder of the genteel side of Parisian life. Let’s Visit Nina’s Paris Tea Salon!

The Story of Nina’s Paris

The story of Nina’s in Paris began in 1672 when Pierre Diaz created La Distillerie Fréres. He was the first perfumer specializing in distilling natural essential oils. Mr. Diaz was known as the “Magicien des Arômes” {the wizard of aromas} and he soon became very popular for his skill of creating wonderful blended fragrances. He excelled at distilling rose and lavender essences that could be used to perfume gloves. He was the preferred supplier of the Versailles court during Louis XVI’s reign, and soon was a favorite of Marie Antoinette. She especially loved his rose and apple scents.

The name of the salon is rumored to have been inspired by Pierre’s wife, Nina. She created the famous “Ninasette” cake for Queen Marie Antoinette in 1778. The secret recipe has been handed down exclusively to the women in the Diaz family for centuries.

The Royal Garden

Not too far away from the palace, at Versailles, is Le Potager du Roi Versailles, or the royal kitchen garden. Set up in 1678 by King Louis XIV, who hired Monsieur Jean-Baptiste La Quintine as its first Fruitier. The King wanted his kitchen garden to be able to supply the best fruits and vegetables for his royal table at court, including out of season strawberries in January.

The royal kitchen garden has grown all organic fruit and vegetables for over 300 years, and has changed little during this time. It’s now on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The gardener’s developed over 60 different ways to grow fruit trees, and the garden today includes almost 200 different varieties of apples.

The Tea Salon

Nina’s Tea Salon is located in the middle of Paris at Place Vendrôme, in the 1st arrondissement. It’s a beautiful, feminine confection of a place, dressed in creamy white with golden gilt decorations and soft petal pink. It is popular with both French citizens as well as tourists, so if you are planning a visit, you may want to make reservations for tea.

Because the historical origin of Nina’s was about fragrance, the salon offers guests a chance to smell and learn about the different teas they serve and sell. The most popular is the signature original Marie-Antoinette Tea, which includes bits of handpicked apples and roses from the Versailles kitchen garden.

Nina’s is the place where Georgianna Lane launched her fabulous book Paris in Bloom a few years back, and Oh! how I wish we could all have been there. you can meet Georgianna HERE >

She has now moved to Paris with her husband who is also a brilliant photographer, to the Paris apartment of their dreams. She is so talented, I though you would want to know about Georgianna and her gorgeous work if you don’t already.

In honor of receiving our shipment of Nina’s of Paris Tea at FrenchGardenHouse, I’m having a GIVE AWAY for one of Georgianna’s Paris in Bloom Books! Just leave me a comment, and/or follow me on Instagram and let me know. Each one counts as an entry. One lucky winner will receive Georgianna’s book just in time to start dreaming of Paris. {this give away isn’t sponsored, just by me- because I love her and the book is stunning.}

Photo by Georgianna Lane

The Tea

The relationship of Nina’s Paris with the Royal Court of Versailles is something that the company really cherishes. Their “Thé de Marie-Antoinette” is the only tea in the world flavored with rose petals and fresh apples from Le Potager du Roi Versailes, in honor of the scent so beloved by Marie Antoinette. Nina’s Paris is the exclusive partner of the King’s Kitchen Garden of Château Versailles. The tea arrives in pretty tins in a delicate pink color, I think Marie would approve!

If you can’t get there just yet, I’ve imported these gorgeous teas straight to you for our Gift Collection this season. I chose my favorites, the pink tin with the Marie Antoinette loose tea, accompanied with the sweetest French sugars in pink and white rose shapes, and the white tin with Fete de Versailles loose tea.

I also love Nina’s Fete de Versailles Tea. It’s a special loose leaf black tea blend blended with the natural aromas of honey and cinnamon, orange pieces, safflower and cornflower. It arrives in this gorgeous white tin. Looks spectacular on your tea tray!

When you visit Paris, be sure to stop by Nina’s PARIS for tea, or to buy a souvenir or two. In the meantime – we have Nina’s Tea in our Fall Collection! Versailles Tea HERE > and French Marie Antoinette Tea Gift Set > HERE.

French Marie Antoinette Tea Gift Set >

Our Give away is now over. The winner of the GIVE AWAY for Georgianna Lane’s Book Paris in Bloom Is B. Potter! CONGRATULATIONS!