An exquisite sensory experience inside Palais des Thés

As soon as you enter the store, a wave of smells submerges you. The first thing you see when you step inside is the tasting container. The salesperson immediately comes up to you and softly asks you if you would like to taste today’s tea. You immediately feel welcomed, hot tea in hand and ready to begin your discovery journey.

For beginners like me, I was guided by the colored labels, to distinguish teas from detox composition, herbalist ones and infusions.

The tea samples are displayed inside glass bells, like for candles.

What first struck me is the placement of each item category. Indeed, at the level of your hands, you have the bells, so it is easier for you to reach them and smell each tea sample. At the level of the eyes, you have the tea metal cans. Priority is given to the latter’s I suppose because they are the most visually pleasing, whether be it the shape of the container and their own colors and images but also the most expensive ones. On the contrary, tea bags and refills are much lower, harder to attain and see properly. As you can see on the picture, the lighting strongly varies between “important” stalls and the less important ones. About the secondary products, meaning the tea accessories (pot, drainer, mugs) they are on the very top, even further for sight and reach.

At the center of the shop, there is a stall displaying packages, more especially gift boxes considering the coming holidays. In this way, when the customer wants to explore the different teas, he needs to navigate around that center stall.

Another important aspect of this in-store experience is the salesperson. Indeed, they are wearing aprons, like they were cooks or artists, which I found particularly funny. It underlines the quality of the tea but also their expertise in this field.

When I asked questions to one of them, she explained me, always with a soft and calm voice, the difference between the various types of tea and gave me advices on the ideal moment of the day to drink it, for which desired effect etc.

She also mentioned that if I wanted to smell other samples, there would be more at the back of the shop, in the big boxes. Indeed, they are such a large range of teas, they cannot all be exposed in samples. This proposition really gives a sense of exclusivity, to go “behind the scenes” and have access to a larger choice. Moreover, it encourages customers to consume in a more eco-friendly way by buying in bulk.

The general vibe inside the store is really zen and chill. I left feeling more calm and peaceful than when I entered. An element which contributes to this atmosphere, in part, is the absence of music. This voluntary choice was to monopolize the senses on smell and sight, instead of loosing and dispersing the customer’s focus on all fronts.

I am sure after closing this tab you will start looking for the closest Palais des Thés shop to get your own experience (if you do not already have one) !

Daphnée KORKMAZ