Airports have a key role to play in championing a city’s or country’s craft, culture, tastes and traditions. For visitors they offer the first and last impression of the locality, for that city’s citizens they provide a source of civic pride. An arts & culture programme connects passengers to a place in the same way an airport connects them to the world. Many airport companies embrace that role with pride and passion as we explore in our regular column.
FRANCE. Premium French chocolate house Valrhona has teamed up with Extime Duty Free Paris (the joint venture between Lagardère Travel Retail and Groupe ADP) to promote its upcoming Eggxtraordinaire art exhibition at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
From 24 March to 20 April, travellers can experience a sneak peek of the art exhibition curated by Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Frédéric Bau, ahead of the main showcase opening on 3 April at Galerie Joseph in the Marais district, with Valrhona as an official partner.
The exhibit will bring together pastry chefs, painters, chocolatiers, sculptors and multidisciplinary creators to present their own egg-inspired creations.
Valrhona’s longstanding support of the initiative reinforces its commitment to culinary and artistic craftsmanship, integrating select artworks into its airport activations.
These will include creations from renowned culinary artists such as Frédéric Bau, Pierre Hermé and Patrick Roger, each with a distinctive take on the theme.
An ultra-limited travel retail exclusive
The campaign features an ultra-limited Eggxtraordinaire chocolate tablet, with only 2,000 units available exclusively at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, on Extime’s ecommerce platform and at the Paris exhibition from 3 April.
This gourmet tablet is crafted from Valrhona’s Hukambi 53% dark-milk ombré chocolate with puffed rice.
In time for Easter, the seasonal range with its signature egg motif will be available across Extime Duty Free Paris locations.
The initiative by Valrhona, Extime Duty Free Paris and Lagardère Travel Retail underscores travel retail’s role as a gateway to destination culture, extending the art experience beyond gallery settings, and enhancing the passenger journey with moments of creativity and discovery.
Extime Duty Free Paris Marketing Director Séverine Patureau said, “This collaboration with Valrhona perfectly reflects our ambition at Extime Duty Free Paris: to transform the airport experience into a true cultural and gastronomic moment.
“By bringing the Eggxtraordinaire universe into our spaces, we celebrate creative innovation and the excellence of French gastronomy, while offering travellers an unexpected encounter with art and craftsmanship.
“Alongside such an iconic Maison as Valrhona, we are proud to offer an experience that goes beyond a simple purchase and reveals, right from the airport, the full cultural and gourmet richness of Paris.” ✈
