The 'World's Best Butter' You'll Want To Bring Back From A Trip To Paris

Paris is one of the greatest historical, cultural, and gastronomic capitals of the world. To remember your trip there, skip the kitschy souvenir shops and head straight for the crème de la crème: Bordier Butter. Hailed by many as the world's best butter, this luxurious artisanal delicacy — among the vast array of French cheeses, wines, and pastries you should try — is something very difficult to buy outside of Paris. On your next trip to the City of Light, be sure to bring back a slab or two of Bordier Butter and savor the taste of France long after your journey has ended. Here's the inside (butter) scoop.

Bordier Butter, or "Le Beurre Bordier" in French, is not just any plain old butter. Jean-Yves Bordier, the mastermind behind this exceptional product, dedicated his life to perfecting the fine art of butter-making with passion and precision. Born into a family of Parisian butter and cheese makers, he dreamed of being a sailor — however, life had other, more buttery plans. Carrying the traditional methods from the generations that came before him, Bordier opened an artisanal butter house in 1982. 

One of the unique aspects of Bordier Butter is the use of a big wooden wheel to knead the butter, a technique known as "malaxage." This method, dating back to the 19th century, allows the butter to develop its unique creamy texture and rich flavor. Other than the malaxage machine, everything else — from kneading to churning to shaping of the butter — is done exclusively by hand.

Beyond the technique of butter making, what really counts is the milk. Bordier Butter uses organic milk collected from small local farms in Brittany, Normandy, and Pays de la Loire – all destinations for the best day trips from Paris, and all located within a 60-mile radius of the Bordier workshop. The cows? Happy, grass-fed, free-grazing bovines enjoying the environment of north-western France. Compared to mass-produced butter, which is made quickly within six hours of milking the cow, Bordier takes its sweet time — three whole days. Combined with the ingeniously old-school malaxage technique, the butter has noticeable color, texture, and taste differences that will have you obsessed. 

Bordier Butter comes in a diverse range of flavors. While the classic unsalted, semi-salted (2.8%), and 4% salted are sublime on their own, some popular variants will have you saying, "I can't believe this is butter!" Seaweed butter ("algues")? Yes, please! Infused with finely chopped seaweed, Bordier's iodine-rich seaweed butter adds a briny, umami depth to any seafood dish. Inspired by a trip to Japan, yuzu butter combines the creamy richness of butter with the bright, citrusy notes of yuzu, a variant that's perfect for adding a zesty twist to both savory and sweet dishes.

Smoked salt butter ("sel fumé") imparts a powerful, mouth-watering smokiness, thanks to an aroma once created by Vikings. Other unique flavors include wild garlic and Kampot pepper, lemon olive oil, Madagascar vanilla, Roscoff onion, tomato and basil, Espelette pepper, and chocolate with cocoa bean nibs from Ghana.

While it's difficult to buy Bordier Butter outside of France, it's a staple in many of Paris' finest food establishments. You can find it in high-end grocery stores, specialty shops, and fromageries throughout Paris. In the 7th arrondissement, La Grande Épicerie is a gourmet food lover's paradise — you'll find a wide selection of Bordier Butter here. Other spots that carry it are fromagerie Laurent Dubois and La Crèmerie. The cost is around four euros for 125 grams. 

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Transporting Bordier Butter back home is easier than you might think. It's a good idea to pack the butter, ideally vacuum-sealed, in an insulated bag with ice packs. TSA may consider it to be liquid — so put it inside your checked luggage or bring less than 3.4 ounces of butter in your carry-on. Once you've returned home, refrigerate the butter immediately to preserve its quality. It can also be stored in the freezer if you want to extend its shelf life. 

Now that you have some coveted Bordier Butter at home, the culinary possibilities are endless. Spread it generously on a warm baguette, melt it over some steamed vegetables, steaks, or pancakes, and use it to enrich sauces and soups. But be careful not to overuse it, or else it'll run out, and you'll have to fly right back to Paris for yet another trip and another haul of some of the best butter in the world!