When you think of Paris, what do you think of first? The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre?
Well, let me tell you what I think of when I think of Paris. I think of warm buttery croissants, decadent chocolate truffles, fresh baguettes, delectable macarons, and pain au chocolat. The French have perfected the art of creating some of the most intoxicating pastries and desserts known to man. They know how to make them just satiating enough without being overly sweet. Such a delicate dance that only a French pastry chef can master. Ok, my mouth is watering. Here are my top 5 pastry shops in Paris!
1. Pierre Hermé
Pierre Hermé is a French pastry chef and chocolatier. He began his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice to Gaston Lenôtre. He currently has 45 stores across the globe with just four in Paris. At Pierre Hermé you can find chocolate, macarons, cakes and various unique pastry creations. I suggest visiting early in the day if you want to snag something. They only display inventory for each day. Once the pastries are gone, they are gone! Grab something seasonal or one of Pierre’s six signature cakes!
2. Maison Georges Larnicol
Georges Larnicol is a pâtissier and chocolatier who took over the family business originally from Brittany. He has three boutiques in Paris. In his boutiques, you can find a large assortment of chocolates, macarons, fudge, and candy. Do not miss his speciality, the "kouignette", which is a flaky pastry filled with fruits, pistachio, or chocolate.
3. Angelina
Founded in 1903, this enchanting tea house located on the Rue de Rivoli has welcomed many well-known visitors such as Proust, Coco Chanel and the some of the biggest French fashion designers. They now have boutiques all over the world. I suggest making reservations in advance as the first come, first served line can get pretty long. Order the signature pastry, the Mont Blanc. Trust me, you won't regret it!
4. Cédric Grolet
With over 5 million followers on Instagram, Cédric is known for creating desserts that have a likeness to the fruits from which they're made. Which turn out to be beautiful, edible, works of art. After seeing his videos on Instagram, I knew I had to check it out for myself. During a trip to Paris in December 2022, I picked up a takeaway preorder for the Lemon and the Peanut. The Peanut was mind blowing!
5. Odette
La Maison Odette is a pastry shop specializing in cream puffs. Gourmet and classic, their cream puffs are made every day in their laboratory located in the latin quarter of Paris. Flavors include vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, coffee, passion fruit, caramel with salted butter, lemon, berries and praline.
Honorable Mention
Le Grande Épicerie de Paris Rive Gauche
My favorite gourmet grocery store in Paris has every and any kind of food group that your heart could desire. And you guessed it, they have a Patisserie inside too! Pick up something sweet while you shop.
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