With summer coming to a close, it’s time to pack up those bikinis and bring out the layers. Which, in my book, means I can now indulge more than ever in my favorite desserts. Kale lovers, step aside. And so, as the sugar cravings here at Made en France were at an all time high, the list of the 10 best pastry shops in Paris was born. Read on my fellow sweet tooth friends for a mouth watering experience.

La Pâtisserie des Rêves

There is no better way to start off our list than with a bakery whose name literally translates to “The Bakery of Dreams.” La Pâtisserie des Rêves was founded in 2009 by famous french cuisine and pastry chef, Philippe Conticini. Every few months, he creates a new pie to be placed on the menu, which correlates with the fruits that are in season. This special technique has created loyal customers, coming in through all seasons of the year to get a taste of the newest menu items. It was quoted in Vogue that “this dreamy shop offers modern twists on old classics—like a Black Forest cake shaped into the form of a lacquered cherry—displayed under severe refrigerated glass domes that hang suspended from the ceiling. Despite the slightly clinical atmosphere, the sweets are perfectly decadent, from the intense tarte à l’orange to the delicate crumb of the madeleines.”

Additionally, customer’s rave about the mille-feuille, also known as the “Napoleon” and the “thousand layer cake.” This sweet treat dates back as early as the 17th century and although the name suggests one thousand layers, it actually only has three. The three pastry layers are folded one on top of the other and incredibly thin, thus creating the one thousand layer concept. The pastry is then filled with cream and is topped with either icing or fondant. Bon Appétit!

 

Images source: la patisserie des rêves

Le Moulin de la Vierge

Located in the 15th district, you’ll find Le Moulin de la Vierge. Step inside and you’ll instantly feel the vibe of a 19th century parisian boutique. Owned and operated by Basile Kasir, he utilizes wood-fired baking techniques, creating delectable and signature pain de campagne (country bread), paresseuse (sourdough baguette), and pain au raisins (pastry filled with custard and raisins). With Champs de Mars being only a 10-minute walk from Le Moulin de la Vierge, we dream of grabbing one of Kasir’s authentic baguettes, a sweet treat of your choosing (you can’t go wrong with any of his pastries), and having a picnic at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Just magical.

Blanquet Claude

Image Source: http://blanquet-traiteur.fr/galerie/

You can find this pastry shop in the business district wedged between Champs Elysées and Galerie Lafayette, making it an easy stop along a shopping spree or a remote office. Blanquet Claude is known for their viennoiseries, which means “things of Vienna,” and is the epitome of the French pastry, (think croissants or Pain aux raisins.) The delicious treat got its name because the dough used (pate viennoise) in the recipe became popular in popular in France all thanks to a Austrian military official turned baker. Between 1837 and 1839, August Zang opened his bakery, “Boulangerie Viennoise,” and the viennoiserie was born in Paris. Now perfected by Blanquet Claude customers rave about the sweet and perfectly flaky bread. Mostly eaten at breakfast, a coffee and a viennoiserie is sure to help you through your day of shopping at Galerie Lafayette!

 

Eric Kayser

Image Source: https://www.likealocalguide.com/paris/eric-kayser#&gid=1&pid=1 Photo By: Magali Dubourdieu

The many locations of Eric Kayser may make it seem like an ordinary restaurant chain, but that is far from the truth (and their decadent desserts). Both locals and tourists talk endlessly about how extraordinary their bread is. Whether you enjoy a piece with warm butter or as bookends to ham and cheese, you can’t go wrong. If you have more of a sweet tooth we suggest trying the lemon tart, as it’s said to be the best you can find in the city! More of a cookie person? The macadamia nut white chocolate chip is your way to go. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine too.

Ladurée

Image Source: Ladurée

Ladurée, my absolute favorite on the list. A pastry shop whose history is almost as good as their macaroons…..almost. The Parisian (now worldwide) staple, was originally opened as a bakery in 1862 by Louis Ernest Ladurée. It wasn’t until 1871 that it was turned into a pastry shop. During this time cafés were becoming more lush and began to attract high society. Paris at this time was full of entertainment seekers, especially the wealthy. Women were also changing, looking for new adventures and new places to socialize. Unfortunately, at this time the places offered to women to do so were said to be old-fashioned and stuffy. Thus, Louis Ernest Ladurée’s wife had the idea to create a new place for women to gather. By collaborating the parisian café and the pastry shop, the first tea room was born: The ”salon de thé.”

 

Ladurée is now known worldwide and sells 15,000 of their famous double-decker macarons daily. These macarons are even famous enough to hit Hollywood. You can see Ladurée’s staple dessert in the film Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst version) and in the hit TV show, Gossip Girl, as they were Blair Waldorf’s guilty pleasure. Make sure to put this on your itinerary during your next trip to Paris.

Image Source: http://marianne-marcial.blogspot.com/2011/09/crazy-for-laduree.html

Image Source: https://filmfoodsafari.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/marie-antoinette-laduree/

Meert

Founded in 1761, Meert can be found along the fabulous Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The Saint-Germain-des-Prés is home to some of the finest pastries in Paris, which is why of course it made our list. It is the perfect place to overcome a sugar craving and then continue on with a fabulous afternoon stroll. Meert is known for la fabuleuse gaufre, which translates as “the fabulous waffle.” This vanilla infused wafer is absolutely fabulous. Step aside Belgium waffle, hello la fabuleuse gaufre.

Image Source: https://arsenicetpetitesculottes.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/la-gaufre-meert-est-a-paris/

L’heure Gourmande

Image Source: https://www.likealocalguide.com/paris/lheure-gourmande 

Off the beaten path you can find the cozy L’heure Gourmande. This delightfully pleasant chocolate and confectionery hides down a passage off the streets, which makes it the perfect place for their famous hot chocolate. Their magical terrace fills up fast on the weekends with customers all thinking about two things: cheesecake and lemon tart. Raving reviews say you can’t go wrong with either. So maybe just get both?

Boulangerie Bo

This Japanese inspired pastry shop is one for the adventurous eater. Boulangerie Bo is pastry chef Oliver Haustraete’s only shop, which makes his treats a bit more exclusive. Why Japanese inspired sweets? He draws his inspiration from his time living and learning to bake in Tokyo. Boulangerie Bo lovers come for the eclairs, as well as the Paris-brest. The origin of the name comes from a bike race that occurred between Paris and the coastal city in the Brittany region of France called Brest. In 1910 the circular shape pastry was created to resemble a bicycle wheel and filled with a praliné mousseline cream. I’ve never been so thankful for a bike race.

Image Source: http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2015/04/rue-cremieux-5-great-paris-brest.html

Stohrer

Our oldest bakery on the list, Stohrer was opened in 1730 by Nicolas Stohrer who was King Louis XV’s pastry chef. The recommended pastry here is the Puit d’Amour, which means “well of love.” The dessert is a puff pastry that is topped with bourbon vanilla pastry cream and caramel glaze. The well known London-based French chef, Pascal Aussignac, described it as “very creamy, very old-fashioned, and very french. Don’t try it if you are on a diet.” Don’t worry I’m not.

Image Source: http://www.easyyummycookery.com/2013/03/puits-damour-mauritian-recipe.html

Angelina

Image Source: http://www.svendandersen.fr/architecture/#0

Angelina, another favorite of mine not only because the Belle Epoque interior makes me feel french fabulous, but also because this pastry shop is associated with Coco Chanel. Founded in 1903 by Antoine Rumpelmeyer, this fan favorite was originally named Rumpelmeyer. It wasn’t until 1930 that he changed the name to Angelina, the name of his daughter-in-law. Angelina’s is most famous for their Mont Blanc and le chocolat chaud (hot chocolate). Although the Mont Blanc recipe remains a secret, we know it is composed of a type of creamy cheese and meringue. The le chocolat chaud is what brought Coco Chanel around. It is said that she was a regular customer, always ordering the hot chocolate and seated at table #10, which was near a mirror. Many biographers have written that she adored mirrors because she could use them to slyly keep an eye on the world around her.

Image Source: https://bonjourparis.com/archives/angelina-tea-salon-patissier-restaurant-chocol/

We hope you enjoyed our delicious list as much as we did! 

Bon Appétit!