Paris pastry crawl

There’s nowhere in the world I love more than Paris. And as fate would have it, I have been fortunate enough to visit more than once. In my early twenties, shortly after I opened my first bakery, I would travel to Paris once a year every spring to learn a new pastry skill. From macarons to brioche loaves of bread, I’ve learned most of what I know in French pastry from visiting the capital of France itself.

So when I’m asked where my favourite French patisseries are, the answer is layered. I’ve got a favourite boulangerie for croissants, but I wouldn’t dream of buying a baguette there. Similarly my favourite macaron is not the same location as my favourite chocolat chaud. But I love both patisseries just as much. And so without further adieu, these are my favourite Paris patisseries to visit in my ultimate Paris pastry crawl.

We’ll start at the top with the Ritz Paris, not just because it is the swankiest address in town, but because this is also where I happened to learn to make gateaux. I was in Paris on one of my annual Spring sabbaticals when I read in an article the Ritz Escoffier was back open for business.

The hotel, an institution if ever there were one, was under renovation for many years. Because of this, I had never known there was a cooking school in the basement. Yet as luck would have it, there was one space open for a pastry class during my stay, albeit in French.

While I might not have understood the class in its entirety, I certainly did have the time of my life. So if you fancy learning a new skill during your time in Paris, be sure to check the Ritz Escoffier schedule for day classes.

Carette

Now to my favourite patisserie in Paris. I first discovered Carette by chance, when I was staying at a nearby hotel in Le Marais. You might have heard of the more famously located Carette (there are two—the second location is right by the Eiffel Tower), but my personal favourite is located opposite Place des Vosges in the fourth arrondissement.

The salted caramel macarons are my kryptonite. I’ve probably had as many of these as I have days in Paris, which is to say I’ve divulged quite a few. If you visit in the morning, I’d recommend opting for a pain au chocolat with a take away coffee and enjoying your morning in what is, if you ask me, the most Parisian neighbourhood in Paris.

Ladurée

There are many patisseries I would recommend you visit before recommending Ladurée. That’s not to say it isn’t worth of a visit— it is —however there are certainly less commercial and popularised stops to make on your Paris pastry crawl.

If you do visit (there are so many locations around Paris you can hardly avoid a pitstop), be sure to try the Rose macaron. Better yet, grab a box of six and try a few of their staple flavours.

Side note: excellent packaging and window displays for your perusal.

Cafe de Flore

While it is hardly a patisserie (it is, as the name suggests, a cafe), I had to include a pit stop to people watch at the infamous Cafe de Flore. Ever since the Lost Generation made Saint-Germain-des-Pres très chic for generations to come, this particular cafe has become a bona fide institution. The coffee isn’t anything to write home about, giving all the more reason to sip slowly and let Paris pass you by.

Angelina

As far as Paris institutions go, Angelina is the crème de la crème. This teahouse was established in 1903 and has since become a staple for the elite in Paris. This is where I first fell. inlove with Parisian hot chocolate, a rich liquid chocolate drink that personifies overindulgence. There’s usually a line to be seated, however if you time your visit for the last hour of business you can usually grab a seat and enjoy watching the teahouse spill out onto the streets of Paris.