The 10 best patisseries in Paris

Paris is a city of temptation for the sweet-toothed traveler. Indulge your cravings by joining a pastry food tour or adding the city’s best patisseries to your itinerary. Leave plenty of room for desserts—from delicate macarons to finger-licking choux pastries that are worth the calories.

Let’s clear up some definitions that can be rather confusing. The word ‘patisserie’ refers to French pastries and the shops that are specialized in them. In a patisserie, you can find sweet treats like cakes, tarts, and chocolates. Think of it as a dessert shop.

Don’t mistake a patisserie for a boulangerie, which is also common in Paris. A boulangerie is a French bakery. It sells flour-based goods that require yeast in its production—for example, a baguette. What you might consider ‘pastries’, like croissants and pains au chocolat, might actually belong to a boulangerie, not a patisserie.

Lastly, boulangeries in Paris usually offer a small selection of patisseries. Shops that are called patisseries, however, stick to serving desserts.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are the best patisseries in Paris—and what to order when you get there.

What to try: Macarons

Pierre Hermé belongs to the fourth generation in a family of pastry chefs—but he’s done more than continue the family trade. Thanks to his creative inventions, Pierre Hermé has gained celebrity status and the title ‘Picasso of Pastry’.

Step into any of his patisseries in central Paris (such as the Bonaparte, Cambon, or Opera) and treat your taste buds to a box of macarons. These colorful sugary bites have a crisp exterior and a soft center that melts in your mouth.

If there’s one flavor to try, it’s the signature Ispahan, a pink macaron with rose cream, fresh raspberries, and a touch of lychee.

What to try: Millefeuille

A mix of boulangerie and patisserie, Des gateaux et du pain is run by Claire Damon, once the apprentice of the aforementioned Pierre Hermé. Her pastry creations often showcase fruits—apple tarte tatin, lemon tarts, and cakes flavored with grapefruits, mandarins, and blackcurrants.

The standout here is the millefeuille, a French dessert comprising alternating layers of puff pastry and cream filling. This establishment takes the millefeuille up a notch with its flaky, caramelized pastry and light cream with hints of vanilla and caramel.

What to try: Baba au rhum

The oldest patisserie in Paris, Pâtisserie Stohrer was founded in 1730 by King Louis XV’s pastry chef, Nicolas Stohrer. He is also the inventor of baba au rhum, a cake that’s soaked with rum-infused syrup and topped with whipped cream. While the baba au rhum is naturally a must-try, the black forest cake and fruit tarts are highly praised, too.

This store along Rue Montorgueil is tiny and narrow, so queues are a common sight. Don’t let that stop you as the line tends to move quickly.

What to try: Éclairs

You’re probably no stranger to éclairs given its worldwide popularity. This sticky dessert is an elongated choux dough stuffed with cream and coated in icing.

At L’Éclair de Génie, you’ll find an array of éclairs that are a feast for your eyes and your palate. Mix up the classics like coffee and chocolate with more novel flavors like yuzu, pistachio, and salted butter caramel.

Can’t wait to tuck in? Walk to Place des Vosges which is just five minutes from the store in the Marais. Find an empty bench and enjoy the creamy goodness.

What to try: Tarte au citron and Equinoxe

Cyril Lignac is the host of the French culinary show Le Meilleur Patissier (The Best Pastry Chef). Behind this well-known TV personality is an illustrious pastry chef who continues to run a chain of patisseries in Paris alongside his business partner, Benoit Couvrand.

Visit the Chaillot or Paul Bert outlets of La Pâtisserie Cyril Lignac to discover classic pastries with a modern twist. Order a tarte au citron to see their artistic take on the lemon tart, or an Equinoxe, their signature bourbon vanilla cake on speculoos shortbread.

What to try: Religieuse and fraisier

Tucked in the Latin Quarter, Carl Marletti entices you with its line-up of mouthwatering desserts visible from the storefront. This patisserie is named after its owner who was the head pastry chef of Café de la Paix at InterContinental Paris.

Make a stop here for the religieuse, a French pastry characterized by two choux buns—a small one stacked on top of a bigger one—filled with pastry cream and coated with ganache. It comes in three flavors: chocolate, coffee, and rose.

If you spot a fraisier (strawberry shortcake) on display, don’t hesitate to add it to your order. This is a seasonal dessert that’s available just half the year.

What to try: Macha azuki

In his early days in Paris, Japanese chef Sadaharu Aoki catered his pastries to fashion shows where it was appreciated by notable names like Kenzo, Chanel, and Dior. Today, he’s the proud owner of patisseries in Paris and Tokyo.

Drop by Sadaharu Aoki’s flagship store in Paris along Rue de Vaugirard for everything matcha—matcha éclairs, matcha swiss rolls, matcha millefeuille… you get the idea. Try the macha azuki cake to savor the marriage of green tea mousse and red bean paste.

What to try: Mini sables

Every inch of Bontemps looks old-fashioned, from the porcelain cake trays and the antique display cases to the vintage tiles on the floor. Yet, the interior comes together so tastefully that you might just snap a photo for Instagram.

Run by a pair of sisters, this patisserie is celebrated for its sables. In case you’re not familiar with these delicacies, sables are round shortbread biscuits with a crumbly texture. Unlike traditional sable biscuits, the ones sold here are jazzed up with creams, nuts, and fresh fruits.

Get the mini version of the sables to sample this homemade buttery snack in multiple flavors. Then, head to the nearby Marche des Enfants Rouges to complete the meal with street food from around the world.

What to try: Paris-Brest and St. Honoré

KL Pâtisserie is a hidden gem in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. Make a trip here for an afternoon tea in an industrial-themed cafe. If you need recommendations, choose the Paris-Brest or St. Honoré.

The Paris-Brest is a classic French dessert that comprises praline-flavored cream sandwiched between two choux buns. It’s named after a long-distance cycling race from Paris to Brest, a city in western Brittany.

St. Honoré, on the other hand, is a cake made up of bite-sized choux balls and velvety cream that sit on a flaky puff. It derives its name from the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs.

What to try: Artisanal chocolates

At first glance, you might mistake Jacques Genin Chocolaterie in the Marais for a jewelry store. Inside, chocolates are showcased under glass displays like fine gems. This is a fitting treatment because the pralines, ganaches and nougats were handcrafted using the finest ingredients in the workshop on the floor above.

More than a chocolaterie, this establishment serves up made-to-order pastries like millefeuille and tarte au citron in its attached tea salon. So enjoy a cup of tea or hot chocolate while waiting for your pastries to come along. Also, consider extending your explorations of the Marais with a private pastry tour.

More like this: