Paris has two pastry shops I adore: Pierre Hermé, who I write about all the time and obsess over their little salty chocolate cookies and incomparable pastries, and Ladurée, who offers arguably the prettiest lineup of baked goods found anywhere in the world, let alone just in Paris.
While their macaroons are delicious and perhaps the place to buy them at in Paris, for me it's the beautifully presented palmier that win me over most. Innumerable layers of perfectly folded puff pastry are baked into one of the most melt-in-your-mouth delicious snacks I've ever eaten. They are crisp at first bite, yet so loaded with butter that the crunchy, caramelized exterior quickly gives way and becomes an incomparably sweet, creamy experience that bursts apart and leads to uncontrollable eating.
Once you try the palmier, you'll be hooked for life. No kidding!
Ladurée has four locations around Paris, so check out their website for the one nearest you. If you have a chance, visit their original location in the 8th and enjoy tea and pastries while sitting in the stunningly appointed space that has served pastry-popping Parisians since 1862, making it the first public tearoom in Paris.
Ladurée gets an A for providing exquisitely crafted pastries in sparkling Parisian settings. (There are also shops in London, Monaco, Switzerland ... and now Tokyo - they recently opened their first shop in the Ginza district to enthusiastic Japanese who are waiting over 5 hours just to get in the door!)
Ladurée Royale (original location)
16, rue Royale
75008 Paris
France
Phone: 01 42 60 21 79
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30AM - 7PM; Sunday 10AM - 7PM
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