The winners of the contest for the best pastry in Essonne 2026 have been announced. This year, the jury no longer pits candidates against each other over the éclair and the opera cake, but over two enduring bakery display staples: the mille-feuille and the flan. In Essonne (91), Yerres and Athis-Mons come out on top, with two artisans honored at a ceremony held at the end of September 2026.
The prize-giving ceremony is taking place at the premises of the Chamber of Trades and Crafts of Île-de-France in Essonne. Artisans, professionals, and training stakeholders are gathering, united by a shared passion for the craft and the transmission of know-how. The competition is organised by the Federation of Bakery and Pastry of Essonne, Val-d'Oise, and Yvelines, with Olivier Gérard leading the effort.
Two top prizes were awarded in the employers category—the business leaders. Here is the official lineup, as reported by the Faculty of Trades of Essonne.
These two desserts look simple, almost unassuming. That very modesty is what makes them formidable contenders in a competition. The mille-feuille relies on a flaky, crisp pastry that stays crunchy beneath the cream and doesn’t collapse at the first forkful. The flan, for its part, hinges on the balance between a well-baked crust and a filling that’s melt-in-your-mouth—neither too firm nor too wobbly.
These two specialties sit at the heart of national competitions run by the Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française, which orchestrates, among other events, the Master of Mille-Feuille. A reminder that bakery pâtisserie has its own demanding standards, far from palace-level creations.
Based in the heart of Yerres, Damien Cerf’s Maison Cerf has claimed the crown for the best mille‑feuille in Essonne. This top prize also opens the door to the Île-de-France Regional Master, where he will carry the department’s colors against the winners from the other Île-de-France territories.
For foodies, it’s also a perfect excuse for a day trip to Yerres. The town is home to the Propriété Caillebotte, Gustave Caillebotte’s former family residence, with a park that runs alongside the Yerres. A take-away mille-feuille, followed by a stroll in the grounds: a weekend plan that actually works.
In front of the town hall of Athis-Mons, Stéphane Guichard's Les Petits Gourmands bakery-pastry is no stranger to success. The house has already claimed the title of the meilleure galette aux amandes de l'Essonne 2026, in both the business-owners category and among apprentices.
This new best flan in Essonne confirms a consistency that’s a pleasure to behold. When the same team shines both in the lamination of a galette and in the baking of a flan, you’re looking at a shop where the basics are mastered.
This ranking carries special meaning for the Essonne Faculty of Trades. Four of its apprentices, Juan, Toussaint, Naël and Tifanie, are training precisely in these two award-winning houses. They learn the trade daily alongside artisans whose know-how has just been celebrated.
The competition thus shines a light on a less obvious role of local bakeries: that of a school. By sharing their techniques and their standards, these artisanal businesses are training the bakers of tomorrow.
In the previous edition, the contest revolved around a batch of Opéra cakes and chocolate éclairs. The top prize went to Jérémy Leygue of Pain Sucré in Saint-Germain-lès-Corbeil. Swapping the pastry lineup from year to year helps spotlight new bakeries, and that’s good news for curious readers.
Maison Cerf sits on Rue Charles-de-Gaulle in Yerres, while Les Petits Gourmands welcomes you opposite the town hall on Rue Valentin-Conrart in Athis-Mons. Maison Cerf is closed on Mondays, and award-winning pastries tend to disappear quickly after a competition—best to check the hours on each shop’s page and stop by in the morning. For a full flan or several mille-feuille, placing an advance order remains the most reliable option.
This lineup speaks to fans of traditional French pastries, to residents of the southern part of Île-de-France seeking a good nearby bakery, and to anyone who enjoys organizing a foodie outing around a delicious address. If you follow the department’s contests, the Essonne 2026 Best Traditional Baguette is also worth the detour.
Want to extend your gourmet tour? On the custard side, Rosa Maison pâtissière in the 9th arrondissement is a real gem worth trying. And to compare with the capital, head to the Grand Paris’s best pastry of 2026, based in the 13th arrondissement. Our guide to the best pâtisseries in Paris and Île-de-France completes the list.
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