Boulangerie Pâtisserie l'Équilibre, the best in French patisserie Paris 15e

Looking for a good boulangerie - pâtisserie that honors the best French classics? Then head to 108 rue Blomet in the 15th arrondissement to discover L'Équilibre. Flan, Paris-Brest, lemon tart, éclairs, millefeuille, are some of your favorite cakes? You're sure to love this temple to gourmet goodness.

It has to be said that l'Équilibre is not lacking in assets. First of all, when you arrive, you'll discover a magnificent store, listed as a Monument Historique, if you please! A bakery since 1889, it was decorated by Benoist & Fils. Once inside, you'll be seduced by the murals and the large fresco on the ceiling. A few tables are waiting for you to sit down and enjoy your sandwiches and sweets.

Benjamin and Clémentine, who run the store, were a little apprehensive at first about the challenge of preserving this heritage, but in the end, they decided that it was exactly what they wanted to do: traditional pastries and viennoiseries that are part of our culinary heritage.

Benjamin Roc had always wanted to be a pastry baker, ever since the age of 13. It was after seeing a report by Philippe Rigollot, who was taking the MOF at the time, that Benjamin became passionate about the profession. He then decided to attend a hotel school, followed by an apprenticeship with Anne-Sophie Pic (where Philippe Rigollot had worked). There, he met François Josse, Champion de France de Dessert, who brought him to Paris, where he met Maxime Frédéric, then Chef Pâtissier at Georges V. After 3 years, he followed Maxime Frédéric to the Cheval Blanc, where he was offered a position as Sous-Chef.

There, he learned to manage a team and the taste for good sourced products. Maxime gave him the chance to develop a number of creations where taste and texture were essential. Clémentine, for her part, cut her teeth at the Institut Paul Bocuse, exploring the world of high-end catering in France. She gained experience in prestigious establishments such as the Four Seasons Hôtel in Megève, Les Airelles in St Tropez, and Olivier Nasti's Table at Le Chambard. She then joined the team at Cheval Blanc Paris, before taking part in the Louis Vuitton project, LV Dream.

So, what's on offer at Équilibre? The great classics like the Millefeuille, reminiscent of the Tout Paris, the ultra-gourmand Paris-Brest with homemade hazelnut praline, the baba au rhum, the religieuse café revisited as a mascarpone chou tiramisu. There's also the Tornado, which starts with a mistake. Like the story of the tarte tatin, these croissants, shaped a little small and too puffy, have mostly fallen on their side, so they decide to bake them in a cone shape. Customers love it, so it stayed.

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There's also a superb Pain Suisse with beautiful puff pastry, a pain au chocolat and gourmet croissants, generous cookies, and all sourdough breads apart from the classic baguette. On the savoury side, a whole range of sandwiches, gourmet focaccias and quiches await you at lunchtime.

Flour is sourced from Moulins Bourgeois, who select their wheat with great care. The duo try to work as closely as possible with local farmers. The honey comes from a retired baker in the Vosges, the chocolate is from Nicolas Berger, and the dried fruit comes from Réserve de Cérès, which supplies them with walnuts, cinnamon, vanilla... Here, everything is homemade, from the hazelnut paste to the Pfaff coffee paste from Mexico, whose beans are crushed on site using a stone grinder.

As for prices, pastries range from €4.50 to €6.50, as good products go. A pain au chocolat costs 1.60€, a croissant 1.40€ and a baguette 1.10€. The store is open Tuesday to Saturday, 7.15am to 8pm and 7.30am to 7pm on Saturdays. That's all there is to it! Will you be able to resist the call of this crazy millefeuille or creamy flan ?