French patisseries are known the world over for their refinement and inventiveness, but some traditional cakes have been overshadowed in recent years by more modern creations and visually spectacular desserts.
Yet for some time now, a wave of nostalgia has been sweeping pastry shops' counters, and the great classics once thought obsolete are making a comeback, in versions that are sometimes faithful to tradition, sometimes subtly revisited. Just walk past some of our local patisseries and you'll see names we thought were reserved for wedding buffets or tea rooms in the 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s.
The black forest with its chocolate and kirsch-soaked sponge cake, cherries and whipped cream; the old-fashioned strawberry cake with mousseline cream and sponge cake; the rum baba; the Saint-Honoré made up of a multitude of small choux filled with cream and crunchy caramel; theOpéra, both chocolatey and caffeinated, with its thin layers of joconde cookie and butter cream... These are no longer the sole preserve of Parisian grandmothers: they're back on the shelves!
Not forgetting pastries that are even less familiar to younger generations, such as Savarin - a distant cousin of baba - or Russian cake and Succès, both with praline.
Their return to the spotlight is no coincidence: it's a culinary tribute from certain pastry chefs and young artisans who are calling for a return to these classics of French patisserie, so as to restore these cakes, sometimes considered old-fashioned, to their rightful place. A welcome return to fashion, for the nostalgic and the curious alike, telling the story of a France made of cream, sugar, caramel, sponge cake and puff pastry.
Follow the guide!
Stohrer, Paris' oldest patisserie still in business
Stohrer, the oldest Parisian pastry shop still in operation, has been offering delicious creations since 1730. Located at 51 rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, this institution is open all year round. [Read more]
And also: Maison Thevenin
Stohrer, Paris' oldest patisserie still in business
Stohrer, the oldest Parisian pastry shop still in operation, has been offering delicious creations since 1730. Located at 51 rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, this institution is open all year round. [Read more]
Carl Marletti, the unmissable pastry shop in the Latin Quarter
Carl Marletti's pastry shop is a real favorite among renowned chefs! This gourmet address in the Latin Quarter delights sweet tooths with original desserts, original creations and revisited classics. [Read more]
L'Osmanthe, the French-Asian pastry that revisits the classics
Do you know the Osmanthe? This hot pastry shop located near Daumesnil offers us to taste ultra greedy Franco-Asian creations. Matcha opera, mille-crêpes, sesame eclair and original pastries, here is a spot that shakes up the codes to the delight of gourmets. [Read more]
Dalloyau, three centuries of French gastronomic excellence
Founded in Versailles in 1682, Dalloyau is France's oldest gastronomic house. From the Opera to today's haute pâtisserie, it embodies a royal savoir-faire, handed down and reinvented in Paris for over three centuries. [Read more]
And also: Gosselin, Sucre Rousse, Maison Thevenin
Stohrer, Paris' oldest patisserie still in business
Stohrer, the oldest Parisian pastry shop still in operation, has been offering delicious creations since 1730. Located at 51 rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, this institution is open all year round. [Read more]
Carl Marletti, the unmissable pastry shop in the Latin Quarter
Carl Marletti's pastry shop is a real favorite among renowned chefs! This gourmet address in the Latin Quarter delights sweet tooths with original desserts, original creations and revisited classics. [Read more]
Nina Métayer installs her Délicatisserie at Printemps du Goût, pastry shop and tea room
Are you a fan of Nina Metayer's pastries? In addition to her online Delicatessen, you will be able to find your happiness at Printemps du Goût. Go to the 8th floor to find your happiness to take away or to taste on the spot while admiring the beautiful view. [Read more]
And also: Pierre Hermé, Arnaud Larher, Cyril Lignac, Maison Pariès, Pain de Sucre, Boulangerie Petit-Jean, Gilles Marchal, Gosselin
Carl Marletti, the unmissable pastry shop in the Latin Quarter
Carl Marletti's pastry shop is a real favorite among renowned chefs! This gourmet address in the Latin Quarter delights sweet tooths with original desserts, original creations and revisited classics. [Read more]
L'Osmanthe, the French-Asian pastry that revisits the classics
Do you know the Osmanthe? This hot pastry shop located near Daumesnil offers us to taste ultra greedy Franco-Asian creations. Matcha opera, mille-crêpes, sesame eclair and original pastries, here is a spot that shakes up the codes to the delight of gourmets. [Read more]
Nina Métayer installs her Délicatisserie at Printemps du Goût, pastry shop and tea room
Are you a fan of Nina Metayer's pastries? In addition to her online Delicatessen, you will be able to find your happiness at Printemps du Goût. Go to the 8th floor to find your happiness to take away or to taste on the spot while admiring the beautiful view. [Read more]
Hugo & Victor in La Celle-Saint-Cloud: enjoy the delights of this patisserie
Discover the Hugo & Victor boutique in La Celle-Saint-Cloud and its irresistible creations by chef Hugues Pouget. [Read more]
Méert and its divine waffles set up shop in Haut-Marais
Méert opens a brand-new patisserie-boutique in Paris where you can enjoy its divine and iconic Madagascar vanilla waffles, as well as many other sweets from the famous Lille-based company. [Read more]
And also: Philippe Conticini, Boulangerie Vandermeersch, Maison Pariès, Gosselin, Maison Thevenin, Gilles Marchal
L'Osmanthe, the French-Asian pastry that revisits the classics
Do you know the Osmanthe? This hot pastry shop located near Daumesnil offers us to taste ultra greedy Franco-Asian creations. Matcha opera, mille-crêpes, sesame eclair and original pastries, here is a spot that shakes up the codes to the delight of gourmets. [Read more]
Lenôtre, the heritage of taste and fine French patisserie
Founded in 1957 by the visionary Gaston Lenôtre, Maison Lenôtre embodies French gastronomic excellence. Patisserie, catering, schools, events and global reach... A living heritage of taste and refinement. [Read more]
Dalloyau, three centuries of French gastronomic excellence
Founded in Versailles in 1682, Dalloyau is France's oldest gastronomic house. From the Opera to today's haute pâtisserie, it embodies a royal savoir-faire, handed down and reinvented in Paris for over three centuries. [Read more]
And also: Gilles Marchal, Maison Thevenin
Stohrer, Paris' oldest patisserie still in business
Stohrer, the oldest Parisian pastry shop still in operation, has been offering delicious creations since 1730. Located at 51 rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, this institution is open all year round. [Read more]
And also: Maison Pariès
Lenôtre, the heritage of taste and fine French patisserie
Founded in 1957 by the visionary Gaston Lenôtre, Maison Lenôtre embodies French gastronomic excellence. Patisserie, catering, schools, events and global reach... A living heritage of taste and refinement. [Read more]
At Boulangerie Vandermeersch and Pain de Sucre!
Find the location of all these addresses by clicking on the map at the bottom of the article.
Where to eat traditional French pastries in Paris? Our top picks
Looking for typical French pastries in Paris? Here are our top spots where you can enjoy macarons, Paris-Brest, crêpes, millefeuilles, and other traditional pastries! [Read more]
Where to eat traditional French pastries in Paris? Our top picks
