Please fill in all fields and then click Submit.
Once submitted, your comment will be sent for approval by one of our editors.
Laduree: World Famous Macarons
One of the most famous images of Paris is pedestrians taking the time to relax and socialize in cafés while enjoying coffee and tea. Ladurée, located on the Champs-Élysées, is one of the most famous Paris pastry shops and the birthplace of macarons. Selling more than 15,000 macarons every day, the patisserie Ladurée is considered one of the best shops in the world for the sweet confectionary.
What one immediately notices in the store is the vast range of macarons, available in a multitude of flavors. Their different colors fill the store with an ambiance of joy. Now famous worldwide and especially popular in Japan and Switzerland, the macaron started right here in this store with the second cousin of Ernest Ladurée, Pierre Desfontaines. The small round cakes are crispy on the smooth top and bottom and softer in the middle, with a thin layer of filling at the center. The name derives from “ammaccare”, meaning crush or beat, and is used to reference the principal ingredient, almond paste.
According to a beautifully printed recipe book sold at the Ladurée store, the confectionary is mainly composed of egg whites, almond flour and granulated sugar. What distinguishes the French macarons is the smooth butter-like filling in the center. After understanding more about the yummy treat, I was amazed by the diversity within the world and even in France. In the city of Montmorillon, there is even a museum dedicated to macarons and the recipe remains unchanged.
Although I have tasted the sweests in all Paris boulangeries and patisseries, Ladurée macarons definitely show the perfect balance of texture, flavoring and aesthetics, a large part of which is the wide array of colors representing flavors ranging from raspberry to pistachio nuts to matcha tea and many others.
If you are a food and sweet lover, definitely do not miss these most renowned stores for the famous French dessert. I also enjoyed its relaxing and luxurious environment. Spending an afternoon enjoying delicious sweets and coffee on the patio facing the Champs-Elysées combines both the pleasures of native French and the view of the busy urban Parisian life. For families and friends at home, a box of sweets gracefully wrapped is a sumptuous gift. The French make presentation an artform. And, of course, there's nothing wrong with buying a package for yourself.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Main store, open later, full-service
Ladurée Champs Elysées
75 Avenue des Champs Elysées, Paris 8th
Ladurée Royale
16, rue Royale, Paris 8th
Ladurée Bonaparte
21, rue Bonaparte, Paris 6th
See site for other store locations
CDG and Orly airport boutiques, too
Subscribe for free weekly newsletters with subscriber-only content.
BonjourParis has been a leading online France travel and French lifestyle site since 1995.
Top 100 France-themed books & more: Readers' Favorites.
Macaron stalker in Paris? Or bake your own "Paris Sweets" with Dorie Greenspan's recipes? Click for details.
Thank you for using our link to Amazon.com...your purchases support our free site.
