The Patisseries of Paris: A Paris Pastry Guide
There’s a nifty guidebook to the bakeries, chocolate shops, and tea salons, called The Pâtisseries of Paris. This handy little book is full of great addresses and tips, and is just small enough to slip in your shoulder bag when hitting the streets of Paris, should you come to Paris on a mission for sweets.
I was surprised at how in-depth this guide takes you. Naturally, the usual suspects, like Ladurée and Stohrer, are in there. And chocolatiers like Jean-Charles Rochoux and Patrick Roger are always a stop whenever I’m on the Left Bank, so I was happy to see the nods toward them.
There’s few places that aren’t quite worth the calories. Such as Au Panetier bakery, where the pastries don’t make up for the glorious art nouveau tile work, although it is gorgeous.
Happily, some of my favorite bread bakers, like du Pains et des Idées and la boulangerie par Véronique Mauclerc, that aren’t so well-known, are listed. Other highlights include an interview with the candy buyer at Fauchon, a list of which museums have the best pastries (only in Paris!), and profiles of off-beat places like A Priore Thé, where you can dine almost al fresco in the stunning Galleries Vivienne, where desserts are available in half-portions, should you just want a taste.
Packed with lots of delectable color photos by long-time Paris resident Allison Harris, I recommend The Pâtisseries of Paris to anyone dashing in to town, looking to explore the best of the city—from a pastry perspective.