The Best Parisian Patisseries Are All on One Delicious Street
At first glance, the neighborhood around the Left Bank’s Rue du Bac appears to be an elegant shopping street: a string of chic boutiques anchored at one end by the grande dame of Parisian department stores, Le Bon Marché. But another look reveals a sweeter side. An extraordinary number of patisseries and chocolatiers, opened by some of the city’s most renowned pastry chefs—Jacques Genin, Philippe Conticini, and Claire Damon among them—make this quartier virtually paved in sugar. We’ve rounded up seven of our favorite sweetshops and the tastiest dessert in each one, which also happens to be the perfect itinerary for a dessert-filled stroll. After selecting your treats, bring them to the small park at the midway point of the tour to eat (and take photos!).
Photo: Courtesy of La Grande Epicerie / @legrandeepicerie1/7La Grande Épicerie de Paris
Sprawling over two floors, this is the ne plus ultra of gourmet food shops, offering every form of French charcuterie, cheese, butter, wine, bread, and a bevy of glossy patisseries displayed like jewels. While everything is delicious, go for the sweets in the store’s boulangerie section: humble baked goods such as pains au chocolat, rustic apple tarts, and buttery tea cakes.
The treat: Financier à la Framboise. Baked into the shape of a gold bar (hence the name), this moist almond tea cake is studded with fresh raspberries, which add a bright tang and subtle bitter perfume.
38 Rue de Sèvres
75007 Paris
+33.1.44.39.81.00
Photo: Courtesy of Kristin Hedlund / @kristin_hedlund2/7La Pâtisserie des Rêves
Opened by renowned pastry chef Philippe Conticini, this dreamy shop offers modern twists on old classics—like a Black Forest cake shaped into the form of a lacquered cherry—displayed under severe refrigerated glass domes that hang suspended from the ceiling. Despite the slightly clinical atmosphere, the sweets are perfectly decadent, from the intense tarte à l’orange to the delicate crumb of the madeleines.
The treat: Paris-Brest. Named best Paris-Brest in the city by Le Figaro magazine, this ring of choux pastry is filled with a chocolate-hazelnut praline cream that’s at once nutty, toasty, and utterly sublime.
93 Rue du Bac
75007 Paris
+33.1.42.84.00.82
Photo: Courtesy of Angelina / @angelina_paris3/7Angelina
This miniature outpost of the famous Rue du Rivoli salon de thé replicates all of the original’s Belle Epoque charm, with mosaic floors, ornate mirrors, and soft lighting. Because this is a shop and not a tearoom, the focus here is more on patisserie rather than Angelina’s popular hot chocolate. Though that’s on offer, too, of course.
The treat: Mont Blanc. Towering like its namesake snow-covered mountain, this cup of meringue and whipped cream is crowned by a dome of sweetened chestnut puree.
108 Rue du Bac
75007 Paris
+33.1.42.22.63.08
Photo: Courtesy of @le_plus_un4/7Chapon
Patrice Chapon is one of the rare French chocolatiers who roasts his own cacao beans, and this dedication to ingredients is reflected in his wares. The shop is a whimsical jewel box with glass counters displaying award-winning confections like the dôme au sel, which combines chocolate, crushed sugared nuts, and a judicious pinch of smoked salt. The crowning glory, however, is the bar of chocolate mousse, featuring at least four rich clouds, each made from single-origin cocoa beans.
The treat: Cornet of Chocolate Mousse. Scooped into a paper cone, Chapon’s mousse is a contrast of dark, deep chocolate and creamy, airy texture. Particularly delicious is the Venezuela 100%, made from 100 percent pure cocoa solids, but the shop also offers sweeter versions for more tender palates. A sprinkle of sugared cocoa nibs or praline (crushed candied almonds and hazelnuts)—or both!—adds a pleasing crunch.
69 Rue du Bac
75007 Paris
+33.1.42.22.95.98
Photo: Courtesy of Ritsuko Paris / @ritsukoparis5/7Des Gâteaux et du Pain
One of the city’s only female pâtissiers, Claire Damon made her name at her flagship boutique in the 15th Arrondissement before branching out to this second sleek space. As the name suggests, the shop is split in two, with one side featuring crusty loaves of bread and the other a dazzling array of flamboyant cakes. Fans rave about treats both haute and humble, including the grapefruit tart; the “lipstick,” a glossy dome featuring seasonal fruit; and the flaky butter croissants.
The treat: Croissant au Beurre. In a city filled with great croissants, this one stands out: Its crisp shell shatters into a million fragments to reveal tender, yeasted layers that sing with the sweet essence of pure butter.
89 Rue du Bac
75007 Paris
+33.1.45.48.30.74