The Best Desserts in Paris: Classic French Pastries
Paris is the capital of French pastry. Behind every shop window you’ll find perfectly glazed éclairs, delicate macarons and buttery puff pastry, made with techniques perfected over centuries by the city’s pâtissiers. Some recipes were born in Paris itself, others came from the provinces and were refined in the capital’s great pastry houses.
Here’s a guide to the desserts you must try in Paris, and where to find them.
1. Paris-Brest — The Cyclists' Cake
The Paris-Brest is a ring of choux pastry filled with a rich hazelnut praline cream and topped with flaked almonds. A pastry chef created it in 1910 to celebrate the Paris–Brest–Paris cycle race, and its round shape recalls a bicycle wheel.
It’s one of the most satisfying desserts in Paris: crisp, nutty and generously filled. Many pastry shops make their own version, so it’s worth comparing.
2. Éclair — The Parisian Classic
The éclair is a long choux bun filled with pastry cream and glazed with fondant. Coffee and chocolate are the traditional flavours, but modern Parisian pâtissiers reinvent it every season.
Its name means “lightning”, supposedly because it’s eaten in a flash. The historic Stohrer pastry shop, founded in 1730, is a great place to try a classic one.
3. Macaron — Colourful Almond Bites
The Parisian macaron is made of two crisp almond meringue shells joined by a ganache, jam or buttercream filling. Ladurée and Pierre Hermé made them world-famous, with flavours ranging from pistachio and raspberry to rose and lychee.
A box of macarons is also one of the prettiest edible souvenirs you can bring home from Paris.
4. Mille-feuille — A Thousand Layers
The mille-feuille (“thousand leaves”) layers crisp puff pastry with vanilla pastry cream, finished with icing or caramelised sugar. It’s a delicate balance between crunch and creaminess.
Jacques Genin, in the Marais, is famous for assembling his mille-feuille to order, so the pastry stays perfectly crisp.
5. Tarte Tatin — The Upside-Down Apple Tart
Tarte Tatin is an upside-down tart: the baker caramelises apples in butter and sugar, covers them with pastry, bakes the tart, then flips it over. Legend says the Tatin sisters invented it by mistake in their hotel in the Loire Valley.
You’ll find it in Parisian bistros, often served warm with a spoonful of crème fraîche.
6. Galette des Rois — The Epiphany Cake
In January, Parisian bakeries fill up with the galette des rois: two layers of puff pastry filled with frangipane (almond cream). Bakers also hide a small charm, the fève, inside, and whoever finds it becomes king or queen for the day and wears the paper crown.
If you visit Paris in January, it’s a tradition not to miss.
Tips for Enjoying the Best Desserts in Paris
In Paris, pastry is a daily pleasure: a treat with an afternoon coffee, a box of macarons for a dinner invitation, a cake to share on Sunday. These tips will help you enjoy the best desserts in Paris like a local.
Coffee and Pastry Break
Most pastry shops sell to take away. Buy your éclair or mille-feuille, then enjoy it on a bench in a nearby garden, or choose a tea room for a sit-down break. Afternoon tea time (around 4 pm) is the Parisian goûter.
Seasonal Treats
At Christmas, pastry shops compete with creative bûches de Noël (Yule log cakes) and chestnut desserts. In January, it’s galette des rois season. Spring brings strawberry tarts and Easter chocolates.
Take Some Home
Macarons, chocolates and caramels travel well and make beautiful gifts. However, cream-filled pastries like éclairs and mille-feuilles taste best the same day.
Where to Find the Best Desserts in Paris
From the oldest pastry shop in the city to the creations of star pâtissiers, Paris has a sweet address in every neighbourhood. Whether you’re strolling through the Marais, Saint-Germain or along the Tuileries, there’s always a pastry shop nearby. Pastry chef Cédric Grolet’s shop on avenue de l’Opéra is also worth a visit for his trompe-l’œil fruits.
Here are some of the best places in Paris to try classic French desserts.
📍51 rue Montorgueil, 2nd arr., Paris
🥐 Type: Oldest pastry shop in Paris (1730)
📍16 rue Royale, 8th arr., Paris
🍬 Type: Historic macaron house
📍226 rue de Rivoli, 1st arr., Paris
☕ Type: Tea room, famous Mont-Blanc and hot chocolate
📍72 rue Bonaparte, 6th arr., Paris
🍰 Type: Macarons and creative pastries
📍133 rue de Turenne, 3rd arr., Paris
🍫 Type: Mille-feuille, caramels and chocolates
📍29-31 rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Île, 4th arr., Paris
🍨 Type: Legendary ice cream and sorbets
FAQ: Desserts in Paris
What is the most famous dessert in Paris?
The macaron and the éclair are the most iconic. The Paris-Brest, created in 1910 for a cycle race, is the dessert most closely linked to the city's name.
What is the oldest pastry shop in Paris?
Stohrer, at 51 rue Montorgueil, opened in 1730 and is the oldest pastry shop in Paris still in business.
Where can I buy the best macarons in Paris?
Ladurée (rue Royale) and Pierre Hermé (rue Bonaparte) are the two most famous macaron houses. Their styles differ: classic flavours at Ladurée, bolder combinations at Pierre Hermé.
When is the galette des rois eaten?
Around Epiphany, in January. Bakeries sell it throughout the month, with a paper crown for whoever finds the hidden charm.
Which Parisian desserts can I take home?
Macarons, chocolates and caramels travel well. However, cream-filled pastries like éclairs and mille-feuilles taste best the same day.
What time do Parisians eat pastries?
Often in the afternoon, at the goûter around 4 pm, or as Sunday dessert after a family lunch.
After your sweet tour, discover more of the city with our Paris travel guide. Planning more food trips? Read our guides to the best desserts in Rome and the best desserts in Prague.
Great tips!