In planning a trip to Paris, there are certain sweet treats that seem impossibly hyped – which at some point makes you wonder if those macarons or that ice cream can actually be that good. On a recent sibling trip to Paris, my thirteen-year-old and I put our sweet tooths to the test – and can verify that these sweet treats do live up to their reputation:
Sweet Treats in Paris #1: The Macarons from Ladurée
They are everywhere – even multiple locations at the airport – and for good reason. The macarons were exquisite. (The only reason I didn’t end up with a caseload of them at the airport after our flight was delayed was that my husband is allergic to them, so I thought arriving home four hours later than expected with a “gift” he couldn’t eat would not go over well!) Bonus: my son proclaimed his Ladurée chocolate éclair to be the best of the trip.
Ladurée: Multiple locations including 75 Av. des Champs-Élysées +33 1 40 75 08 75
Sweet Treats in Paris #2: Any dessert from Le Relais de l’Entrecôte
To be fair, even in two visits, we didn’t try EVERY dessert on the menu- but we did try enough to support this claim. The chocolate vacherin (tower of meringues layered with ice cream and topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce) and dessert sampler both shone. As did the gateau du Relais and the creme brulee.
Le Relais de l’Entrecôte: Multiple locations, including 20 Rue Saint-Benoît +33 1 45 49 16 00)
Sweet Treats in Paris #3: Tarts from La Pâtisserie des Rêves
A recommendation from a French high school student of ours, this small pâtisserie had a tantalizing center table of both large and small formats of exquisite tarts. We sampled the lemon and chocolate – both fantastique. In addition, there were precious gift boxes of other treats – including very delicious pâtes de fruits.
La Pâtisserie des Rêves: Multiple locations including 93 Rue du Bac +33 9 72 60 93 19
Sweet Treats in Paris #4: Hot chocolate from Angelina
For a combination of reasons, it wasn’t until our last full day in Paris that we tasted this amazingly thick and rich combination of “drinking chocolate” served with a bowl of whipped cream to scoop into your cup. When our US-bound flight was delayed the next morning, we didn’t hesitate to stop one more time.
Angelina: Multiple locations, including Angelina Paris 226 Rue de Rivoli +33 1 42 60 82 00
Sweet Treats in Paris #5: Ice Cream (and Sorbet) from Berthillon
I tend toward the sorbets, and was mesmerized by my framboise et rose (raspberry and rose) scoop. B enjoyed his dark chocolate ice cream thoroughly.
Berthillon: 29-31 Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île +33 1 43 54 31 61, but available at several nearby cafes as well.
Sweet Treats in Paris #6: Anything from La Maison du Chocolat
One of our very last stops on our trip (so that we had a hope of bringing some treats back to the US intact!), I insisted on navigating the process in French (well as much chocolate-relevant French as I could muster!), so I’m not entirely sure what we tasted – but everything we tasted was excellent. And we picked the most transportable-looking items to bring back as gifts. I’m happy to report they all arrived safely and were promptly consumed upon arrival!
La Maison du Chocolat: 19 Rue de Sèvres +33 1 45 44 20 40
To learn about teen-friendly restaurants in Paris (where your kid doesn’t have to dress up!), click here.
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The Best of Paris: 5 Places to Eat Out in Paris – Without Dressing Up
Is the Paris Museum Pass Worth It? 4 Day Pass Review
