The croissant, like its close cousin, the pain au chocolat, is the quintessential Parisian breakfast. It's light, quick to eat, and a thing of beauty, but also a burst of buttery, flaky pleasure.
Unless you shop at the handful of luxurious, designer-lifestyle bakeries in the French capital, these crescent-shaped pastries are cheap yet delicious. Croissants in all their forms are a food of the people, like the pizzas of Naples.
The enthusiastic queues that spill out onto the street from good boulangeries (bakeries) are just something visitors have to get used to, but they are a testament to the fact that every croissant-buyer is, at least momentarily, at the same democratic level.
Each region of France has its own pastry specialties and preferences. I prefer not to open the Pandora’s box of whether we should say pain au chocolat or chocolatine, as they vehemently argue in the southwest of the country. But I don’t think it’s controversial to say that the best of the best – la crème de la crème, if you will – can be found in Paris.
The world of French baking can be a little confusing for newcomers, so I should clarify that I have opted to mainly focus on viennoiserie – the French term for classic pastries such as croissants, pains au chocolat and other baked goods generally consumed in the morning. The name is a reference to the fact that the croissant is believed to have originated in Vienna.
For the purposes of this guide, I have mostly overlooked French breads – which are a whole different universe – and pâtisserie, the umbrella term for cake and tart-style creations, which tend to be sweeter, more elaborate in design, and more expensive.
Well, I'm a voracious pastry eater and have previously had the great honor of being a jury member judging the annual best croissant in Paris competition, so I have some experience in the field. However, it's a bit of a misconception to imagine you can walk into any bakery in Paris and automatically find world-class pastries.
Regrettably, many places bake industrially made, pre-frozen goods. However, Paris is still the best place on the planet to get your flaky pastry fix, from classics such as croissants aux amandes (almond croissants) to the indulgent pain suisse (a rectangular pastry filled with custard cream and chocolate). Also look out for exciting modern variations with Jewish, Japanese and North African influences.
Here are what I consider to be the most interesting and significant bakeries in Paris.
While Boulangerie Utopie was crowned champion of the best baguette in Paris competition in 2024 (and their baguettes are excellent, moreish creations), I tend to visit in search of the mouth-watering pastries behind the bakery's L-shaped counter.
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