I must admit, I wasn’t immediately a fan of the macaron, because if there’s one thing a macaron can’t do, it’s mediocre. If you get a mediocre macaron, you may ‘falsely’ believe that macarons aren’t for you. But if you try the absolute best macarons in Paris I challenge you not to fall in love. They are deliciously crispy yet ooze a creaminess. From the trusty favourites of chocolate and pistachio to the more unique combinations, Paris has you covered. I was on a mission to find the best macarons in Paris, and it just so happens that some of the best are all within a nice walking distance. So I thought I’d share my top picks and a little macaron walking trail for your Paris trip…
Saint Germain Des Pres: A Sweet Neighbourhood
Saint Germain Des Pres is a sweet neighbourhood for more reasons than one, but if you want to find a concentrated number of macaron stores in one area, Saint Germain is your best pick. It’s one of my absolute favourite neighbourhoods in Paris, and what better way to explore it than with a Macaron Trail…
Where To Find The Best Macarons In Paris
Pierre Herme
Pierre Herme was where I tasted my absolute favourite macaron in Paris. Crispy, creamy and full of flavour. The macarons here come in all sorts of unique flavours and flavour combinations. If you only taste one macaron, then go to Pierre Herme. Of course, this is only my opinion and personal taste, so the answer to the question ‘Where to find the best macaron in Paris?’ will probably never be definitive. Thats why if you have the time, why not try a few and decide for yourself? ;) Although Pierre Herme previously worked for Laduree and Fauchon, the macarons don’t have a huge resemblance.
We tried: Passionfruit + Strawberry | Pistachio + Raspberry | Salted Caramel
72 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris | Sunday to Friday 10 am – 7 pm | Saturday 10 am – 8pm
Arnaud Larher
This small beautiful store that looks like a square of chocolate was home to another one of my favourite macarons. Arnaud Larher had absolutely delicious macarons, both in flavour and texture.
We tried: Passionfruit + Chocolate
93 Rue de Seine, 75006 Paris | Tues 2 pm – 7.30 pm | Wed/Thurs 10 am – 7.30 pm | Fri/Sat 10 am – 8 pm | Sun 10 am – 7 pm
Hugo & Victor
Walking into Hugo & Victor feels more like walking into a posh jewellery store than a patisserie. Besides their unique display of desserts in glass cabinets, they also have delicious macarons. Honestly by this stage, it’s getting harder and harder to compare, so rather than analysing it’s best just to enjoy each one ;)
We tried: Vanilla
40 Boulevard Raspail, 75007 Paris | Sunday to Friday 10 am – 7 pm | Saturday 9 am – 8 pm
Cafe Pouchkine
Cafe Pouchkine macarons are recognisable from the pretty shimmer they have on them that make them look very fancy. Again, a great tasting macaron that was extremely soft and creamy. We tried the cheesecake flavoured macaron and they got the flavour just right. Cafe Pouchkine is just that, a cafe, but it also has a tiny pastry display at the front of the cafe where you can select your macarons.
We tried: Cheesecake Macaron
155 Avenue de Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris | Monday to Sunday 9 am – 11 pm
Laduree
Laduree is perhaps home to the most well known macaron in Paris. Some people say it’s the best. The best way to describe it would be the classic macaron, crispy shell and soft center, with all the classic flavours covered. We went to the store on Rue Bonaparte which also had a nice little cafe too. Although I liked it, I must admit it wasn’t my absolute favourite pick of the day, although I’d happily return ;)
We tried: Chocolate
34 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris | Monday to Friday 8.30 am – 7.30 pm | Saturday 8.30 am – 8.30 pm | Sunday 10 am – 7.30 pm (closed in August)
Carette
Carette actually isn’t located in the same area as the ones mentioned above, but we loved their macarons so they had to make the list. Besides, their locations are very much worth going to. We went to their cafe near Place Des Vosages and tried the Salted Butter Caramel macaron. The macarons at Carette have a really jam like filling. I liked it but thought the filling overpowered the crispy shell just a little. Really though, I’m being super picky just so you get a better idea of each, if it’s on this page, I enjoyed it.
We tried: Salted Butter Caramel
25 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris | Everyday 7.30 am – Midnight
Macaron Walking Trail Map
Here’s a suggested walk to fit in a stop at each shop…
The Macarons We Didn’t Get To Try…
So it turns out there is a limit to how many macarons you can eat in 10 days! These are the ones we didn’t get around to trying but looked like they would also be delicious :)
Gerard Mulot | Sadaharu Aoki | Fauchon | Michalak Takeaway | Jean-Paul Hevin
So where is the best Macaron in Paris? I loved every one I tried but the one that came out on top for me was Pierre Herme. But perhaps the best part was getting to try them all… so what are you waiting for ;)
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Sweet post and very enviable experience!
Hi Therie,
Haha thanks so much ;) Need to return asap!