Your fan,
Earl, New York, New York

DEAR Earl: As a lover of sweets, I don’t just nibble and tell, Sweet-tooth, I nibble and yell! So this week, let’s chat about JUST desserts. Here’s a Theadelectable list of my favorite pâtisseries and boulangeries in the City of de-Lights, created to set your taste buds and the (late) summer sun on fire!

Bow Wow Wow, Cheapos, who wants candy?

You better shop around

You’ll find pâtisseries on practically every block in the city, so keep your head and be selective. Feeling all Nancy Drew? I recommend starting your gastronomical quest with window shopping (or lèche-vitrine, “window licking”) because sometimes it is possible to judge a place er, window display. The goods are usually clearly marked with descriptions and prices. Have a question? Just ask. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a line snaking out the door. That’s always a good sign!

Try a little tenderness

Let them eat cake at Le Coquelicot

Receive service without a smile? It happens (though rarely), but don’t take it personally. Rude customer service is hardly limited to France. So if you run into it, either make your purchase anyway or just move on to the next shop. Sometimes, Cheapos, they’re not out to get you, they’re just not into you.

More often than not a wink, smile and a “bonjour” will break the ice. And please note: The places listed below have treated me like a queen for years. Kindness always wins my loyalty and hard-earned euros.

It’s no accident that macarons pop up a lot in this list—after all they’ve been a dessert staple in old Parigi ever since Catherine de Medici introduced them from Italy in the 16th century. Long live the queen!

Gérard Mulot
76 rue de la Seine, 5th Arrond. (Métro: Odéon)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 43 29 92 83
Web site
5 stars on the Theadelectable scale

Don’t miss the macarons, the petits fours and bright orange boxes Mulot packs them in! I have my friend Sandrine to thank for introducing me to this place. (Sandrine, by the way, taught Kirsten Dunst how to play the harp for the title role in Sofia Coppola’s film, “Marie Antoinette.” But I digress, royally …)

Macarons at Ladurée

Pâtisserie Arnaud Larher
53 Rue Caulaincourt, 18th Arrond. (Métro: Lamark-Caulaincourt)
Tel.: +33 (0)1 42 57 68 08
Web site
5 stars on the Theadelectable scale

Get your zoo on here with their fantastic animal-shaped chocolate sculptures (and the striped brown boxes they come in, recalling the bars of menagerie cages).

Ladurée
21 Rue Bonaparte, 6th Arrond. (Métro: St Germain-des-Prés)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 44 07 64 87
Web site
Encore, 5 stars!

Ladurée’s pastel-colored macarons (in beautifully illustrated boxes, this time) inspired the color scheme of the set in Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette.” These little cookies make cameo appearances throughout the movie.

Le Coquelicot (“The Poppy”)
24 rue des Abbesses, 18th Arrond. (Métro: Abbesses)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 46 06 18 77
Web site
Simply Theadelectable!

They raise the bar—with their lemon bars and other Antoinette-worthy petit fours! Champagne, anyone?

Léonidas Chocolatier
65 rue de Rennes, 6th Arrond. (Métro: Saint-Sulpice)
Tel.: +33 (0)1 42 22 00 52

18 rue Lepic, 18th Arrond. (Métro Pigalle)
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 53 28 48 31
Web site
Five-o-rama!

More than famous for their sparkling (and tasty) Eiffel Tower sculptures, royal cameo candies and metallic covered chocolate hearts!

The post Paris: 5 pâtisseries to satisfy your sweet tooth appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Nearly everyone in Paris is both food critic and advocate. So, while visiting the City of (De)lights, take advantage of the gastronomical convictions of the knowledgeable locals. Hint: Look for lines snaking out of doorways—that’s always a good sign. Ask merchants for personal recommendations. And if you’re invited to a dinner party, brace yourself for at least one heated debate about food, and when it erupts, for the love of Julia Child, don’t take cover—take notes!

Cheapos, let’s take it to the streets (or the table)!

Sandrine’s pick: Gérard Mulot at 76 rue de Seine (Metro Odéon)

“I’m gluttonous!” confesses harpist Sandrine, “so on special occasions, I indulge in their decadent tarte à la orange. It always pleases!” (By the way, Sandrine taught Kirsten Dunst how to play the harp for her title role in film, Marie Antoinette. What if she’d said, “Let them eat tartes?”)

Stéphanie’s pick: Pâtisserie Arnaud Larher at 53 rue Caulaincourt (Metro Lamarck-Caulaincourt)

“He makes extremely good pies and tartes, but he’s more famous for his chocolate and award-winning macarons,” according to media analyst Stéphanie.

Yohan’s pick: Arnaud Delmontel at 57 rue Damrémont (Metro Lamarck-Caulaincourt)

“In France, many bakeries don’t make the pastries themselves, so it is difficult to find really great ones, but this one makes it all on the premises,” says television editor Yohan.

Both Yohan and Stéphanie also mentioned: Les Petits Mitrons at 26 rue Lepic (Metro Blanche)

Ooh la la; More tartes at Les Petits Mitrons

“Paris is changing. Most of the good bakeries and patisseries are near La Madeleine or across the Seine, so we’re very lucky to have three so close to our apartment,” Yohan says. Stephanie adds, “I highly recommend Chef Samie Didda’s mouth-watering chocolate tarte.”

Jeff’s pick: Encore! Les Petits Mitrons

Musician and composer Jeff Hallam often takes his band here just before or after rehearsals. “The crust is confection perfection. They caramelize the bottom of the light and flaky crust with butter and sugar. It’s to die for!”

Karine’s pick: Et encore une fois! Les Petits Mitrons

Engineer Karine admits, “But when I was younger I loved tartes aux fruits from Tarte Julie.” (Tarte Julie is a national franchise that’s been around since 1974.)

Swati’s pick: Les Petits Mitrons (must be habit forming!)

It wasn’t the pies in the window that caught clothing designer Swati’s eye during one of her early morning walks. It was the little bags of soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. “Along with the music of Prince, they soon became my dinner party staple.”

Cat’s pick: Les Petits Mitrons (maybe we’re on to something?)

Gypsy band violinist Cat (a confirmed French Cheapo at heart, down to her Monoprix t-shirts) buys by the slice for just a few euros. “The slices are big. The crust is thin. It’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Miam! Miam! And the pink boxes they use are super cute!”

The scene at Legendre. Yummy.

Laurent’s pick: Pâtisserie Legendre at 2 Butte aux Cailles (Metro Place d’Italie)

“To tell the truth, my favorite bakery is always the one closest to my apartment! What can I say, I like to buy local. It makes me feel connected,” says film editor Laurent.

Annelise’s pick: Tarte Julie outlets located all over France.

“When I don’t make my own tartes myself, I buy from Tarte Julie, or the frozen food store Picard. Yes, the frozen tarte is surprisingly nice, but it’s not as good as mine!” boasts book editor Annelise, referring to two popular chains.

Nausicaa’s pick: Pâtisserie Legendre

“Maybe it’s not the cheapest, but the pies are always fresh. Texture is perfect. So I’ll buy one in a pinch. The chocolates are also very, very good, ” she says.

Anne’s pick: Pâtisserie Tholoniat at 47 rue du Chateau d’Eau (Metro Chateau d’Eau).

“This confiserie has existed for seventy years. It was also my father’s favorite shop, when he was a boy,” says book designer Anne, with a nostalgic sigh.

Pierre’s picks: Le Grenier à Pain at 36 rue des Abbesses (Metro Abbesses)

“I know you asked about pies, but can I tell you where the best Christmas log cakes come from? No? Well, they have wonderful pies, too,” according to photographer Pierre.

And my own personal pick? Coquelicot (the poppy) at 24 rue des Abbesses (Metro: Abbesses). It’s dangerously located just below my apartment windows, so I’m able to smell their signature Piccola baguettes bake as I type. I can tell every time they open the oven door!

Do you have a favorite boulangerie or pâtisserie in Paris? Come on, Cheapos! Let’s rumble!

The post Paris Tip: The best tarte in town! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.