La Duree, Paris

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Founded in 1862, Laduree is synonymous with the word "macarons", selling a reported 15,000 of these sweet desserts every day!

We went to Laduree Royale, located on Rue Royale (in arrondissement 8), near to some luxury brand stores (e.g. Longchamp and Furla). Like Angelina, the interior decoration is very beautiful, and service was good.

We ordered foie gras served with a mimosa macaron and coffee. The foie gras was melt-in-your-mouth good, and the mimosa macaron tasted delicious! Before we left, we also ordered macarons (take-away) - we bought 8 in different flavours (2nd picture). Pistachio was my favourite flavour.

Favorite Dish: The macarons (in any flavour.... almost! Not crazy about the rose-flavoured one!)

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housed in an elegant mansion, this cafe and tea room dating back to the eighteenth century, the tea room probably there before the present cafe was founded in 1862. elegant elegant fittings and surroundings. friendly service and professional manners.
i was told that the waiters are actually trainees from the Luis Vuitton Plc group and that they are managers in training and this is their work study time to learn about service, so the waiter who served you many be managing a Luis Vuitton store near you..

Favorite Dish: Cakes of all sorts
the one i liked was Plaisir Sucre

The bathroom is worth looking at, for the flavour of a bygone era

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LADUREE

Macarons are the signature confections you'll find at Ladurée which consists of a sandwich made of 2 halves of paper-thin crisp shell, chewy moist cookie part while the middle is filled with a buttercream ganache or a confiture (jam). The best thing about macarons is that as they get a little bit older (they can be held for up to a week) they just get a bit crustier & chewier. Of course, if you love they way they taste when fresh then you can freeze them.

These are not at all like macaroons - those hard, crusty, coconut-infused concoctions - I don't care for those at all. Ahh, but macarons THOSE are my favorites! I've tried different macarons at Ladurée, Pierre Hermé, The Ritz, Sadaharu Aoki, Paul, Miss' Manon, Le Valentin, and La Chocolaterie in Chartres which specializes in macarons, but my favorites so far are Ladurée's!

They also have lovely chocolates (see the 5th photo)!

You'll find this salon de thé at 4 locations in the city (see below). My favorite location is in the 6th arrondissement on the corner of rues Jacob & Bonaparte, a perfect spot for a spot o' tea.

It's the perfect little luxury - try just one small macaron (1.40€ for each tiny tasty pastry, 21.50 for a boite of 15) - FANTABULOUS! I think you will be wowed, too.

You may also be interested in Laduree's cookbook - check it out! The cost is about $30-40 and is written in French with "full page luscious pictures of all the recipes" according to Fodor's poster, slopugs.

Favorite Dish: Some of the more popular flavors (gleaned from an informal poll on www.fodors.com) are as follows:
pistachio (light green color)
chocolate
rose
almond
raspberry
coffee
Lemon (very refreshing)
violet-flavoured blackcurrant (delicious)
Lime/Basil (surprisingly good)

UPDATE:
These are the flavors I tried this trip (11/07)(gift box):
From the 1st photo - clockwise from center/top:
Rose* (still my all-time favorite; its rose butter cream is fabulous)
Pistache* - Pistachio
Gingembre - Gingerbread (holiday flavor)
Caramel au beurre salé* - Salted Butter Caramel
Fleur d'Oranger* - Orange Flower (delicate, sweet flavor)

My new flavors from previous trip (2/06)(macarons on napkin)
From the 1st photo - clockwise from top:
Pistache* - Pistachio
Poivre de Java - Black Pepper
Cassis Violette - Blackcurrant Violet (this has a confiture, or jam, filling)
Fleur d'Oranger* - Orange Flower
Rose*
Caramel au beurre salé* - Salted Butter Caramel

*my absolute favorites

See website for complete list of flavors - you will drool!!

Photos: Feb 2006

It's a pattiserie really, and thay have four shops in Paris (oh, and one in Harrods in London)
Its just stylish olde world charm to put it simply.
The operation has been going since 1862 and is beautifully done.

Favorite Dish: If you like fresh cakes, chocolates and things that are scrummy, you'll never leave.

I'd heard so much about the macaroons from this place that I simply had to try them. It's true -- they're divine!

I went to the location nearest the Opera. Around 4:00 p.m. on a Wednesday, they were packed, with a line for items pour emporter.

Favorite Dish: I bought 8 mini macaroons which are packaged in a lovely box (12E). You choose your own flavors. My choices were the chocolate, rose petal, pistachio, red fruits, mint, lemon, raspberry, and hazelnut. My favorites were the raspberry, red fruits and pistachio. My least favorite was the mint.

This beautiful bakery/cafe is situated on the Champs d'Elysses, and has prices to match...but one look at the pastry display will push that to the back of your mind...

You can sit down inside or on the sidewalk, or just order your pastries to go, which is what I did. A Paris instution!

Favorite Dish: Try the macaroons--they come in several flavors--chocolate, almond, pistachio, etc. Not traditional American-style macaroons at all--these are denser and more intensely flavored, and there's no coconut here--it's actually a blend of almond paste and other flavorings!

Laduree, founded in 1862, is a French institution and a great place to stock up on some delicious chocolates, pastries, and macaroons.

The macaroons are the most famous delicacy at Laduree and they come in flavors like violet, rose, cassis, amaretto, salty caramel, tea, and bitter lime, to name just a few. The four stores in Paris sell more than 800 macaroons a day and are incredibly popular. When I stopped in to the shop near Opera Garnier, the little store was totally packed with people waiting to buy macaroons. The stores claim to serve more than 3,000 customers a day.

If you'd like to sit down for tea, Laduree is the perfect place to do that. The interior is painted in a lovely mint green with lots of lush fabric swags and makes for a very relaxing and luxurious experience.

Laduree has multiple locations, but the first store was opened at 16, rue Royale in 1862. The founder, Louis Ernest Ladur?e, watched his store grow into a Parisian insitution. You must stop in to Laduree while you are in Paris and sample their delicious treats!

Favorite Dish: The macaroons are the thing to try at LaDuree. All the flavors are fantastic, but I'm most partial to their caramel and chocolate flavors. Just delicious!!

The macaroons are expensive. It's 3 euro each for the larger size and just over 1 euro for the mini size. You can also buy boxes of the macaroons starting at about 29 euro. You can pick out the flavors yourself and an attendant will scoop them out of their indivudual bins behind the counter as you request them.

my friend from hong kong went to paris with me. her parents friends had moved to paris. (or maybe they were relatives???) anyway....

la duree is on champs elysees and is famous i guess, but i dont doubt why.....pourquoi??? tres deliceuse! (please excuse my inability to spell french). I had some odd desert, like a phylllo pastry fillled with real whip cream (not the sugary, liquidy american yuck) and covered in crystalllized fingers of caramel. yuuuuuuum.

Favorite Dish: too many to decide! theres like...100 desserts!!! i just blindly chose.

its a bit expensive (trop cher) but worth it.

when here, i really felt like i was in paris. dark, rich, classy, quiet but not silent, charming...... felt like a painting by Hopper.

i hope to return!!!