** NOTE: France, like the rest of the world, is struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic and Paris is essentially shut down to tourists and even residents. All of the posts for destinations on this blog are assuming venues will once again at some point re-open to the public. Until then, posts here are for information only, not recommendations to visit immediately. And let’s all help each other through this harrowing period in global history. Merci! **
Paris is the pastry capital of the world. And there are scores of patisseries scattered throughout the city’s 20 districts (called arrondissements), from elegant, upscale tea houses to small neighborhood mom-and-pop shops.
But a few have grabbed well-deserved international acclaim. One of my favorites of these exceptional salons is Laduree. Specifically, the Laduree tea house on the Champs Elysees (there are three locations in the city).
For me, the best way to enjoy Laduree is to visit for breakfast. I hit the Champs Elysees early and snag a table near the floor-to-ceiling windows that provide prime Parisian people watching. I always order a croissant or pain au chocolate, a tiny pot of freshly made coffee, and at least one of the decadent pastries that fill the shop’s tantalizing glass display cases just inside the entrance.
Le petit dejeuner at Laduree will always be one of the many treasures of “my Paris.”