The Best Bakeries in Paris: 6 Places Not to Miss

Baking is an art form in Paris. Professionally trained boulangers and pâtissiers create artisan baked goods, often from recipes handed down through the generations. Parisians flock to their local bakeries to buy freshly baked bread, right out of the oven.

When I was living in Paris, I enjoyed my regular visits to the local boulangerie, to chat with the boulanger and purchase a fresh baguette (and occasionally, a more decadent pain au chocolat). You’ll find bakeries everywhere in Paris, but here are a few that are worth a special visit.

Boulangerie, Pâtisserie, or Viennoiserie: What’s the Difference?

Before you begin your Paris bakery explorations, it’s good to know the difference between the terms boulangerie, pâtisserie, and viennoiserie. Yes, they all refer to delicious baked goods but in Paris, and the rest of France, there are distinctions.

A boulangerie is a traditional French bakery that bakes its own bread on-site. Baguettes (those long, thin sticks of French bread) are typical of what you would find in a traditional boulangerie.

A pâtisserie, on the other hand, focuses on pastries baked by a pastry chef. It can refer to the place where you buy your pastries as well as the pastries themselves.

Viennoiserie refers to pastries made in the Viennese style, similar to the pastries from Vienna, Austria.

Some bakeries in Paris focus on specific baked goods whereas others sell a combination of breads and pastries.

Now that you know what to order — and what to call it — let’s explore some of the top bakeries in Paris.

Du Pain et des Idées

Baker Christophe Vasseure opened his boulangerie, Du Pain et Des Idées, nearly 20 years ago in a 19th-century building in the heart of Paris. His goal: to create organic, artisan breads and viennoiserie pastries. Specialties include chocolate pistachio rolls, orange blossom brioche, and the signature bread “pain des amis” (friendship bread). Note that Du Pain et Des Idées is only open Monday through Friday.

Website: Du Pain et des Idées
Address: 34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France (10th arrondissement)

Stohrer

Stohrer’s claim to fame is that it’s the oldest patisserie in Paris. It was founded in 1730 by Nicolas Stohrer, the pastry chef for King Louis XV.

Stohrer is known for its pâtisseries (babas, eclairs, tarts) and viennoiseries (brioche, croissants, pain au chocolat). One of my personal favorites is the Saint-Honoré au Chocolat, a puff pastry with hazelnut praline and milk chocolate Chantilly cream. Stohrer has two other shops in Paris and also offers a savory menu.

Website: Stohrer
Address: 51 rue Montorgueil, 75002 Paris (2nd arrondissement)

Ladurée

The Ladurée (lah-dew-ray) baking empire started in 1862 when Louis Ernest Ladurée opened a bakery on 16 rue Royale in Paris, which still stands today. Laduree has since expanded to multiple shops in Paris and around the world.

I just loved the macarons here; so many choices! Although Ladurée is most famous for its macarons, it also has a wide selection of other pastries including numerous millefeuille, Saint Honoré, éclair, flan, and tart options. If you’re looking for something a little different, try the Macaron Rhubarb Marie Antoinette tea pastry or the Macaron Raspberry Verbena Pastry.

If you’d rather have Ladurée come to you, you can purchase items from their online store. U.S. residents can order from GoldBelly (bakery items shipped from Laduree shops in the U.S.).

Website: Ladurée 
Address: multiple locations in Paris and around the world; see website for details

Poilâne

Pierre Poilâne established the flagship Poilâne bakery in 1932 in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. As Poilâne’s popularity increased, it and grew to a total of four bakeries in Paris and two in London.

While you’re there, check out their signature Poilâne sourdough loaf baked in a wood-fired brick oven and made with only four ingredients: sourdough, stoneground wheat flour, water, and Guerande sea salt. Other offerings include flan, apple tart, brioche, and pain au chocolat (chocolate bread).

Website: Poilâne
Address: 8 rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris (6th arrondissement); other locations in Paris and London

Gontran Cherrier

The Gontran Cherrier bakery empire is named after its founder, the artisan boulanger, author, and TV presenter Gontran Cherrier. He opened his first bakery in Montmartre in 2010 and now has multiple stores in Paris as well as in Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia.

Offerings range from traditional French bread to more innovative options such as miso rye bread or sardine, pine nut, and fresh coriander bread. If you’re looking for something a little sweeter, try one of the viennoiseries (croissants, pain au chocolat, or brioche). Pastries with exotic flavors from Asia are also on the diverse menu.

Website: Gontran Cherrier
Address: 22 Rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris (18th arrondissement); see website for other Paris and international locations

Boulangerie Chambelland Paris

If you’re sensitive to gluten, you can still enjoy delicious baked goods in Paris. Chambelland is Paris’s premier gluten-free bakery. Their breads are hand-made, mostly organic, and include sourdough and focaccia and well as sweet treats such as tarts, cookies, and pies. The Chambelland website offers a downloadable list of all their baked products with details of other potential allergens you might wish to avoid (nuts, seeds, dairy, etc.).

Website: Boulangerie Chambelland Paris
Address: 14 rue Ternaux 75011 Paris (11th arrondissement); see website for Brussels

Paris Bakery Tours and Classes

If you want to go beyond just purchasing a delicious Parisian pastry to eat (although that’s definitely fun too!), here are some Paris bakery tours and classes you might enjoy: