The Best Croissant in Paris
The best croissant in Paris is a question I’ve been chasing for years, ever since I wrote an early blog post called The Paris Agenda and realized I had only scratched the surface. What started as casual research turned into a years-long taste test across arrondissements, and I tried more croissants than I ever imagined I would. The list below is my personal favorites, from buttery classics on the Left Bank to insider picks tucked into quiet side streets in the 7th and 2nd. Your favorite croissant may not have made my list, and if so, I want to hear about it. Share yours in the comments below.
While working on my “research” of taste-testing croissants, I wanted to develop specific criteria. I prefer a buttery croissant with a flakey, crisp outer shell that is not too dry. Flakes should land on your lap or table when you are enjoying the perfect croissant in Paris. You can order your croissant at a boulangerie like your baguette, either bien cuite (well cooked) or pas trop cuite (not too cooked).
I asked a few of my Parisian friends for their favorite croissants in Paris. While I did get the insider tips, they asked me not to tell! Not everyone shares their favorite boulangerie. It is something that is held sacred.
Table of contents
- How to Order a Croissant in Paris at a Boulangerie
- Boulangerie Terroirs d’Avenir – Best Croissant in the 2nd Arrondissement
- Boulangerie Utopie : Best Croissant in the 11th Arrondissement
- Mamiche – Best Croissant in the 9th Arrondissement
- Blé Sucré – Best Croissant in the 12th Arrondissement
- Du Pain et des Idées – Best Croissant in the 10th Arrondissement
- La Maison D’Isabelle – Best Croissant on the Left Bank
- Maison Landemaine – Best Croissant Near Place des Vosges
- The Best Almond Croissant in Paris: Boulangerie du Musée
- Le Grenier à Pain – Best Chocolate Croissant Paris
How to Order a Croissant in Paris at a Boulangerie
1. Make sure you order a croissant au beurre. The other option you will see offered is a croissant ordinaire. You can tell a difference just by looking. The big difference is in the taste. A croissant ordinaire is made with margarine and a crescent-shaped pastry. Notice the difference in shape between the two types of croissants.
2. Time of Day. Be mindful when ordering your croissant at the Boulangerie. I have had lousy luck at 6 a.m. and much better luck around 9 a.m. for fresh, warm croissants out of the oven. It makes all the difference! You can also try around 4 p.m. during the children’s goûter hour. If you order a croissant around 11/12, it will likely be dryer from sitting out for a few hours.
Boulangerie Terroirs d’Avenir – Best Croissant in the 2nd Arrondissement
Boulangerie Terroirs d’Avenir is located at 3 Rue de Nil. You may know Rue de Nil for Frenchie. It is a tiny side street in the 2nd arrondissement with a cheese shop, a fish shop, a butcher, and an épicerie offering fresh fruits and vegetables. There are also a few other shops on the street, including a coffee shop and Plaq for chocolate. Just prepare yourself to spend some time on this street and spend some money. The boulangerie is yellow and is hard to miss at the end of the street. There is usually a line that moves quickly. Try the croissants, and there are also many other delicious bakery items and sandwiches. I find every excuse to make a stop here while in Paris and it never disappoints.
Closed on Mondays.
Boulangerie Utopie : Best Croissant in the 11th Arrondissement
Boulangerie Utopie is located at 20 Rue Jean – Pierre Timbaud and is the best croissant in the 11th arrondissement. Originally, I came here for the carbon baguette on the recommendation of my friend Jane from La Cuisine Paris. Initially, I ordered a few croissants, not even thinking they would be added to the list. After one bite, I knew they were the real deal and had to be added to the list! It is located in the 11th arrondissement, close to République, or you can take the Oberkampf metro. Try the carbon baguette and the croissant if you are there. They have so many great options for breads and pastries. You can see this great post on the boulangerie here.
Mamiche – Best Croissant in the 9th Arrondissement
Mamiche now has multiple locations; for this post, I am focusing on the 9th arrondissement location. You can find Mamiche at 45 Rue Condorcet. This boulangerie is a bit out of the way from central Paris if you are visiting for your first time. If you want something off the beaten path, I highly recommend discovering Mamiche. Aside from their incredible croissants, they offer sandwiches, breads, cinnamon rolls, and Babka.
Where to Find The Best Croissants in Paris
You can turn your visit into a croissant crawl with Du Pain et Des Idées just around the corner and Buddy Buddy for a great coffee.
Blé Sucré – Best Croissant in the 12th Arrondissement
Blé Sucre is a boulangerie with the best croissant in the 12th arrondissement, located at 7 Rue Antoine Vallon. My first visit to Blé Sucré was over five years ago. On my most recent visit, I was in the neighborhood and could pop in for a pain au chocolate and a croissant. They held up to the test years later.
I had heard about Blé Sucré for a while and finally stopped by. It is very close to the Aligre market, so you can stop by before or after. The dough is sweeter than most croissants in Paris, but this makes it unique. I would love to try one warm, which I have yet to do. They sell out very early on a Saturday and have no plans to make more, so keep this in mind when scheduling your visit. A weekday may be a better time to try this boulangerie.
Du Pain et des Idées – Best Croissant in the 10th Arrondissement
Du Pain et Des Idées is located in the 10th arrondissement, at 34 Rue Yves Toudic. The bakery is known for its escargot croissants, which have various flavors such as pistache chocolat, praliné, and fruit rouge. Over the month, I tried a few different croissants. They were all delicious and very flaky. Sit outside and enjoy the croissants on the bench, or take them to go. The bakery just started serving coffee, but you can also pop by Holy Belly for takeaway. Recently, Du Pain et Des Idées now has a walk-up window on the side. You will find long lines here, as it is now written in many guidebooks and blogs.
Please note: They are closed on the weekend, so plan accordingly. This is a must-visit!
La Maison D’Isabelle – Best Croissant on the Left Bank
La Maison D’Isabelle has been written up a lot and also highlighted on Instagram for their croissants. The boulangerie won the best croissant in Paris in 2018, and the momentum has not slowed. You can find La Maison D’Isabelle at 47ter Blvd Saint Germain, just outside the Marché Maubert or the Maubert-Mutualité metro station.
While this boulangerie has had a lot of hype, I finally stopped by for a croissant. Not only do locals come here for their croissants, but there are also many food tours that make this a highlight. The first time around, to be honest, I wasn’t impressed; my croissant was overcooked, and I didn’t add it to my list.
On my latest trip to Paris in January, I was stopping by to see friends and planned to bring croissants. The line was short, and I jumped right in. The croissants were buttery, flaky, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. We all raved at how good the croissants were and my mind was changed. Now, I can’t stop thinking about these croissants. So there you have it, the hype is real.
Maison Landemaine – Best Croissant Near Place des Vosges
Maison Landemaine is the boulangerie at 28 Beaumarchais. I have talked about this boulangerie a lot over the years. I stumbled upon it on my walk back in 2013, and the lines were out the door, so I had to try it. You will find this boulangerie near the Bastille Market, Place des Vosges, and the Merci shop.
Although the ownership has changed over the years, I haven’t noticed a change in the quality of the items. I love their torsades baguette. The brioche with pralines and croissants are divine.
This is a boulangerie I always bring friends and family to when we are in Paris. Whenever we score a warm, fresh baguette out of the oven, it feels like a win to celebrate.
The Best Almond Croissant in Paris: Boulangerie du Musée
Boulangerie du Musée is located on 40 Rue de Bourgogne. This was the first street I stayed on in Paris in 2010. I was in the area last year for a Pilates class, and when I looked at the location, I knew I had to walk down memory lane. To my right was the hotel I stayed at, which was under renovation. To the left was a boulangerie, I decided to give it a try for research purposes. The line gave me the opportunity to ask others what the best offering was, and I was told it was the almond croissant. I ordered both the almond and regular croissants and was blown away by the almond one. This is not my typical order, and it surprised me. I knew I had to share this gem with you!
This boulangerie is just a quick walk from the Rodin Museum if you want to tie this into a visit. They are closed on the weekends.
Le Grenier à Pain – Best Chocolate Croissant Paris
I discovered my favorite pain au chocolat in 2012 in Montmartre. Le Grenier à Pain, 38 Rue Des Abbesses (closed Tuesday and Wednesday). I still pop in in the neighborhood, and it still holds up. I think they are more on the bien cuite side with their baking, you will see this with their baguettes too.
Want to try making your own? Try a Croissant Cooking Class in Paris
La Cuisine Paris offers a croissant class, which is so much fun! Your favorite croissant in Paris may be the one you make yourself. All the hard work that goes into preparing a warm, flaky croissant in Paris makes great memories.
The Different Types of Croissants Offered at a Parisian Boulangerie
Classic croissant
Chocolate croissant (pain au chocolat)
Almond croissant: This typically is made with almond paste and has sliced almonds on top. It isn’t my favorite type of croissant but they are very popular and you should try it at least once.
Pain aux Raisons
You can purchase The Paris Guide for a complete guide to Paris with the top things to do and hidden gems. I also share some excellent boutique hotel options that are my favorite places to stay in Paris.
Bonjour, I’m Rebecca!
I’m a photographer, blogger, croissant-lover, and world traveler. I hope that Everyday Parisian inspires you by bringing a bit of France into your daily life and helps you plan the best trip to Paris with personalized recommendations for places to stay, explore, and eat.
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While I didn’t remember / know the name, stopped by la Maison d’Isabelle last November on a rainy Saturday morning (and my birthday!) as I headed to Notre Dame to see for the first time since it reopened. While lines out the door, I was able to skip the worst as they had a short croissant only express line that the tourists didn’t notice… 😉 I lived across Blvd St Germain from Place Maubert many years ago and between the marche , fromagerie, (one of the BEST), Boulanger is and caviste you have all you need!
Rebecca
With all of the wonderful research you did, have you thought of writing an article for a good magazine?
I love almond croissants. Somehow l can’t seem to get a good croissant here in the US
Hi Debbie,
I would love that! If you know a magazine that will have me, send them my way. I rarely eat croissants in the US. They aren’t the same, I agree.
Glad to see Blé Sucré on the list! I used to go there often when I lived in Paris. It‘s in the 12th arrondissement, not the 10th. 🙂
Thank you for that catch! You were very lucky to live so close. xo
Would be touristy helpful if these were mapped out since you are ultra familiar with Paris. I’ve only hit the Frenchie wine bar when I stayed in the 2nd. I believe the bakery was closed
Hello Laura,
There is a google map included in this post with everything for you 🙂
I’m glad I’m not the only person who thinks Maison d’Isabelle is not that great.
I’m glad I’m not the only person who thinks Maison d’Isabelle is not that great!
Have you been to the Poilane Boulangerie? Do they make croissants? I read the book, they mostly talked about bread. I would love to go there, I would also love to know what you think about it.
The worst croissant I ever had in Paris was great. The only pastry that comes close are the beignets at Cafe du Monde in the New Orleans French Quarter. I wonder if Careme ever made a croissant?
So glad Buddy Buddy got a shout out! It’s such a gem for good, fun coffee.
Yes! Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed Buddy Buddy too! It’s such a cute spot and great coffee. xo
I gained weight just reading this beautifully presented post. Thank you! We plan to visit several of these places during our holiday visit to Paris this year!
I just found your blog and needless to say I am obsessed! I’ve been to all the shops except Maison Landemaine, so I’m excited to try that one next time in the city.
Thank you so much, Lindsey! You must visit Maison Landemaine, they have a few around the city now but I have always gone to 34 Beaumarchais out of tradition and walked to Place des Vosges.
Des gateaux et du pain. Gerard Mulot. Boulanger 59.
Thanks Sam!
I should have known better…….#2 on your list is the bakery I mentioned.
On The left bank, pierre herme for croissant and mini kouign amann. Rue bonaparte near saint sulpice.
Pierre Herme is so good! I will put your other spot on the list for next time. Merci!
Du Pain & des Idées was both a hit and a miss for me. The escargot pistache et chocolat was huge and to die for, if a bit pricey. But the croissant was meh…I’ve had far superior croissants from lots of places, and again, it was pricier than most.
Blé Sucré’s croissants are divine. They’re huge, sweet and buttery, with excellent flakiness. Just wonderful.
Another great croissant can be found at L’Essential on rue Mouffetard. Right up there with Blé Sucré as a must for croissant lovers.
oh thank you Sherry! I will have to add L’Essential to my list next time I am that way. I love some good croissant competition for blé sucré.
I am sorry to hear that du pain des idées was a hit and miss. I actually tasted all of their escargot in one sitting. Some are better than others and you have to catch them on the right day!
Thank you for sharing with me! xo
Maison Landemaine has blossomed well since he started in 2007. There are 11 locations to choose from in Paris. And yes, they turn out a great Croissant.
I am so happy to hear you have tried Maison Landemaine. Do you have a favorite croissant in Paris?
Landemaine would be up there if I’d have a list.
There is one bakery (name escapes me) near Republique I have to revisit and see if their Croissants are as amazing as their Brioche.
oh! I would love the name if you remember. I had the brioche with praline from Landemaine this round too. It was so good!