Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
The Parisian croissant is a laminated butter pastry, hand-rolled into a crescent, proofed slowly and baked to a deep amber shell with honeycomb crumb. Eaten warm with a noisette in the morning.
Croissants arrived in Paris from Vienna in the 19th century, via the city's Austrian-bakery wave that brought the kipferl shape to French laminated-dough technique. The modern butter-laminated form was canonised by Parisian boulangers in the 1920s. The annual concours de la meilleure baguette tradition pushed quality across the city's 1,500-plus boulangeries; the croissant followed. Du Pain et des Idées in the 10e plates a Sunday-only croissant; Poilâne sells a copper-coloured version from its Cherche-Midi shop opened 1932; modern bakeries like Mamiche and Boulangerie BO run weekday croissants that sell out by 11:00.
5 editor picks for Croissant in Paris, ranked by editorial score. All Paris signature dishes · Croissant across every city.
Christophe Vasseur's Du Pain et des Idées in Paris's 10e remains the boulangerie every other counter measures itself against. At 34 Rue Yves Toudic.
TipClosed weekends. Arrive before 09:00 for the pain des amis; escargots sell out by 13:00.
Poilâne in Paris has baked a signature sourdough miche from a wood-fired oven on Rue du Cherche-Midi since 1932. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.
TipThe half-miche feeds two for a week. Ask for the cocktail-size punitions at the till.
Mamiche in Paris's 9e is the Cécile Khayat and Victoria Effantin counter that brought New York-Israeli babka to Pigalle. Open tue-sat 07:30-20:00.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. Order ahead by phone for a whole babka loaf to take home.
Boulangerie BO in Paris's 12e is Olivier Haustraete's listed-monument boulangerie by Marché d'Aligre, baking organic baguette tradition and Tokyo-honed.
TipThe cherry-blossom Mont Blanc in spring is the seasonal pick; the baguette tradition is the everyday order.
Stohrer in Paris is the city's oldest patisserie, founded in 1730 by Nicolas Stohrer who served Marie Leszczyńska at Versailles. Open daily 07:30-20:30.
TipThe original puits d'amour and the baba travel well. The whipped-cream cake is best in shop.
Croissant makes more sense with someone from Paris explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
1h 30m
Join our French cooking class in the heart of Paris, specially built for kids and families *kids starting 3 years
3 hours
Indulge in a hands-on journey through the delicate layers of perfection. Learn the secrets to shaping, proofing, and baking flaky delights with expert guidance and ins...
2h 30m
Discover how to create the perfect French croissant with a pastry workshop at the Maison Fleuret pastry school in the heart of Paris. Hone your skills with the assista...
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