Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
An éclair au chocolat is an oblong choux pastry filled with cool dark-chocolate crème pâtissière and capped with a thin chocolate fondant. The proportions are pâtisserie 101 in Paris.
The éclair entered Parisian pâtisseries in the 1860s; the name (lightning) refers to the speed with which it is eaten. The choux-and-fondant form is often traced to Antonin Carême's early-19th-century pastry workshop. Stohrer (founded 1730, the city's oldest pâtisserie) and the postwar Parisian houses canonised the format. The contemporary éclair revival came via Christophe Adam's L'Éclair de Génie opening in 2012, which sparked a city-wide flavour-of-the-month treatment; Cédric Grolet at Opéra plates a chocolate éclair stripped back to two ingredients. Des Gâteaux et du Pain (Claire Damon) runs a refined classic.
5 editor picks for Éclair au chocolat in Paris, ranked by editorial score. All Paris signature dishes · Éclair au chocolat across every city.
Claire Damon's Des Gâteaux et du Pain in Paris's 15e is the pastry-architect shop where every tart is signed off as a numbered edition, on display.
TipClosed Monday. The Mont-Blanc is autumn-only; the strawberry tart anchors the summer carte.
Cédric Grolet Opéra in Paris is the chef's lemon-fruit-and-flowers museum: every cake a sculpted trompe-l'œil fruit, priced at €18 to €25 a piece.
TipQueue starts at 11:30 for the 12:00 opening; book online to skip it for the citron tart.
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.
Boulangerie Pâtisserie l'Équilibre in Paris's 15e occupies an 1889 Monument Historique storefront on rue Blomet. At 108 Rue Blomet. Booking recommended.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The Pain Suisse with its puff-pastry layers is the room's signature, baked through the morning.
Liberté Pâtisserie Boulangerie in Paris's 10e is Benoît Castel's open-kitchen counter where the bakery floor doubles as the eat-in dining room from 09:00.
TipThe Paris-Brest individual size is €6; the cake-by-the-slice in the back room runs half that price.
Éclair au chocolat makes more sense with someone from Paris explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Day trip · 16 hours
Take a guided day trip from Paris to Brussels and Bruges! See Manneken Pis, explore medieval streets, and enjoy the charm of Belgium’s countryside in one unforgettable...
2 hours
Visit the Fragonard Perfume Museum, enjoy an exclusive Alain Ducasse chocolate tasting, and create your own signature fragrance in a unique sensory experience near the...
Guided tour · 2h 30m
Indulge in Paris’s sweetest flavors on our secret food tour. Taste 6-plus classic treats in Montmartre, from artisan chocolates and macarons to éclairs, crêpes, ice cr...
