Let them eat cake
A high-calorie tour of Parisian patisseries
Let them eat cake
Kirsten Dunst might be the star of the film Marie Antoinette, but it’s the movie’s mouth-watering array of French fancies that really steal the show. We show you where to go for a true taste of Parisian ooh la la
words: david atkinson
WITH THE FILM Marie Antoinette, directed by Sofia Coppola and starring award-winning actress Kirsten Dunst, having recently opened in the UK, gateaux are suddenly de rigueur and patisserie decidedly à la mode. Shot around the palace and grounds of Versailles, the film includes some lavish scenes in the famous Hall of Mirrors. Just as sumptuous are the costumes designed by Milena Canonero and the shoes by Manolo Blahnik.
The real star of the film is, however, something far more indulgent: the cakes. Throughout the film, Dunst is surrounded by a sea of cakes; three-tiered fruit and cream structures to her left, silver and glass stands of scrummy patisserie to her right. The entire set is, in short, less the Chateau de Versailles and more the chateau de gateaux, a homage to the infamous remark of the soon-to-be beheaded queen: “Let them eat cake.”
Sofia Coppola worked closely with legendary patisserie Ladurée (see p36). She also recruited the expertise of chef Marc Meneau, of the restaurant L’Espérance in the Burgundy region (+33 3 86 33 39 10; www.marc-meneau-esperance.com).
The concept of taking afternoon tea arrived in France in the 17th century with salons de thé, or tea rooms, springing up around the Place de la Madeleine after the Dutch East India
Company opened up the trade routes to the Far East. Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, the Marquise de Sévigné, made the first mention of adding milk to tea in 1680 and, by the time Marie Antoinette lost her head in October 1793, the custom of tea à la française – accompanied by exquisite cakes – had become a symbol of the decadence of the bourgeoisie.
Today there are around 140 Parisian salons de thé. At lunchtime tea rooms offer a lighter alternative to the heavier meals served elsewhere. By mid-afternoon, however, they really come into their own with the delicate chink of bone-china cups, cake stands toppling over with elaborate treats and the frisson of possibly spotting Catherine Deneuve tucking into a Gerbet macaroon at Ladurée or a Chocolat l’Africain at Angélina.
To mark the film’s release, voyager packs its sweet tooth and seeks out the best places around Paris to sample the finest cakes fit for a queen.
DALLOYAU
Founded in 1802 by Jean-Baptiste Dalloyau, the chic Dalloyau group of salons de thé-cum-traiteur (a gourmet take-out) have been a cornerstone of the Parisian sweet tooth for over 200 years. The founder recognised the changes that the French Revolution would bring to society and went about creating a new range of patisserie with widespread appeal, while retaining the elegance of the Versailles court. Today, five individually-styled locations across Paris produce 55 tonnes of macaroons and 50 tonnes of chocolate bonbons annually, while 100 maîtres pâtissiers, chocolatiers and maîtres confiseurs are employed in creating the trademark lines, including macaroons, chocolate truffles and almond fancies.
The Dalloyau Faubourg St Honoré remains the favoured hang-out of the Parisian pastry-craving cognoscenti with its refined surroundings and high candy-pink benches, while the Dalloyau Bastille is increasingly the domain of fashionistas with a more contemporary décor featuring deep pinks and delicate fuchsia hues.
Dalloyau Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, 101, Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré; +33 1 42 99 90 00. Dalloyau Bastille, 5 Boulevard Beaumarchais; +33 1 48 87 89 88
ANGELINA
Opened in 1903 by a family of Austrian pastry cooks, the Rumpelmayers, Angélina, named after the founder’s wife, is still to be found beneath the Rue de Rivoli arcades, just a stone’s throw from the Louvre Museum and opposite the Tuileries Gardens. Today this gilded icon of la belle époque, replete with chocolate-box yellow walls with gold piping and pale, lime-green fabric, is the home of Parisian chocoholics. The notoriously rich Chocolat l’Africain, served in a hot-chocolate cup and accompanied by a jug of whipped cream, is the signature treat, but make sure to leave room for their trademark dessert, the chestnut-based Mont Blanc, a blend of meringue, whipped cream and sweet chestnut cream hailing from the Italian Alps. The recipes are still a closely guarded secret even today. Other house specialities include the Colombien, made of coffee ganache, and the Opéra, a chocolate and coffee creation. Given its proximity to the famous haute-couture houses, Angélina still regularly plays host to fashion shows for the new collections with Jean-Paul Gaultier and Karl Lagerfeld among the designers to showcase their collections against this gilded backdrop.
Angélina, 226 Rue de Rivoli; +33 1 42 60 82 00
LADUREE
Ladurée, founded in 1862 by a then-16-year-old Louis Ernest Ladurée, is today the king of French patisserie with a permanent staff of 300, including 85 pastry chefs, working to unveil the twice-yearly new collections of calorie-laden goodies based around seasonal produce. The portfolio takes in sweets, pastries and other desserts, but best known are the Gerbet macaroons, of which the company sells around 10,000 per day at its four venues around Paris. The original tea room, Ladurée Royale, remains at 16 Rue Royale in the eighth arrondissement with its frescos depicting angelic pastry chefs and voluptuous ladies, while the latest opening, Ladurée Bonaparte, is located on the Left Bank in the heart of the stylish Saint-Germain-des-Près district. There’s also a larger branch on the ChampsElysées, where the take-away boxes of macaroons are considered a badge of honour for the discerning shopper. Sofia Coppola employed the services of Ladurée that were inspired by the elaborate wigs and frou-frou skirts that were all the rage at the court of Versailles. The macaroons, however, are rather incongruous – Pierre Desfontaines, a distant cousin of Louis Ernest Ladurée, only invented the famous Gerbet macaroon at the beginning of the 20th century.
Ladurée Royale, 16 Rue Royale; +33 1 42 60 21 79.
Ladurée Bonaparte, 21 Rue Bonaparte; +33 1 44 07 64 87.
Ladurée Champs-Elysées, 75, Avenue des Champs-Elysées;
+33 1 40 75 08 75
PIERRE HERME
Considered one of the finest pastry chefs in the world, Pierre Hermé’s empire is now divided between Paris and Tokyo. Described as the Picasso of Pastries, Hermé is renowned for his attention to fine detail and passion for technical precision to redefine the art of pastry. Each year in September and March he presents his new themed menu, a combination of reworkings of classic French pastries and new signature creations, which draw inspiration from the world of haute couture and seasonal produce. The white-truffle macaroon and chocolate praline truffle are among the trademark creations. The Pierre Hermé boutique on Rue Bonaparte was specifically designed by Yan D Pennor to resemble a jewellery box filled with pastry gems with the delicacies arranged in neat rows. Downstairs, three split-level kitchens known as ‘the laboratory’ provide the backdrop to Hermé’s ongoing experimentation, while a second kitchen, located nearby on Rue de Vaugirard, is where his team of chefs prepare the base components – the cream fillings, cakes, glazes and ice creams – that are assembled into the fantastic pastries and cakes at Rue Bonaparte.
Pierre Hermé, 185 Rue de Vaugirard; +33 1 47 83 89 96.
Pierre Hermé, 72 Rue Bonaparte; +33 1 43 54 47 77
FAUCHON
The grand dame of Parisian foodie stores, Fauchon was founded in the Place de la Madeleine by Auguste Fauchon in 1886. Today the store specialises in contemporary luxury food: fine bakery, pastry, delicatessen and wine, remaining one of the most famous – and expensive – grocery stores in Paris. The launch of Fauchon’s corner tea room coincided with the reopening of the Place de la Madeleine after improvement works and the new airy room is a huge improvement on the old basement location. The whole of the third floor is given over to tea, spices and tea accessories, with silver hourglass tea timers and silk teabags being the essential purchases. To accompany the perfumed varieties of tea, try the Croquants Cacao et Chocolat Noir wafers, while the Fauchon multi-coloured éclair has become a symbol of Fauchon’s innate ability to blend tradition with contemporary gastro chic.
Fauchon, 24-26 Place de la Madeleine; +33 1 70 39 38 00
TOWARDS VERSAILLES…
Located in the heart of the stately suburb of Fontainebleau, Patisserie Cassel (71 Rue Grande, Fontainebleau; +33 1 64 22 29 59) is a patisserie-cum-tea room and the latest venture from Frédéric Cassel, the well-known pastry chef who previously worked at Fauchon. Cassel founded his own business in 1994 and was elected official Pastry Chef of the Year in 1999 for his contemporary take on classic pastry favourites, such as macaroons and éclairs.
In Versailles itself, The Beaux-Arts Bakery (19 Rue Royale, Versailles;
+33 1 39 50 51 32) has a fine range of Viennese-style patisserie, including tarts and millefeuilles.
Finally, Julien (60 Rue de la Paroisse, Versailles; +33 1 39 50 01 84), another Versailles institution, is a bakery-cumdeli producing a refined range of pastries, including Viennese pastries and a tempting selection of fresh cream cakes.
