Where to Find the Best Éclair in Paris: 29 Sweet Picks
An éclair looks like the easiest pastry in the window: a finger of choux, a line of glaze, done. That's why so many Paris bakeries phone it in, with a soggy shell that sat in the fridge since dawn and a cream that tastes of starch instead of chocolate.
These 29 places serve the best éclair in Paris according to the guides locals trust, from celebrity pâtissiers to salons de thé and a few restaurants that finish dinner with one. For the rest of the choux family, see our profiteroles, or browse the best pastry shops in town.
A neighborhood artisan bakery where hand-kneaded natural sourdough and exceptional viennoiseries are crafted daily with Label Rouge flours across three welcoming Parisian locations.
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Since 1903, this iconic Parisian salon de thé has captivated high society with its legendary Mont-Blanc and world-famous hot chocolate in an opulent Belle Époque setting.
The iconic Parisian salon de thé where the double-decker macaron was born, serving exquisite pastries and tea time in a Belle Époque setting on the world's most famous avenue.
The accessible sibling of legendary Tour d'Argent, serving timeless French bistro classics and signature roasted duck on a picturesque quai overlooking Notre-Dame.
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A legendary artisan bakery in the 10th arrondissement where traditional bread-making meets exceptional craftsmanship in a beautifully preserved historic setting.
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A floating culinary escape where Italian soul meets Japanese precision on the banks of the Seine, with views of the Eiffel Tower and Pont Alexandre III.
The oldest pâtisserie in Paris, where Nicolas Stohrer invented the baba au rhum in 1730, continues to craft legendary French pastries in a monument historique setting.
One of Paris's finest artisanal bakeries, crafting 100% homemade breads, viennoiseries, and pastries with organic flours and exceptional quality ingredients.
Celebrated chef Cyril Lignac's bustling pâtisserie on rue Paul Bert showcases artisanal French pastries that reimagine classics with modern flair.
A pioneering specialty coffee roastery and artisan bakery serving exceptional sourdough bread and carefully sourced coffee across three beloved Parisian locations since 2012.
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A beloved gluten-free bakery crafting exceptional organic breads and pastries with rice flour since 2014, proving that allergen-friendly can be utterly delicious.
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An artisan bakery in the 11th arrondissement where traditional French baking techniques meet creative pastry innovation, offering everything from naturally leavened breads to signature cheesecakes.
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A master chocolatier's atelier in the Marais where handcrafted ganaches, pralinés, and caramels are elevated to fine art.
A refined pastry boutique within the legendary Hôtel de Crillon on Place de la Concorde, where chef Matthieu Carlin crafts contemporary seasonal creations.
Award-winning Japanese pastry chef Mori Yoshida crafts exquisite Franco-Japanese desserts in the heart of Paris's 7th arrondissement, blending traditional French techniques with refined Japanese sensibility.
Former Grand Hôtel Intercontinental pastry chef Carl Marletti crafts award-winning French pastries, including Paris's best lemon tart, in his elegant Left Bank boutique.
A celebrated Franco-Japanese pâtisserie where master pastry chef Sadaharu Aoki has been crafting elegant, innovative creations infused with matcha and Japanese flavors for over two decades.
François Perret's elegant pâtisserie boutiques bring the legendary Ritz Paris savoir-faire to rue Cambon and rue de Sèvres with exquisite French pastries and signature madeleines.
Celebrity chef Cyril Lignac's dedicated chocolate haven in the 11th arrondissement, serving artisanal chocolates, decadent pastries, and the city's most indulgent hot chocolate.
A 400 m² artisan bakery spanning three floors across from the Louvre, crafting 100% homemade breads, viennoiseries, and modern pastries in a zen, contemporary setting.
A legendary Parisian chocolaterie crafting exquisite ganaches, pralines, and pastries with unparalleled artisanal expertise across multiple elegant boutiques.
A refined pastry boutique in Vincennes where Noémie Giorno crafts exceptional French desserts with carefully selected premium ingredients.
Twice-crowned champion of Paris's prestigious Grand Prix de la Baguette, this Montmartre bakery crafts exceptional traditional breads with 100% French flour.
A contemporary artisan bakery in the heart of the Marais, crafting exceptional breads and pastries with organic flours and natural levain while offering vegan options and hands-on pastry workshops.
A historic French tea institution offering over 500 varieties of exceptional teas in an elegant colonial-inspired setting in the heart of Le Marais.
An artisanal pâtisserie near Buttes-Chaumont where traditional French techniques embrace multicultural influences, creating unique pastries with locally sourced ingredients.
A historic Saint-Germain-des-Prés institution crafting exceptional sourdough bread and pastries using traditional wood-fired ovens for over 90 years.
Since 1854, this legendary French tea house offers over 500 varieties of tea alongside refined pastries in an elegant Left Bank setting.
A Meilleur Ouvrier de France chocolatier with 35 years of expertise crafting exceptional chocolates, macarons, and pastries across seven Parisian boutiques.
What makes the best éclair in Paris
A great éclair has a choux shell that's crisp on the outside and hollow inside, filled end to end so every bite has cream. The filling should taste of what it claims, dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and the glaze should be thin, shiny and not sticky. Freshness matters more than decoration, so go where they bake throughout the day. Each place page below tells you which flavor regulars pick and when the cases are fullest.
Pâtissiers who take it seriously
La Pâtisserie Cyril Lignac, on rue Paul Bert in the 11th, opens at 7am; its éclair sits next to a Paris-Brest and a baba au rhum, and the counters thin out by afternoon. In the 9th, Mamiche fills its choux à la vanille generously; it's closed Sunday and Monday. Stohrer, the oldest pâtisserie in Paris, on rue Montorgueil, is the place for choux classics like the religieuse à l'ancienne. Jacques Genin makes éclairs by special order only, so call a day ahead. Gluten-free? Boulangerie Chambelland on Oberkampf bakes with rice flour and has a loyal following. More in our bakeries and chocolate shops.
Salons de thé for a slow afternoon
Angelina has served tea on rue de Rivoli since 1903; its éclair shares the menu with the Mont-Blanc and a thick hot chocolate. It takes no reservations, so come early. Ladurée on the Champs-Élysées serves a chocolate éclair alongside its macarons; book its tea time ahead. See our macarons page for more pastel boxes.
An éclair to end dinner
Some of the best come at the end of a meal. La Rôtisserie d'Argent, the Tour d'Argent's bistro sibling on a quai facing Notre-Dame, serves chocolate éclairs from Le Boulanger de la Tour after its roasted duck. Riviera Fuga, a boat moored under the Pont Alexandre III, finishes with an intense gianduja éclair and a view of the Eiffel Tower; browse our places with a view for more.
Where to look
The 11th has the most éclairs on this list, followed by the 1st, the 8th, the 5th, the 3rd and the 6th. Staying east? Start in the 11th arrondissement. Prices split between cheap bakeries and pricier pâtisseries, so filter by budget. Then pair your éclair with a croissant for breakfast, and open the map to find the closest one.