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Ladurée Macarons in Paris: Worth bringing home as a souvenir?

Ladurée Macarons in Paris: Worth bringing home as a souvenir?

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We all know that Paris is famous for its macarons. But with macaron shops popping up worldwide, including outposts of famous Parisian patisseries, should you even bother to buy macarons as a souvenir in Paris? We answer your top Paris macaron shopping questions here.

1. What is a French Macaron anyway?

Lauduree Paris macarons best macarons in Paris

Not to be confused with the similar-sounding, but very different, coconut macaroon, a macaron is a delicate, meringue-based cookie. In the French macaron, two light-as-air, crispy shells surround a creamy center, usually made of ganache, buttercream or jam.

Why do people go absolutely nuts over these little French sandwich cookies? I think it’s because macarons are utterly addictive– there is something about the contrast of biting into the crisp, flaky shell and the cool, creamy filling. And unlike the latest dessert frenzy du jour, macarons are no passing fad– the French have been enjoying them for centuries.

2. Which Patisserie Makes the Best Macarons in Paris?

Laduree best patisserie in Paris macarons

As you might expect, the question of which patisserie has the best macarons in Paris is the subject of much debate. Top Parisian contenders include big names like Pierre Hermé, Jean-Paul Hevin and Ladurée, as well as a whole slew of smaller, independent patisseries sprinkled throughout Paris.

If you have the time and calories to spare, you should definitely consider taste-testing your way through Paris to find your own favorite macaron patisserie. No matter how many macarons in Paris I sample, I still come back to my favorite, Ladurée.

3.  Ladurée Paris v. Ladurée New York or London– is there a Difference?

Ladurée macarons in London's Convent Garden.

Ladurée in London’s Convent Garden.

Ladurée is one of Paris’ most popular patisseries– so popular, in fact, that outposts have sprung up not only all around Paris and France, but also all over the world.

A branch of Ladurée even found its way to my home city of New York. When the first Ladurée patisserie opened on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the City went macaron-crazy, with lines snaking down the block. Boxes of Ladurée macarons became the new must-buy hostess gift.

I wondered if the macarons at my local New York City Ladurée were really the same as the originals in Paris. Did they ship macarons over on a supersonic flight to ensure freshness? Or import French pastry chefs trained at their Paris shops?

It turned out that Ladurée does neither.  According to a New York Times expose, “macarons shipped to non-French destinations for Ladurée come out of a factory in Switzerland, where they are frozen before shipping.”  Let me repeat this for emphasis– New York’s Ladurée macarons are frozen. Even Ladurée itself can’t bear to use the word– “we don’t say they are frozen — it’s not a very pretty word…We say they are in hibernation.”

I’m not going to debate frozen versus freshly made, because frankly, there is no debate. Buy your macarons in Paris.

4. How do I order Macarons at Ladurée in Paris?

Best macarons Paris Laduree inside shop

Laduree macarons best souvenir Paris pistachio salted caramel

When you arrive at Ladurée in Paris, expect to find a line (the waiting time will vary, depending on time of day and time of year). You don’t need to know French to order here (although it’s polite to say bonjour and merci of course). You’ll find displays with photos and descriptions of the different flavors of macarons available (I am partial to salted caramel and pistachio). Ladurée’s macarons are offered in the standard size as well as a mini version. You don’t need to buy a box of macarons, you can buy just a single macaron if you’d like (I find them very rich and really can’t eat more than one in a sitting).

5. Besides Macarons, what else can I buy at Ladurée?

Croissants Laduree Paris Pain au Chocolat

Laduree Paris shop Place de la Madelaine best macarons

Pastel marshmallows at Laduree Paris are tempting.

Pastel marshmallows at Laduree are tempting.

Most people lose their minds when they see the colorful display of macarons at Ladurée and forget that the patisserie has other French sweets available. If you’re not a fan of macarons (or are allergic to nuts, macarons are made with almond flour) you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. I sampled Ladurée‘s pain au chocolat on a few occasions but found it varied (from flaky and delicious to slightly chewy and meh).

Ladurée also has some non-edible souvenir options, including candles and scented perfume balls in their signature pastel colors.

6. Do Ladurée macarons from Paris make a good souvenir?

Laduree Paris shop blue box macarons

I think it is undisputed that Ladurée macarons are a most-wanted souvenir from Paris. But whether they are a practical souvenir depends on two things– if they can survive the trip home one piece and if they’ll still be fresh

Can delicate macarons even survive the journey home from France?

Ladurée macarons are possibly the most delicate food item I’ve attempted to bring home as a souvenir. Maybe someone more careful than me will have a better experience, but my Ladurée macarons transformed into a pile of crumbs after a transatlantic flight (even though they were stashed in my carry on). I suppose you might have better luck with a sturdier macaron, but the whole point of the macaron is the delicate texture. If you are going to attempt to transport macarons home from Paris, I would definitely recommend securing them carefully and making sure no one shoves your bags in the overhead bins.

How long do macarons from Paris stay fresh?

In general, I don’t mind bringing home souvenir foods with a very short shelf life. I’ve brought home highly perishable cream-filled Victoria Cake from Cambridge and freshly-baked bread from Ireland. These edible souvenirs only had a 24 hour shelf life, but were still delicious back home the next morning, enjoyed with my morning coffee, and shared with family.

But for me, the next-day Ladurée macarons tasted a little stale, nowhere near as delicious as the macarons I devour immediately outside the Paris shop. For some, slightly stale macarons might be better than none at all, but my preference is to save my macaron experience for those Paris visits. But I can certainly understand why others may choose to bring them home (and not everyone agrees with me that any quality is lost).

So readers, I would love to hear your opinions– do you bring home macarons from Paris? Tell us where you buy them, how you bring them home, and how you store them.

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Julie Metge

Thursday 22nd of February 2018

Hello Kristin, You should definitely try the Pierre Hermé macarons, it's the "Crème de la Crème" (best of the best). Drop your Ladurée and run to Pierre Hermé, i promised you won't be disappointed. In fact, Ladurée is more famous among tourist, but Pierre Hermé is where real Parisian go. Mr.Hermé became the world's best pastry chef in 2016 :) His macarons are such a surprising taste combination.

My favorites: Ispahan (rose & litchi), Mogador (chocolate & Passion fruit), Infinitely Vanilla

Parisian girl in Love of Macaron

Kristin Francis

Monday 26th of February 2018

Julie thanks for your take on the subject! I cannot recall if I tried Pierre Herme on that trip (and have since realized I have an almond allergy, which is utterly devastating re: French pastries!). Any tips on where to find the perfect flaky croissant? Have to say on my last trip in Decemeber I was not super impressed-- hit the famous Poilane and local spots near my airbnb and found them bready.

Shepard C Willner

Tuesday 23rd of January 2018

Nice article about these treats, Kristin. I would rather buy and eat these things in Paris than attempt to bring home food items. Reason: at the end of the trip, there are folks from Customs and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) who would want to ensure you're not bringing home pests from abroad. So I hope you're declaring these treats upon returning home from Paree. That was a public service announcement from a reader who works for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS): I work for FEMA. The last time I attempted to bring home a food product (olive oil from Spain), it got confiscated by LHR's airport security. The only food item I successfully import are Cadbury's giant chocolate bars from the duty-free shops in Concourse B (where British Airways flies home to Dulles). Regarding flying home in Economy, I stopped doing that because I discovered Premium Economy: more leg room, better service, better food, etc. It's like being in Business Class or First Class without spending your kids' inheritance money.

Harriet

Saturday 29th of July 2017

Arati...there are Laduree stores and stands inside the airport...but we flew early a.m. and they were not yet open! I was so disappointed! I would not wait to buy them at the airport!

Kristin Francis

Tuesday 24th of October 2017

Harriet thanks for sharing your tips! I agree it's hard to wait for the airport in case you run out of time or the shop is closed/doesn't have what you're looking for-- definitely a risk!

Niki's mom

Friday 21st of July 2017

I brought some home to Washington DC last summer. The little bag never left my side and when I got home they were almost perfect, no crumbs. YUM!

Kristin Francis

Tuesday 24th of October 2017

Oh thanks so much for sharing! You must have good transport skills haha

Kim

Friday 3rd of March 2017

Ugh. I've attempted bringing back Laduree macarons on two separate occasions. They've never made it back home both times.