Meert Pâtisserie

In a city where competition is stiff, the Meert boutique easily qualifies as the most beautiful confiserie-pâtisserie in Paris. Nestled at the corner of a charming street in the Marais, this is the first Paris offshoot of the exquisite Meert pâtisserie and tea salon in Lille, one of France’s oldest and most celebrated pastry shops. The French-Belgian Meert (pronounced mare) began furnishing pastries to the Lille nobility in 1761, and was named fournisseur officiel to King Leopold I of Belgium in 1864. Meert’s fame has long been centered on its unique version of the gaufre, a delicate waffle native to Holland, Belgium and northern France—the old region of Flanders. Meert’s version—whose recipe is held a strict secret—is particularly treasured for its sublime cream center deliciously perfumed with Madagascar vanilla.

The Paris boutique, which opened last year, receives its gaufres fresh each day from Lille, where the tender golden pastries are handmade in the original 19th-century molds over an open fire, and carefully wrapped in gilt-paper packages of six or twelve. The gaufres will keep for eight days at room temperature. Decorated in Empire style, in deep lavenders, grays and gold, the lovely boutique also carries a superb array of chocolates, jams and guimauve, melt-in-your-mouth marshmallows in flavors like pear, orange flower, blueberry, lime and rose. On Saturdays only, there are also elegant and delicious pastries.

16 rue Elzévir, 3rd, 01.49.96.56.90. website

Originally published in the May 2011 issue of France Today; updated in Jan 2012