Maison La Duree

*Photo Credit : www.laduree.fr

I emerged from the Louvre, blinking in the bright afternoon sun. Our next stop would be a walk up the Champ Elysee, towards the Arch de Triomphe. Champ Elysee is very much a tourist spot now although not as bad as Oxford Circus in London. There are still some smart boutiques about like Louis Vuitton.

It was an unbearably hot afternoon and we took care to walk in the shady side of the street. Nearer to the Arch, I found what I was looking for – La Maison La Duree! The infamous tea room which sells the most delectable pastries and macaroons. NYF once bought me a whole box from Paris and I cannot forget the taste ever since.

The pistachio walls outside with its elegant confections on display hides a huge queue for its famous macaroons. I joined the queue with some 50 people before me. The inside was all gilt and glass, muted colours and light. Very posh!


The interior of La Duree

Only a few people buy their delectable pastries – most people in the queue are for the macaroons. And what macaroons they are! Not the coconut hard biscuit type but small light round biscuits sandwiched together with a specially flavoured filling. The colours and the flavours they came in are amazing – ranging from black for liquorice to light pink for apricot ginger to chocolate to mango. There are 14 flavours altogether.

30 minutes later, it was my turn and I asked for one in each flavour. Emerged from the dim interior triumphant and showed Jenol, MH and little one the light green box, with its beautifully tied ribbon. Each small delight is 1.30 euros ($2.60!) so we sat down to savour them.



Jenol tried to find an equivalent in terms of taste and in his limited praise said “Macam Suji lah!”… Oh no darling, it is nowhere like suji! Not in its lovely colour, the delicate biscuit which is crunchy at the first bite but gets chewy as you bite into the filling. The whole box was demolished in about 5 minutes with Jenol saying “Ni apa resepi ni? kalau bukak kedai kat Singapore, mesti laku.”

It was not until I did a search on the internet that I found LaDuree has a branch at Harrods but at £24 for 18 pcs, it must be for very special occasions only. Apparently according to NYF, Bakerzin in Singapore might sell something similar but I cannot vouch for it. So if anyone wants to be in my good books, they’ll know what to do. Harrods do delivery. hehehehe