Discover the History of the iconic Ladurée store

Step into the flagship store of Ladurée on the Champs-Elysées in Paris and you find yourself in a nineteenth century art nouveau environment, ornately decorated with a coffered ceiling, gilded columns and electric candelabra held up by draped figures that are set at intervals along the bar. Elaborate as the decor is, there’s no doubt that the main attraction lies in the glass cases filled with beautiful, exquisitely decorated pastries. Religieuses, Napoléons, millefeuilles and various tarts are gilded, glazed and decorated with whipped cream, berries or nuts providing ample reason to agonize over choice. Nevertheless, the real star of Ladurée is the macaron. Rows of these jewel-colored treats line glass case after glass case. Lime green, cerulean blue, raspberry pink, orange, purple, chocolate–the delicate cookies are not only delicious but beautiful–a fitting representative of one of France’s oldest bakeries.

The macaron was originally brought to France from Italy by Catherine de Medici, however it wasn’t until the mid-nineteenth century that the renowned double macaron, cemented with ganache, was created by Pierre Desfontaines, a cousin of Louis-Ernest Ladurée who established the original bakery on the Rue Royale in 1862. Although the bakery was burned down in 1871 it was re-built on the same spot replete with nineteenth century flourishes of chubby cherubs, Art Nouveau embellishment and the luscious green color which has become synonymous with the name, “Ladurée.” After the bakery was re-built, Jeanne Souchard, Louis-Ernest’s wife, came up with the idea of combining the bakery with a tea room thus offering a place for ladies to gather apart from the bars and cafes where “proper” ladies were not expected to be seen.

Bought by Group Holder in 1993 and since run by David Holder, Ladurée has greatly expanded from its Parisian beginnings into an International entity, spreading to Asia and North America as well as other European countries. However, no matter where you live, the name “Ladurée” conjures up images of opulence and taste–beautifully wrapped in the iconic macaron that has become synonymous with the pâtisserie.