The 13 best patisseries in Paris

Septime owners Bertrand Grébaut and Théophile Pourriat have taken a no-nonsense approach to sweet treats with Tapisserie; it uses organic, stone-ground flours with character, local creameries and fair trade sourcing. Chef Fanny Payre's vanilla flan and apple tart are both rustic and delicious, as are the fontainebleau. 

Kaori Akazawa takes you on a sweet journey from France to Japan at this charming bakery, a sweet annex of Ryuji Teshima's gourmet restaurant Pages, in the heart of the 8th district. Vanilla flan (one of the best in Paris), paris-brest and raspberry tart rub shoulders with Japanese strawberry, matcha flan and matcha yuzu saint-honoré. The precision, delicacy and balance of Pages Blanches' cakes have instantly catapulted the place to the Olympus of Parisian patisserie. Trust us, it's a must try.

Who could have imagined that dorayaki – two pancakes sandwiched between a sweet azuki bean paste – would become the culinary marotte of Parisian foodies? Now it's time to try them in this Japanese tea room, set up by two former Aida pastry chefs: Romain Gaia and Murata Takanori. It's also an opportunity to discover other delicate Japanese pastries: mochi, daifuku, baba with Japanese whisky...

If you like your desserts fruity yet subtle, with just the right amount of sweet, make a pilgrimage to this high-end Left Bank spot. Your host, world-renowned pâtissière Claire Damon, has worked everywhere from Fauchon to Ladurée to Plaza Athénée. Order the rhubarb and grapefruit tartelettes, the cherry Mont-Blanc, or pistachio millefeuille. 

The patisserie on the rue de Bretagne hits every time, with its incredible lemon cake, shortbread and imperial seasonal tarts. Adjacent to Bontemps' boutique is the tearoom, full of wrought iron furniture and bouquets of flowers, where you can devour the cakes in the fresh air (and possibly snap a pic for the 'gram).

The only way to avoid standing in front of the pastry mega-star's shop for an hour? Reserve a table in the tea room upstairs. Cédric Grolet Opéra'suncluttered room isn't exactly wow-factor, but it does allow you to take pictures (thanks to the light) and to feast your eyes on these little marvels on the spot, such as this divine flower-shaped lemon tart (€11), with its perfect shortcrust pastry. The one thing we wouldn't recommend is the viral viennoiserie, which does not live up to the hype. 

This fantastic restaurant that turns into a coffee shop outside normal mealtimes. Founder Moko Hirayama, a former lawyer, prepares original desserts that catch your eye as soon as you walk in, including cookies made with black olives and white chocolate. Her pecan cake is also divine.

This place really does feel like, well... a utopia. From simple butter croissants to chausson aux pommes stuffed with real apple, everything here is simple yet insanely moreish. And the best thing? Prices aren’t prohibitive. Order the sesame eclair, a subtle strawberry and cinnamon tart, or a fragrant, melt-in-the-mouth flan.

The little sister of the original Yann Couvreur near Goncourt metro station, this understated Rue des Rosiers address lets its bright, dainty desserts do the tantalising talking. Only eight desserts are available throughout the year – but all are delish. Order the Madagascan vanilla millefeuille, the raspberry pavlova, or apricot and coriander cheesecake. 

This spot has every French classic, all under one pâtissier’s roof. This excellent address does every kind of cake and pastry you could imagine. The difficulty is in deciding which of the many delights you want to take home. Go for a classic, like the lemon tart, Paris-Brest, or chocolate eclair.

Cyril Lignac is the equivalent of Mary Berry, a chef turned food celebrity. When he's off the screen, he’s the boss of the bistrot Chardenoux on rue Jean Vallès, a chocolate factory and obviously a patisserie. With a minimalist vibe, you'll scoff down every crumb of his sourdough, pastries and lemon tarts – but make sure you order the signature pastry (€6.50), made with light cream, vanilla bourbon, salted caramel butter and praline. It's to die for.

High-quality, seasonal ingredients and an immense talent in pâtissier Kévin Lacote mean the tarts, cakes and other bakes at this plush spot are some of the city’s best. Look out for the tarte aux pommes in winter, the tarte aux fraises in summer, or year-round favourite the tartelette Kara Damia, with salted caramel, coconut dacquoise and macadamias.