Making Magique
When the cold arrives in the City of Light there’s nothing better than cuddling up with a cup of hot tea and a few delicious pastries in the corner of a Parisian café.
Rose Bakery Tea Room (Carin Olsson)
After a summer of short summer dresses and light tank tops, it’s time to put on that knitted sweater, cozy scarf, and those leather boots… Which also means that a few extra pastries won’t really hurt that much… Well, at least that’s what I keep telling myself (yes, that’s my theory and I’m sticking with it).
Toastwife
After surviving cold autumn days and freezing winters in Paris before, I now know where to get my tea and pastry fix in this city. In a city like Paris the possibilities for indulgence are endless, so I’ve tried to narrow it down for you. Don’t forget to bundle up before heading out!
Café Pouchkine (Carin Olsson)
With something sweet
My favorite thing about having a cup of tea is ironically not the tea itself… My favorite thing is what goes with the tea. I mean, who could say no to a heavenly sliver of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting to go with their Darjeeling? So whenever I’m meeting up with friends for a cup of tea, I try to make sure we’ll end up at a place that does excellent desserts as well.
Colorova (Carin Olsson)
Two excellent places, if you want a little sweetness to go with your tea, are Rose Bakery Tea Room and Café Pouchkine. Even though both of them are located in department stores – Rose Bakery inside the elegant Le Bon Marché and Café Pouchkine inside the luxurious Printemps – they’re far from alike. Stop by Rose Bakery Tea Room on the left bank if you’re craving scones, lemon pound cake, or that sliver of carrot cake to accompany your green tea. But head to Café Pouchkine on the right bank if you’re looking for lavish pastries and some of the yummiest macarons I’ve ever tasted in Paris. The extravagant décor is not to be overlooked either — but be prepared to wait since the seating is limited and fills up quickly.
Rose Bakery Tea Room (Carin Olsson)
If Rose Bakery Tea Room or Café Pouchkine don’t sound exciting enough, some of my other favorites when it comes to pairing my tea with a tasty treat are Colorova, Mamie Gateaux and Carette.
Rose Bakery Tea Room, 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 42 22 60 00.
Café Pouchkine, 64 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 42 82 43 31.
Tea from Mariage Frères (jpellgen)
Focus on the tea
Despite how hard it is for me to believe, I understand that some people prefer to have their tea without sweet pastries on the side. And of course, that’s possible too. A shop I’ve always been in awe of every time I pass it in Saint-Germain is Jugetsudo. Jugetsudo – which means “the place from where one looks at the moon” – is a Japanese teashop with an amazing variety of teas. Buy their tea to-go or book a time to enjoy their dégustation of Japanese green teas inside the shop (warning, chocolates and Japanese treats might be included).
abrinsky
When I’m in the mood for something a little bit more classic I never hesitate to visit Mariage Frères or Ladurée. Yes, they’re very well known but they still serve some of the most delicious tea, in the coziest of settings, in Paris. I prefer the Mariage Frères tea salon in the Marais where you can choose between 600 types of different teas or Ladurée’s location on Rue Bonaparte in Saint-Germain.
Left: Colorova (Carin Olsson & slimmer_jimmer)
Tea Thé Tcha and L’Autre Thé are two other tea salons in Paris well worth mentioning in this category as well, and don’t miss the newly opened tea shop called Lupicia in Saint-Germain.
Jugetsudo, 95 Rue de Seine, 75006 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 46 33 94 90.
Mariage Frères, 30 Rue du Bourg Tibourg, 75004 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 42 72 28 11.
Ladurée, 21 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 44 07 64 87.
Making Magique
High tea
If you have a little extra time – and money – on your hands, nothing beats an afternoon tea session at a luxurious Parisian palace hotel. When the temperatures get lower and the days darker, I sometimes need to spoil myself just a little bit to avoid complete depression, and a fancy afternoon tea always does the trick. This fall, when I need a pick-me-up, La Bauhinia at the Shangri-La or Hotel Daniel are at the top of my list.
Rose Bakery Tea Room (Carin Olsson)
Even though €39 for some tea and a couple of treats at the Shangri-La is a little steep, I would consider it well-spent money considering I’d probably get an excellent people-watching session in while enjoying my cup of tea. But if you feel that the price is a little bit too high (even though excellent service and a magnificent space are probably included) Hotel Daniel offers an afternoon tea for €28. I’m already dreaming about their finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and pastries from La Pâtisserie des Rêves…
Rose Bakery Tea Room (Carin Olsson)
Other classic hotels offering afternoon tea that are worth the detour include The Four Seasons George V and Le Bristol.
Shangri-La, 10 Avenue d’Iéna, 75116 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 19 98.
Hotel Daniel, 8 Rue Frédéric Bastiat, 75008 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 42 56 17 00.
Ladurée & Rose Bakery Tea Room (im.M & Carin Olsson)
To take home
Then there are always those kinds of days when you just prefer to cozy up on the sofa at home. And honestly, what could be better than a cup of delicious tea under a warm blanket in front of a good movie when it’s raining (or even snowing) outside?
Mamie Gateaux (Carin Olsson)
I suggest filling up on your tea supply now before it gets too cold, and gets too hard to find the motivation to brave the icy weather outside. Yes, we all know about Kusmi Tea and their colorful jars by now but why not try something else this fall? I’m going to swing by Dammann Frères, which you’ll find right by Place des Vosges and George Cannon, located next to Jardin du Luxembourg, in the coming weeks.
Rose Bakery Tea Room (Carin Olsson)
Dammann Frères, 15 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 44 54 04 88.
George Cannon, 12 Rue Notre-Dame des Champs, 75006 Paris, tel: +33 (0)1 53 63 05 43.
Carette macarons (Carin Olsson)
Related links:
- Hotel Plaza Athénée is currently closed for renovation, but when they open up again you can enjoy an afternoon tea there as well. Not Just Another Milla shares her experience at this luxurious hotel.
- More of a coffee person than a tea lover? Check out TrotterMag’s list of the best coffee shops in Paris.
Written by Carin Olsson for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.
Hi Carin,
I love your blog. So many to choose from, if you could only choose one whih one would it be for that ultimate Paris experience…..I need help!
Regards
Thanks for this amazing list! my favourite spot for tea and people watching has been the Plaza for years, and wonderfully, its now open again, but I am looking for a few other options to enjoy with a dear friend tomorrow and this is a truly fabulous resource! Thank you! xo
Nothing better in the world than going out for tea and treats with my sweet…
I don’t think the popularity of Paris will ever cease. I think to most people the idea of traveling is just fanciful. People are usually so saddled with stuff that they don’t think they have time to have fun, to live! They forget they have to live in the spur of the moment because otherwise is not really living.
iam glad to find Colorava in your list. i love this place.
I would also recommend Les Pipelettes, rue Brézin, 14th. Homebake pastries, fresh juice, Betjam & Barton tea
it is also an épicerie fine
I’m happy you like Colorova too! Thank you so much for the suggestion. I hope I can make it there in the future!
I loooove the ring! tres chic!!!
Only had time for Angelina’s last visit.. hope to make it to Rose Bakery next time. There never seems to be enough time in Paris.
I would also like to recommend a cozy, homey tea house in the 13th arrondissement, in the Buttes aux Cailles area, L’OisiveThé. It’s owned by an American who also bakes delicious cakes, cookies and muffins fresh everyday. She also sells yarn there and hosts knitting evenings and workshops. It’s a lovely, cozy place to curl up with a pot of tea or to come in for weekend brunch.
http://www.loisivethe.com/
https://www.facebook.com/LOisiveThe
Beautiful pictures of lovely teas and luscious things to eat. But one is having Afternoon tea, and NOT High Tea, as High Tea is supper served at a later hour and with different things to eat. Please get this cultural custom correct.
Hi! Thank you so much for the correction. We’ll certainly take that into consideration for the future as well.
Sounds fabulous! Just sent the information to my partner and friends who just arrived in Paris today. I hope they go!
That’s so kind of you Leslie! Thank you 🙂
These photos are making me drool. I’m dying to try café Pouchkine, I’ve never been…!!!
You have to pay a visit to Café Pouchkine if you haven’t been yet, it’s very yummy!
I love sweets and warm beverages, so this post is perfect for me! Now I just need a flight ticket and time to go to Paris! 😉
xx,
E.
www.theslowpace.com
Drooling…and heading to my kitchen to steep some Ladurée Earl Grey! Hopefully I will be able to get back to Paris with a chill still in the air…
Oh god. If only I’m in Paris right now!
What a wonderful post I always need a little more motivation to leave the apartment in the winter months! Can’t wait to try some these recommendations