A PARISIAN PIECE OF CAKE
Text by Toby Rose
The world of cakes is getting a major make over in Paris with the opening of a number of high style high calorie patisseries.
The most recent arrival is Hugo & Victor on the Left Bank not far from the flagship store of Pierre Hermé, the man credited with first taking fancies to a new design level, and this new store presents creations in almost pharmaceutical fashion: Glass jars show the raw materials of these mouthwatering creations from blood oranges or lychees. The display cases echo Tiffany's. Here you really could have breakfast - albeit takeout.
All dainties are inspired by the changing seasons in a gourmet-like manner – hardly surprising as the patisserie’s owner, Hugues Pouget, learnt his trade at the three Michelin-starred Guy Savoy culinary temple near the Arc de Triomphe. The name? A nod to Victor Hugo as Hugues used to live near the writer's home in Place des Vosges.
Only a stone’s throw away from Hugo & Victor is Philippe Conticini’s La Pâtisserie des Rêves on rue du Bac which opened last summer. There the goodies are simpler – subtle improvements on artisanal classics such as brioche, madeleines, tarte tartin – but the packaging isn’t. Walk out with a box pretty enough to gift.
The trend is not confined to the Left Bank; arguably the most successful of the new breed of bakers is located in Marais. Here, Pain du Sucre creates the most exquisite gateaux which are geometric masterpieces, ablaze with colour. It's like taking a spoon to a Mondrian.
Hugo & Victor; 40 blvd de Raspail; 75007 Paris
La Pâtisserie des Rêves; 93 rue du Bac; 75007 Paris
Patisserie Pain du Sucre; 14 rue Rambuteau; 75003 Paris
