Pierre Hermé: The Picasso of Macarons

Just steps from Saint-Sulpice, Pierre Hermé is famous for its inventive macarons. The brand was created by Pierre Hermé, one of France's most celebrated pastry chefs, who has been called the "Picasso of macarons" and the "revolutionary of the macaron." He reimagined the classic macaron for the modern age, breaking from traditional flavors with exotic spices and original combinations that won a huge following. The shop is also known for artful dessert design and top-quality ingredients.

The best-known flavor is Ispahan, a combination of rose, lychee and raspberry. Other signatures include Mogador, which pairs milk chocolate with passion fruit, and Infiniment Vanille, a blend of mascarpone cream and vanilla. Beyond macarons, the shop offers a range of French pastries, including chocolates, cakes and croissants, at Michelin-level quality.

Pierre Hermé has several boutiques across Paris, but this Saint-Germain-des-Prés shop is the most famous. It was the first one to open in Paris, in 2001. All boutiques carry the same collections, but this one reportedly has one or two more macaron flavors, so if you want to try the full dessert collection, this is where to come.

There are lots of limited-edition seasonal flavors, so check what's new before you go. Many visitors also pick up a box of macarons as a souvenir of their trip to Paris.

For the next dessert shop, walk past this boutique along the way you came and keep going straight for about a minute.