In France, between 70% and 80% of croissants available in bakeries and pastry shops are of industrial origin, according to the Federation of Bakery Companies. Fortunately, it is still possible to find very good artisanal pastries, even if their prices have increased in recent months. After tasting, and rating, more than fifty croissants according to various criteria (appearance, flakiness, taste and quality-quantity-price ratio), here is the list of our favorite croissants in France.
Gabin’s croissant in trouble
A converted executive, Gabin Laforie is truly passionate about the product, who likes more than anything to have his hands in trouble. After training in Paris and Aveyron, he opened a store in the capital in July 2023. His bakery, Gabin dans le périn, offers four families of products daily: a complete range of sourdough breads, pastries classics, seasonal bakery pastries and savory baked breads to snack on.
Our opinion : to facilitate the rising of the pastries, Gabin Laforie and his teams use a long pre-fermentation, with a mixture of flours, AOP butter and raw milk from the farm. Thanks to their turning technique, this croissant has a very delicious thick layer, with a crispy and melting texture at the same time. Yum !
Price : 1.40 euros.
Gabin in trouble 80, rue d’Amsterdam, Paris 9e.
The Crescent of Alma by Marvin Brandao
After a career in renowned palaces and starred restaurants (Georges Blanc, Anne-Sophie Pic, Shangri-La, George-V), Marvin Brandao settled in Lyon in 2022 with his partner, Alice de Oliveira. Their sweet setting, Alma by Marvin Brandao, was designed to welcome customers with pastries in the morning, a savory snack for lunch, sourdough bread and quality sweet creations the rest of the day.
Our opinion : with its thick and crispy flaky layers, its honeycombed and very soft crumb, this croissant is a model of its kind. The combination of two characterful honeys (heather and chestnut) brings a hint of floral sweetness, without altering the good taste of the butter. As these pastries are available every day in limited quantities, you often have to get up early to earn them.
Price : 1.30 euros.
Alma by Marvin Brandao 17, rue Bugeaud, Lyon 6e.
The Brigat’ crescent
Pastry chef Lucio Colombo, who worked in London, Turkey and Spain, joined forces with his baker brother, Thomas, trained in Italy and worked for Cyril Lignac, to open the Brigat’ brand in 2021. This bakery- patisserie offers a beautiful variation of sourdough breads, very well made pastries, and simple and balanced cakes, made with excellent seasonal ingredients. The panettone, a tribute to their transalpine culture, has become one of the house’s successes.
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