I love croissants. I love croissants more than I like most people. If I had to choose between a life without croissants or a life without television, I would choose the croissants. To me, there is nothing better than a perfect croissant—warm, flaky, buttery, and chewy goodness all twirled up into a pretty pastry package.
Although you can find great croissants all over the world (especially in places with vestiges of French colonialism like Morocco and Canada), there is no better place to enjoy a croissant than France, of course. And in France, the most perfect of all croissants can be found in Paris, best eaten seated outside in front of a cafe, with a grand creme to wash it down.
Paris is full of good croissants. In fact, I dare you to find a bad croissant there. However, la creme de la creme of croissants can only be found in one place: Du Pain et Des Idées, a tiny bakery located on a picturesque street corner in Canal St-Martin, one of Paris’s coolest neighborhoods. The shop is tiny and warm from the ovens, with room to accommodate only 6 or 7 people in its line for award-winning breads, pastries, and of course, croissants. Croissants are made all day so even if you drop in for an afternoon snack, you’ll find that the pastries are delectable, warm, and fresh.
There are no tables inside and just a plain picnic table outside. But it doesn’t matter where you eat this perfect specimen of French food. For €1.80, you will find happiness, enlightenment, and ecstasy in the few minutes it takes you to devour this gift from heaven.
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Trust me – this is the best croissant I have ever had.