Place de la Madeleine

Of course we are partial to The Place de la Madeleine. Who wouldn’t be? It is not only ground zero for the Maison Fauchon, but it is, actually, the heart of Paris.

First things first…the street’s name can be tied to its namesake church, La Madeleine, built in the Neo-Classical style with an impressive 52 Corinthian columns surrounding its exterior. If you do nothing but climb its exterior steps, the perspective on Paris is superb. Venture inside and witness the monumental bronze doors, Ziegler fresco, famous neo-Byzantine mosaic, and magnificent grand organ.

But, we suspect your mind is tying the Place de la Madeleine to something shall we say, a bit more sweet? And you would be correct.

The humble light and spongy cake, not much bigger than a walnut, the iconic madeleine, was infamously revered in literature by a Place de La Madeleine resident, French writer Marcel Proust, who waxed on about the small, shell-shaped chubby biscuit whose taste, soaked in tea, brought forth a multitude of childhood memories. If you do nothing else whilst in Paris, let the Place de la Madeleine inspire you to sample its namesake delicacy.

That, and of course, a visit to the colorful flower market adjacent to the church here. A stroll through the market with its vibrant colors and scents is a memorable way to experience Paris and to understand why life’s smallest pleasures are of such huge importance to Parisians.