Jour du Macaron 2008

Today is JOUR DU MACARON day created by Pierre Herme.

The only day a year you get FREE macarons from master macaron maker, Pierre Herme + with a charity donation to FMO (La Federation des Maladies Orphelines)
 

At 9:00 AM no one is waiting yet.

Explanation in the Pierre Herme's window.Jour du Macaron is perfect if you're on THE EURO DIET. At least for your pocketbook if not your waistline.

 9:55 AM - a short line. I join it. Someone asks me are you an amateur of the macaron? Oui.
The first FREEEEE macarons come out the door!
 

Which one do you choose?

Faster, faster!

33 flavors to choose from!

The charity mac-chocolate-raspberry.

OH HELL I missed the two-toned macarons.

The prize waiting to be eaten.
 

The donation box - toss in what you want.

Waiting to get in. The line is now around the corner.
Over at Jean-Paul Hevin they are celebrating JOUR DU MACARON too. There are 2 other pastry chefs celebrating today. I'm off to check them out and report back. It's a race against time - As I raced to post I wolfed down my free macarons. I MUST replenish supplies at once. I forgot to taste them!

A bientot
 

Jour du Macarons 2011

It's March 20th so it must be MACARON DAY!
It’s already 10:15 and we're late.
The FREE macaron party began at 10 am. Of course there is a donation for a worthy cause, 'Autour des Williams'.
BEAR studies Pierre Herme's map of 8 places to visit for FREE macarons(3 chaque fois)!
1st stop Pierre Herme 72, rue de Bonaparte - une grande ligne already.
 Temptation dans le vitrine.

What flavors to choose?

Many new exotic flavors of the 25 macarons on offer:

Asperges verte & huile de noisette
Metisse:carotte, orange & canelle

Depayse: The vert Matcha, haricot rouge azuki, citron vert & gingembre

Infiniment Jasmin

Coing & rose

Figue, eglantine & foie gras

I am collecting for French Girl so I'll get all new strange flavors.

Instant gratification dans le rue

A baby gets the best view

BEAR looks inside

Carefully orchestrated pandemonium on rue Bonaparte

So much so that we get to sneak some photos

Of the prized macarons - miam-miam

BEAR is quietly humming, "Oh Happy Day"

Off to P.Herme 185, rue de Vaugiraud- here calm reigns supreme.

So many PHs line the walls they're reflected in my watch.
Nice design! 11:15 am

Une figue macaron svp.

Next stop P.Herme Publics drugstore - 133, Champs-Elysees.

We are joined by many fellow macaron seekers.

Everyone in Paris shows up for Jour du Macarons including serious bikers.

At P.Herme 4,rue Cambon the line is short and fast.

No Parisian dogs are waiting for maybe on rue de Rivoli.
Les macarons Pierre Herme wait for Fr Girl.
BONJOUR JOUR DU MACARONS 2011!
JOUR DU MACARON

JOUR DU MACARON2

Jour du Macarons Friday

Jour Du Macarons

 

Do French Dogs...

French Dogs eat macarons,original art, 5" x 7"

So do you think French dogs...

French Ballotin,original art, 5" x 7"

Eat...

Do they eat macarons because the BIG DAY is coming up!

Exactly ONE week from today, next Friday, March, the 20th will be MACARON DAY! Why else would I go to Paris in the freezing cold do you think?

On La Jour du Macaron you get THREE FREE macarons at Pierre Herme

+ one more for charite. You donate what you wish. It is well worth being generous too for a very good cause. So get on your best "Paris line" outfits gang!

Here's what I'm wondering...
Since dogs RULE in Paris, if you bring along a doggie, does the dog get free macarons too?

Your astute opinion is requested...
Have you ever even seen a Parisien dog eat a macaron?
I have to admit I have not.
But dogs are SO well loved in Paris this may not be an issue!
Where do I rent-a-dog-for-a-day in Paris? Please rack your brains, faithful PB readers. You always come up with such good solutions.
Even YSL had a dear little doggie. I'm sure it is not rented...
I shall await your response and thoughtful advice with anticipation...

BONJOUR MACARONS!

Jour Du Macarons 2010

The best truck in the world is parked outside at 72 rue Bonaparte.

It is 10 am on Saturday, March 20th in Paris and Jour du Macaron is about to begin!Your bear-in-the-street is here to report on this auspicious occasion. The line waiting for FREE macarons is relatively short at 10 o'clock. Bear knows French people like to sleep in on weekends. Bear studies the list of 26 flavors! A man directly in front online mentions that...ahem...last year there were 36 (!) flavors of macarons to choose from. Bear keeps his trap shut.

 

Inside pandmonium reigns, only because of the anticipation and decision-making processes going on. The Pierre Herme staff are serene and impeccable as always.

Bear decides to follow the K.I.S.S. principle and choose 3 free macarons of just 1 flavor at each PH boutique. The Mogador (passion fruit + milk chocolate) is Bear's favorite.

He knows from past experiences what can happen to a little bag of precious macarons - tragedie strikes! He has brought along the Alice box to keep his macs safe and sound.

On to the next one! More macarons svp.
 

At the Vaugirard Pierre Herme again the tension is palpable but the lines are shortish - it's just 10:30 am and Frenchies are still getting their zzzzzzs.

Outside the kids are tasting their free macarons.

Bear is saving his treasures for later.

At the rue Cambon PH, bear does a little fashion watching. He loves this tres fem ruffled skirt and the rossettes on the knee socks. French lines are the best.

Inside Cambon PH they only sell macarons. Bear chooses caramel - miam

Bear discovers to his dismay, that he must get a stamp on his mac card at each shop. And if he visits all 6 Pierre Herme shops and gives a donation bien sur to Alliance of Rare Diseases and if there are sufficient macarons left at the final destination, he will WIN a free box of 36(!) Pierre Herme macarons! Why oh why did Bear not read the fine print in Fr. on his card? It's a macaron marathon and he is missing rubber stamps from the first 2 visits.

On to the next one. Bear attempts to go to Galerie Lafayette PH and gets lost in the twisty-turny Metro ending up more lost at Etoile.

Enfin inside Publicsdrugstore PH Bear finds a very short line!

Wake up Parisiens!

Some Parisiens are awake and testing out their winnings dans la rue...

Bear heads for the PH Trocadero. Bear is having a heart attack from all this mad macaron chasing around Paris.

Bear is getting to know the Paris Metro awfully well...hmmm

WTF.

Enfin the 58 avenue Paul Doumer Pierre Herme.

Inside Bear grows impatient as 2 very large boxes of macarons are filled.

In fact 2 Parisiens have won the contest and hit all 6 Pierre Hermes! They are doing a small dance of joie! Bear heads home for lunch, with big plans to continue the contest after eating.

French Girl has made an exquisite salade de Lentille with saumon fume. Bear immediately launches into his adventures pursuing the PH macarons.

French Girl reminds Bear that this is The American Way, to sit down to a meal and talk business, business, business.

The French Way is to talk cuisine, cuisine, cuisine.

Oh. Bear shuts his trap.
 

Bear has to backtrack to the first 2 destinations and get the stamps on his mac card. Then he heads to last Pierre Herme desitination, Galeries Lafayette. It's 4 pm and the line is long. Bear is humming to himself. Doodly-do.

Some mac lovers are napping on line exhausted from waiting, but Bear stays fully wide-awake and praying the macs will not be finished by the time he gets to the counter.

VOILA! mon dieu Bear wins!
 

Bear goes for 1 of each of 25 flavors +. Bear can not believe his good fortune.

Bear's FAB dance card with all of the stamps from each

Pierre Herme boutique.

Ah...a sea of beautiful perfect macarons.

Very lovely non?

What's even more lovely is Pierre Herme's amazing generosity on this day. Not only is a charity remembered and given it's due, but the people of Paris get a chance to taste these fantastic cookies. There are many kids on line, who normally would not be able to buy such a deluxe dessert but Jour du Macaron is their chance to partake and enjoy.

BONJOUR PIERRE HERME et BIG MERCI!