I got an invitation to a "private" visit at Pierre Herme 185, rue de Vaugirard boutique.
J. who works for Pierre Herme, bought a half dozen watercolors - all Pierre Herme-related. We were going to meet, but with the Paris transportation strike and school holidays we didn't make it. As a sort of consulation prize I got to "tour" the shop and take pictures during pre-opening hours last Tuesday morning.
A macaron-lover's dream non? 
The front door says, emotions to share. I want to share my visit with you.
Inside the rue de Vaugirard boutique is spacious. The decor shows the hand of an architect at play - bright colors, airy, well-lite with big sunny windows. In every way different from the boutique on rue Bonaparte, which is a bit like entering a secret cave. And there was no line out the door!
The ceiling is a playful use of Pierre Herme's logo.
The boxes match the color of the counters. The long rectangular box holds a set of 6 macarons perfectly. I call it the "petal" box - the leaves open up like a flower.
Pastries wait their turn in the wings to go onstage.
Staff checks that all are perfect and identical.
Like carefully choreographed dancers, the staff moves silently with delicacy.
Placing each pastry
like a jewel in it's setting.
The Pierre Herme logo awaits.
To go on these Millefeuille Plenitudes lined up like soldiers. Whole trays are tossed out if they don't come up to Herme's standards.
The last touch of perfection.
And not to forget the best macarons in the world!
Beautiful row after row of macarons await you. This one is the "marron et thé vert Matcha" and the green thing inside is the "crème onctueuse au thé vert matcha" (green matcha tea cream). Merci Florence.
Macarons are like balloons -(macaron almost rimes with balloon)
Like puffs of pure joy
They take off and disappear.
But the memory lingers.
The colors..the flavors..the textures...the joy
Do you remember those lines from Funny Face?Fred Astair: You're in Paris..
You're at the Tuilleries...
You've got balloons...
There's a sudden shower
And you're very, very happy
Audrey Hepburn: Why am I so happy?
Fred Astair: Because I say you are!
That's all you have to know.
You're happy!
Now run!
And I did.
I ran around that shop for 60 minutes taking as many pictures as possible - I was very, very happy!
Thank you J.
I ran around that shop for 60 minutes taking as many pictures as possible - I was very, very happy!
Thank you J.
"Very very happy!" I love that you are!
ReplyDeleteTha&t gigantic macaron in the bottom of that delivery truck! Oh my! It must have been able to feed all of Paris it is so big!
What a hpyy lark you must have been in Pierre Hermes!
Pierre Hermes...are you listening? Nobody paints macarons better than Carol!!
Oh Dear sounds like you had the most wretched time there in Paris. But then, someone had to do it.. Right? LOL
ReplyDeleteBIG WOW. I dont know how they handle all those lucious goodies without just diving in. Everything looks so perfect.
Also BIG Congrats on the selling of watercolors to J. I hope you post them.
Wonderful post today as usual.
Applause~ applause!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful "breakfast".
I can't get enough of Paris!!
And two watercolors...do you never
rest? Aren't you jet lagged even a little!
Scrumptious paintings and photos.
And dear little Audrey. Romantic!
Thank you and Merci,
Barbara
what a wonderful post! brought a smile :) thank you!
ReplyDeleteAUDREY, FRED AND MACARONS Pierre Herme!
ReplyDeleteWHAT A MIXTURE !!!
M.
Brilliant, Ebouilliant! And contagious. Thanks so much. Congrats on the wc sales too! "like jewels in their setting" .... All best, Jan
ReplyDeleteCarol, that rose is completely gorgeous! Love that water color.
ReplyDeleteoh, so beautiful and tempting.
ReplyDeleteThe macarons I've tasted have left me cold but the ones you photograph and described sound fabulous.
Annie
What wonderful photos--I'm glad you got to have your private session with them so we could all enjoy this. Hey--it's great publicity for them, do they realize that? Is J going to get you signed on as their artiste!? These are things inquiring minds want to know.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on selling...and wow! Beautiful footage and paintings
ReplyDeletePicture #1 is so delicate and lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to have Pierre Herme to yourself like that!
ReplyDeleteEncroyable
WOW!
Thanks for the guided tour Carol! You know I've never seen that movie, but I just added it to my list of movies to rent. Thanks! I'm a big Audrey Hepburn fan!
ReplyDeleteYou have made me very, very happy with those glourious paitings and photographs.
ReplyDeleteYou have also made me very, very hungry.
I heard you singing all the way to Vienna! :-)
ReplyDeleteHave I spied little rose macarons?
P.s.:
I am considering moving to the Sacher for a week or so and play happy tourist in Vienna. Wanna come? ;-)))))
I need to come back again, but in the meantime let me just say that this painting of yours is another master stroke! Wow. Makes me want to dance, slowly and happily. Pink!
ReplyDeleteLovely watercolours. I'm not familiar with Hermé and his macarons, so thanks for the photographic tour too!
ReplyDeleteAt last a discriminating vendor! With the common sense to recognize obsession=publicity when he sees it! A thoroughly satisfactory visit... but mille feuilles plenitudes? It seems there are plenitudes and then there are mille feuille plenitudes. Next you'll be telling me there are lapin plenitudes. Bien sur!
ReplyDeleteJust looking at your wonderful photos and paintings makes ME happy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting a smile on my face today.
What fun! And those photographs - oh my. Thanks for sharing this delightful experience.
ReplyDeleteBelissima! Many beautiful photos of artists at work in the shop, and rows and rows of edible delights. Tell me, what is that green bit I see peeking out from inside one of the light brown macarons in that next-to-last shot?
ReplyDeleteCarol, you lucky girl you! So fabulous! and I think PH is the lucky one to have his desserts immortalized by you!
ReplyDeleteI told you I needed a second visit! The box in that mysterious red, beautiful painting, promising and enticing: Open me, open me! :-)
ReplyDeleteThose mille feuilles, I fall for their fragile delicateness! Thank goodness, I only like the strawberry mille feuilles at Zauner's in Bad Ischl and a caramelized one in a little town far away. Both in a very safe distance.
Like Sara, I notice that little green speck in one of the macarons. Did they hide a pistacchio nut for you? ;-)
I told you I needed a second visit! The box in that mysterious red, beautiful painting, promising and enticing: Open me, open me! :-)
ReplyDeleteThose mille feuilles, I fall for their fragile delicateness! Thank goodness, I only like the strawberry mille feuilles at Zauner's in Bad Ischl and a caramelized one in a little town far away. Both in a very safe distance.
Like Sara, I notice that little green speck in one of the macarons. Did they hide a pistacchio nut for you? ;-)
OUI YES SI!
ReplyDeleteMerisi & SARA both win a FREE trip to Paris, no expenses paid, for spotting the inner secret to that Pierre Herme macaron!
The problem is I have to do a leetle researche to find out what lurks with in -surely nothing so mondane as a mere pistachio???
THE GREEN THING IS:
ReplyDeleteThe "crème onctueuse au thé vert matcha" or green matcha tea cream.
Pierre Herme's Press person gave us the answer!!!
HOORAY
I also enjoyed watching the little "Funny Face" film clip! I had seen the movie long before I ever went to Paris..so now seeing it again after I have been in Paris, I found it so fun to see with new eyes the beautiful sites so familiar to me now! Before they were just gorgeous backdrops!
ReplyDeleteHerme in my favorite spot to buy macarons . I prefer His macarons
ReplyDeleteCarol, thank you for solving the mystery! When I visit Paris again (Surely someday I'll return; I have to redeem all the problematic things from 2001 and enhance all the very best ones by revisiting), I see without a doubt I MUST also enjoy some macarons...complete with green matcha tea cream! It would be a crime not to.
ReplyDelete