Can we agree here? Meetings suck. So much so, we’ve decided that whenever we have to conduct a meeting, we will combine it with something enjoyable, something so good that we might forget that we’re actually having a meeting.

Apparently, most of the people we saw at the Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris last week, had the same idea. Even singer Laurent Voulzy was having a meeting there. (yes, our first French celeb sighting!) Like them, our meeting was held in La Galerie des Gobelins inside the hotel, during tea time featuring yummissime pastries created by World Champion Pastry chef and MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France), Christophe Michalak, who, strangely looks like he could be my sweetie’s (heavier) brother.

You’re greeted, seated, then a cart of perfectly lined up pastries are presented to you. You then begin to drool. Choosing will not be easy but if you have the appetite and a few extra euros, choose more than one. Go ahead and be a pastry pig. Life’s short.

I wasn’t a pig, though I would’ve been had I not just eaten a late lunch. I chose a salted caramel religieuse that wasn’t too shabby. My sweetie’s choices had wild forest strawberries (the one on the left was excellent cheesecake-like creamy goodness.) He always has room for at least 10 two pastries and doesn’t seem to suffer any consequences from this sort of voracious and hedonistic behavior, which I find insanely unfair.

We debated about whether these were indeed the BEST pastries we’ve had. I can’t answer that unless I’ve tried ALL the pastries here, so we’ll have to come back to test them all… I can say, however, that I’ve had equally delicious pastries as well as perhaps even better pastries elsewhere. (Of course, they weren’t inside the Plaza Athenee)…

Hôtel Plaza Athénée Paris
25 avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris, France
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 66 65
The tearoom is open from 3pm to 5pm. Expect to spend about 20 to 35+ euros per person (Pastries are 16 euros each).

tags: france travel french pastries Hôtel Plaza Athénée Paris christophe michalak pigging out in paris