Gilles Marchal is the Madeleine King of Paris for a Reason

I recently wrote a story about madeleines for Food52, and in the context of that article, I got the opportunity to interview Gilles Marchal, a pastry chef and native Lorrain who, over the course of the past decade, has become for this little traveling cake what Pierre Hermé is for macarons or Christophe Adam is for éclairs. From the shell-shaped door handle to the whopping 70 different flavors he sells (just 12 to 15 at a time – he’s crazy for madeleines, but he isn’t crazy), Marchal has definitely deserved his crown.

The madeleines are each individually packaged in a cellophane envelope, which makes them easy to tote but is environmentally questionable. Look beyond this quirk, though, and there’s a lot to enjoy!

On a recent visit, I sampled the chef’s current favorite, made with thyme and lime (which rhymes in English but not in French – oh, this strange world we live in.) The glaze perfectly highlights the mild sweetness of the madeleine itself.

The buttery caramel filling on this caramel madeleine had the pleasant bitter undertones you get on a really good homemade caramel. My only critique? I could have used even more of that delicious filling!

This chocolate marble one was tasty even to this non-chocolate lover (perhaps because the ratio of chocolate to vanilla is heftily in favor of the former!)

But the standout may well have been that pistachio on the left: simple, understated, but rich and nutty.

Marchal also makes a few savory flavors, only available on the weekends, like Parmesan-balsamic. Those are next on my list!

Marchal is not a mono-pastry shop like some others: he does also sell what look like delicious classic pastries ranging from tarte Tatin to Paris-Brest, as well as specialties from what is now dubbed the Grand Est: pretzels, kugelhopf, and more. Some day, I might delve into these delicacies… but for the moment, every time I push open this door, all I want is a madeleine! (Or two…)

Gilles Marchal – 9, rue Ravignan, 75018