Girls Guide To Paris just recently named their Top 10 pastry shops in Paris, and to my delight…my favorite pastry shop made number 3! Un Dimanche à Paris was a fairly recent discovery of mine, and quite by accident (which is how I have discovered MANY wonderful surprises in my life!)

I was with my Mom and some friends who were visiting Paris for their very first time. Since I was we’ll versed in Paris, they were looking to me to be the “expert” and be their tour guide. We arrived around noon at CDG, rushed to our hotel, freshened up, and headed to Notre Dame Cathedral. The first Friday of every month, at 3:00pm, there is a procession at the Cathedral, with what is thought to be the authentic fragments from Jesus’ Crown of Thorns. My mom, who is quite Catholic and also quite enthusiastic about all THINGS Catholic, really wanted to be there. Being the dutiful daughter (and tour guide) I made it happen, and it turned out to be a very spiritual and amazing experience for us both.

Immediately afterwards, I wanted to treat her to an authentic first meal in Paris…french onion soup and a glass of really good french wine. At a cafe near the cathedral we toasted…we laughed….we ate and Mom decided she already loved Paris as much as I did. Mission accomplished on our very first day. I was feeling quite proud of myself.

After dinner, we started our long walk back to our hotel, and although secure in my abilities to get us there, began zigzagging through the streets in the 6th, until we happened upon this wonderful pastry shop, Un Dimanche. We stood looking into the window, completely amazed at the wonderful, edible, works of art in their showcases just beckoning to us. We obeyed (what else could we do?) Wow, what an experience it was.

I immediately picked a dozen different flavors of macarons, which have always been my favorite Paris treat, and we sampled some chocolates as well. My mom was delighted by the beautiful way our salesclerk wrapped up our treats (as only the french can do) and off we went. Admittedly, I got us a little lost, but I am never too proud to pull out a map and we finally made it to our hotel. Laying in bed that evening, after a long day of travel, Mom and I shared those macarons and she was hooked. We still talk about those salted caramel ones. Simply scrumptious.

I have been back to Un Dimanche since I first discovered it, and have indulged again in a dozen of those lovely macarons. The beautiful gray gift box still sits on my shelf in my Paris bathroom (along with that glass eiffel tower filled with brandy). It reminds me of Paris….of that special trip with my mom and of her first night in Paris. Yet another reason To return to Paris again and again, Un Dimanche!