The Best Pastry Class in Paris for Baking Croissants & Pain Au Chocolat
Looking for the best pastry class Paris has to offer?
On my latest visit, a friend and I signed up for a croissant baking class in Paris and I’m so glad we did! Taking a pastry making class in Paris is eye-opening, as you learn about all the steps and effort that go into creating one of France’s most well-known treats.
Click here to book the best croissant baking class in Paris! 🥐
There are many croissant classes Paris has to offer. In this post, I’m sharing the exact one I booked for us after doing my research, and why. This should help you narrow down your own options, so happy reading!
5 Reasons to Book This Pastry Class / Paris Croissant Baking Class
If you want to learn a new skill while traveling, this pastry class in Paris has you covered. Here are some of the top reasons why this is the one to book:
Expert Teachers
When you book this particular class, you’ll have one of two teachers guiding you. Both are experienced pastry chefs who have received formal training as well as mentorship from other impressive chefs.
In addition to their work as pastry chefs, they also happen to love teaching and these classes allow them to do just that.
Small Class Size
As someone who has taken several cooking classes around the world while traveling, I can tell you there are two different types to be aware of.
One type of cooking class is more about socializing, collaborating with a group of people to cook a meal and then everyone enjoying it together.
I took a cooking class in Oaxaca, Mexico that fell into this category. The class had somewhere between 10-15 people in it total. We all supported various parts of the cooking process for the day. It was honestly so much fun!
But I didn’t actually learn how to cook anything. I learned about different ingredients and techniques. I learned the story of our lovely teacher and her family. I had a great time interacting with fellow travelers during the class. It was a lot of fun and it was a moment in time.
The other category of cooking classes is the one in which you actually learn to make something to the degree that you could recreate it yourself later on. The private cooking class I took in Italy was this way.
And this croissant class also falls into this category.
A huge differentiator here is class size. This croissant making class in Paris is capped at 6 participants. This allows for a lot more one-on-one guidance from the instructor along the way.
It makes it easier to follow along with the teacher at each step, and everyone gets to be equally involved in every step of the process.
Great Setup
The environment of this croissant baking class also contributed to making it a great experience. It’s held in a spacious yet cozy and clean environment.
There is a large counter that perfectly accommodates 6 people with plenty of space, yet without feeling overly spread out or distant.
Around the periphery, the instructor has easy access to all materials, refrigerators and ovens and it felt that she was seamlessly able to move us from one step to another as a result.
In addition to the cooking area, there are 2 handwashing stations and an open area where we were able to mingle while waiting for our baked goods to be ready.
The shop itself is also conveniently located on a quiet street in the Montmartre neighborhood, but not far from the livelier areas. After the class, we were able to have a nice coffee nearby and easily navigate to our next stop of the day.
The Process
Since the class is only 3 hours long and the process of baking croissants and pain au chocolat takes longer, the process is thoughtfully laid out in class.
Our head chef first explained to us that we would be starting toward the end of the baking process. We worked with dough that had been prepared by the previous day’s class to actually make our croissants.
While these were proofing and baking, we learned how to actually make the dough (which would then be used by the next class).
It was an efficient way to ensure we got to learn and practice all the steps of making the croissants and pain au chocolat, while also ensuring we had some to take home with us at the end of class!
I personally really appreciated this approach because it meant we got to go through every step with the guidance of our chef, and not feel rushed.
There are quite a few techniques to be mindful of when it comes to baking croissants and pain au chocolat. It was helpful to have hands-on support at every stage. This way, I feel better equipped to recreate the recipes at home with my mom and sister!
Delicious End Result
Of course, the best part of a pastry class in Paris is getting to enjoy the results at the end. We were able to enjoy some of our buttery croissants and pain au chocolat fresh out of the oven, before bagging up the rest to take home with us.
My treats made for a great shopping snack for the rest of the day, as well as great breakfast snacks for a couple days following the class. Yum!
🥐 Ready to book? Click here to check prices and availability
Tips for Making the Most of Baking Classes in Paris
To make the most of your croissant baking class in Paris, here are some tips based on my experience:
Have a hair tie
Rookie mistake, but I forgot my hair tie or anything to hold my hair back during this cooking class. Luckily, my friend had a spare one. If you’re going to take any sort of cooking class, including this one, bring something to pull your hair back with.
Get your morning coffee + snack
While you’ll leave the croissant making class with plenty of food, and you’ll be offered coffee as well, that all comes at the end.
If you tend to get hungry for breakfast, be sure to have a little something beforehand. And pick up a coffee on your way over, like we did.
Choose the right style of class
If you’re reading this, you’re most likely looking for cooking classes in Paris for English speakers. This croissant baking class is actually geared specifically to English speaking tourists.
In fact, we did have one woman in our class who spoke only French. While the instructor was of course able to converse with her and guide her throughout the class, she unfortunately couldn’t really communicate with the rest of the group.
So, if you’re an English speaker then this class is perfect for you. If you have different language needs, I recommend seeking out a class accordingly.
And, as discussed above, if you’re looking for a class where you can actually practice every step of the process to really learn it then this is the right class for you.
If you’re less concerned about being involved in every step of the process, you could go with a larger class size where the focus is less on learning all the steps.
Ask questions and take notes as needed
If you’re like me, and hoping to recreate these recipes back at home, make the most of your class time by taking notes and asking questions along the way. After all, how often do you have one-on-one attention from a trained French pastry chef?
Get the recipe / instructions
Of course, don’t forget to grab your recipe card before you leave. We were provided with very detailed instructions covering a full page, front and back.
Not only does it detail key ingredients and steps for recreating the recipe, it offers additional recipes for pastry fillings beyond what we even covered in class.
Other Paris Pastry Classes to Consider
Croissants and pain au chocolat are some of the most iconic French pastries, but they’re certainly not the only ones. Here are some additional French baking classes to consider instead of or in addition to the best croissant baking class in Paris:
Final Thoughts on the Best Pastry Class in Paris
When you’re visiting Paris, don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn how to bake French classics firsthand. Taking a class like this one is a unique and special way to memorialize your trip.
Whether you’re traveling solo to Paris, with a partner or family or with a friend this is a really fun experience to add to your itinerary.
