Restaurant in Paris, France
Paris's sharpest éclair stop, ranked twice over.
L'Éclair de Génie on Rue Montmartre is Paris's most focused éclair destination, backed by two consecutive years on Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats Europe list. Chef Christophe Adam's counter-format shop runs daily 11am–7pm with no reservation required. Worth a stop for serious pastry enthusiasts; consider Pierre Hermé or Blé Sucré if you want a broader menu.
If you've already visited L'Éclair de Génie once, the question on a return trip is whether Christophe Adam has given you a reason to come back. The short answer is yes — but the shape of that reason has narrowed. The Rue Montmartre address remains one of the most focused patisserie experiences in Paris's 2nd arrondissement, built around a single format done with precision. What you see when you walk in tells you exactly what you're getting: display cases arranged like a jewellery counter, each éclair treated as a finished object rather than a casual pastry counter item. That visual rigour is the clearest signal about whether this place is for you.
The case for booking , or stopping in, since no reservation is needed , rests largely on recognition. L'Éclair de Génie has appeared on Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats in Europe list two consecutive years, ranked #25 in 2023 and #49 in 2024. OAD's Cheap Eats list is one of the more reliable crowd-sourced rankings for this category, which means the venue has sustained a real following among people who eat seriously. A Google rating of 4.0 from 831 reviews adds further weight: it's not a score that generates headlines, but for a specialist patisserie in a tourist-adjacent neighbourhood, it reflects a consistent product rather than a polarising one.
For the food and travel enthusiast who wants depth and context: the interest here is in how far a single pastry format can be pushed. The éclair, a form that most French patisseries treat as a background item, is the entire programme. Adam built his career at Fauchon before founding this concept, and the Rue Montmartre shop is the original Paris location. The editorial angle on the drinks programme is limited , this is a patisserie, not a bar , but it's worth noting that the pairing question here is more about what you order alongside your éclair than any cocktail list. Coffee service and non-alcoholic options are typical for the format; expect counter-style service rather than a sit-down experience.
On timing: the shop runs Monday through Sunday, 11am to 7pm, which makes it one of the more accessible specialist patisseries in the city. That consistency matters if you're planning around a broader Paris itinerary. Midday on weekdays tends to be quieter than weekend afternoons, when the Rue Montmartre corridor sees heavier foot traffic from both locals and visitors. If you want to take your time at the display case without pressure, aim for a weekday late morning.
The return visitor question , what changes on a second visit , is partly answered by seasonality. Christophe Adam's concept has historically rotated flavour combinations across the year, so the éclair you ordered in spring is unlikely to be identical to what's on offer now. That seasonal rotation is the primary reason a second visit has genuine purpose rather than being purely habitual. Check the current display rather than arriving with a fixed expectation.
For the explorer who wants to situate L'Éclair de Génie within the broader Paris patisserie conversation: it sits in a different register from Cédric Grolet Opéra, which courts longer queues and a more theatrical presentation, and from Pierre Hermé, where the macarons and larger format pastries spread the attention across a wider menu. L'Éclair de Génie's narrower focus makes it easier to evaluate on a single visit and easier to return to without the friction of a full sit-down commitment. Blé Sucré in the 12th is a useful peer if you want a more neighbourhood-feel patisserie with broader pastry range; Mori Yoshida is the comparison point if Japanese-influenced precision is what you're after.
Beyond Paris, the patisserie specialist format travels well: Égalité in Milan and Mr. Cake in Stockholm are worth noting if you're building a broader European patisserie reference list. And if you're planning time across France more broadly, venues like Mirazur in Menton, Flocons de Sel in Megève, and Bras in Laguiole represent the country's higher-commitment dining options for context. For everything else in the city, see our full Paris restaurants guide, our full Paris hotels guide, our full Paris bars guide, our full Paris wineries guide, and our full Paris experiences guide.
Quick reference: 122 Rue Montmartre, 75002 Paris. Mon–Sun, 11am–7pm. No reservation required. OAD Cheap Eats Europe #25 (2023), #49 (2024). Google: 4.0/5 (831 reviews).
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| L’Éclair de Génie | Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in Europe Ranked #49 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in Europe Ranked #25 (2023) | — | |
| Plénitude | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Pierre Gagnaire | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Kei | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Le Cinq - Four Seasons Hôtel George V | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
Comparing your options in Paris for this tier.
Walk in, pick up, move on — this is a counter patisserie, not a sit-down café. Open daily 11am–7pm at 122 Rue Montmartre, it's accessible without a reservation. Christophe Adam's shop has ranked on Opinionated About Dining's Cheap Eats Europe list two years running (#25 in 2023, #49 in 2024), which is a meaningful signal that quality is consistent, not a one-off.
The éclairs are the entire point — this is Christophe Adam's dedicated éclair concept, and the rotating seasonal flavours are where he shows range beyond the classic chocolate or coffee. Avoid spreading your order too wide; buy two or three éclairs and compare the flavour variations rather than sampling everything on the shelf.
This is a patisserie counter, not a restaurant or bar — there is no seated bar service. You browse, you order, you take your pastries away or eat them standing. If you want a sit-down pastry experience in Paris, Pierre Hermé or Café de Flore are better fits for that format.
Neither applies in the traditional sense — the shop runs 11am to 7pm daily, so your real choice is midday versus late afternoon. Go earlier for the widest selection before popular flavours sell out; late afternoon on weekdays is generally quieter. Sunday can draw a crowd given the lack of alternatives nearby.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
