Long before it became a Parisian icon, the macaron travelled a long way to get here, and its exact starting point is still debated by historians today. Some point to possible Middle Eastern influences, others to Italy. What's certain is that the word appears in French sources by the mid-16th century, and that the macaron we know today, two shells joined by a filling, took shape much later, closely tied to Ladurée's own history.
The word "macaron" likely traces back to the Italian maccarone or maccherone, meaning "paste." Almond-based sweets had circulated across Italy and Europe since the Middle Ages, though the precise origins of the biscuit we now call the macaron remain shrouded in uncertainty.
Some historians trace an even more distant thread, suggesting kinship with medieval Middle Eastern almond-and-sugar confections, perhaps carried into Europe through Sicily and the currents of trade. The connection is intriguing, though far from proven; no clear line runs from a single Middle Eastern sweet to the macaron we know today.
The truth is, the macaron has no single birthplace. It has several candidates and a history far richer and more tangled than any one legend can capture.
The most popular tale credits Catherine de' Medici with bringing the macaron to France in 1533, upon her marriage to the future Henri II. It's a charming story, but an undocumented one. Almond-based confections already existed in France before her arrival, and no historical source pins down a single moment of introduction.
What we do know with more certainty is that the word "macaron" appears in French texts by the mid-16th century, notably in Rabelais's Le Quart Livre (1552), followed by increasingly refined recipes and distinct regional traditions. The Catherine de' Medici legend, then, is best savored as folklore, not fact.
THE MACARON ACROSS FRENCH TOWNS
Regional traditions take shape
By the 17th and 18th centuries, distinct almond-biscuit traditions had emerged across France. Saint-Émilion's recipe is traditionally linked to Ursuline nuns, while Saint-Jean-de-Luz claims macarons were served at Louis XIV's 1660 wedding. Nancy and Cormery developed their own traditions, though, like much of macaron history, these accounts remain difficult to verify. Their simple ingredients and good keeping qualities likely helped spread them. Nancy's tradition is the best known: according to Maison des Sœurs Macarons, two former nuns began selling almond macarons after the French Revolution in 1793, though historians note the evidence is incomplete. Nancy's single, round almond biscuit remains distinct from the modern filled macaron and is still made today.
Two shells, one filling
TOWARD THE MODERN PARISIAN MACARON
Long after the original single biscuit, filled macarons emerged in Paris as early as the 1830s. In the mid-20th century, Pierre Desfontaines, second cousin to our founder, perfected Ladurée's signature double-shelled creation, playing a key role in popularizing the delicacy worldwide. This legacy dates back to 1862, when the house opened as a simple bakery before transforming into today's iconic pâtisserie and tea room.
Where the story stands today
A HISTORY STILL BEING WRITTEN
From uncertain beginnings, possibly shaped by Middle Eastern confectionery traditions, possibly Italian, to regional French traditions and eventually the refined Parisian macaron, this pastry's history is less a straight line than a patchwork of traditions, legends and craftsmanship built up over centuries.
Ladurée has contributed to popularising the Parisian macaron worldwide, building over the years a rich repertoire of hundreds of recipes, with a collection that renews itself with every season.
