Ladurée Legacy
For over 160 years, Ladurée has embodied the excellence of French patisserie and the Parisian art of living. A blend of heritage, innovation and refinement, Ladurée continues to inspire sweet lovers the world over. Discover the history of Ladurée that has been constantly reinventing itself since 1862.
History of passion
A new address, Rue Royale
Louis Ernest Ladurée, son of Parisian millers, opens a bakery at 16, Rue Royale, Paris. Located in the quarter near the Madeleine, a high place of commerce, gourmandise, and gastronomy, the address quickly gains a refined and demanding clientele.
The fire, a new beginning
In 1871, a fire devastates the premises of the Rue Royale. The Ladurée bakery is deeply affected. What could have been a definitive end becomes a new beginning: it is reborn as a patisserie.
To decorate the boutique, Jules Chéret, a renowned painter, is chosen. His work, inspired by the paintings of Charles Garnier's Opéra and the Sistine Chapel, offers a new style to the Ladurée House. Its cherubs, charming and playful, the future "angel pastry chefs," become the emblematic emblems of the House. The interior is painted in a celadon hue, a signature of Ladurée.
Ladurée creation
An idea or: the creation of the tea room
Jeanne Souchard, Ernest Ladurée’s wife, has an unprecedented idea: she merges the patisserie with the cafe, giving birth to one of the first tea rooms in Paris. A visionary concept that offers women a space for freedom and refinement on the first floor of the Rue Royale boutique.
The macaron becomes a legend
A few years later, Pierre Desfontaines, Louis-Ernest Ladurée's second cousin, creates a macaron that will mark the history of patisserie. Two crispy meringue shells united by a soft, gourmet filling. This creation becomes the signature of Ladurée and conquers the world, becoming the symbol of chic à la française.
Ladurée in the world
In 1993, the Holder family takes over Ladurée with one ambition: to make French art de vivre shine beyond its borders.
A second establishment opens in 1997 at 75 Avenue des Champs Élysées, and a third at Rue Bonaparte. This marks the start of international expansion with almost 100 addresses, including Harrods in 2005, New York, Tokyo. The macaron becomes an icon of luxury accessible to all. Ladurée boutiques are installed in the largest capitals of the world.
All the addresses, conceived as pastry shops dedicated to the art of patisserie, reflect the coherence and refinement of the Ladurée's whimsical universe. In March 2021, Ladurée joins LOV Group, driven by the desire to continue making French art de vivre shine.
Ladurée's Pastry Chef
Julien Alvarez becomes the new Pastry Chef
In 2021, Julien Alvarez becomes the Chef Patissier of Ladurée. His ambition/challenge: to celebrate 160 years of history, to imagine new creations, and to perpetuate an excellence that defines Ladurée. Between audacious creations and fidelity to Ladurée's DNA, he opens a new chapter, marked by the launch of Eugénie, a gourmet emblem born from Ladurée's international launch.