La Pâtisserie du Meurice par Cédric Grolet

The small counter on the rue de Castiglione is where Cédric Grolet’s sculpted fruit leaves the palace: a limited number of pieces a day, a queue that starts before opening, and a box that is a trophy.

The counter opened in 2018 on the side street of Le Meurice with a single idea: sell the palace pastry to the street, piece by piece, in numbers small enough to keep it special. The fruit, a lemon, a hazelnut, an apple, sculpted in chocolate and filled with cream and compote, is the draw; the flower tarts and the cookies follow. Pieces per person are limited, the display empties by early afternoon, and the queue on the pavement has become a Paris sight of its own.

The Opéra boutique a few streets away is larger, has the croissants and the café; the rue de Castiglione counter is the one attached to the palace kitchen, and it is the one to queue for.

What to buy

• The fruit of the season, one per person
• The flower tart
• The cookies
• A box of chocolates