The Best croissants of Lyon
There is no doubt that croissant is the king of France. If it could, it would live in its own castle, where baguette would be the servant. Yes, although baguette is used more often, croissant is much more praised. Yet, there is a big and greasy aspect that one has to keep in mind when thinking about the very much glorified king of France (croissant again).
When a product is this popular, most of the time, it is that bad too. Simply because everyone wants to sell it, yet not everyone knows how. It is not your everyday milk bun or cinnamon roll that is already hard to master. No, a croissant is much more than that. It is a love story, passion, knowledge, and precision. All mastered preferably on a marble top, where the coolness keeps the work much easier.
Croissant, once so famous in France, is now served all over the world. Everyone has an opinion about it, but not everyone has the knowledge of what it is supposed to be or made of. Quite frankly, most of the time (hard to admit), people do not even care what's inside, as long as it is available and not too expensive, like at those local small village cafes/shops/post office instances, where locals meet to have their morning 3C (croissant, cafe, and cigarette), paying no attention to any of served and utilised.
Sadly, but rarely, that half-moon treat is as good as it should be. And that would be what?
- Firstly, they are made at the boulangerie, whereas many times, they are not made at the boulangerie like one would assume. They are made far away from a boulangerie arriving frozen to pop them in the oven after precisely deforesting them following producers' instructions>.
- Secondly, they must be made with butter. The finest you can get, yet, way too many times it is made with either margarine or a mixture between butter and the previous. Why? Margarine is cheaper and easier to work with.
- Thirdly, they have to be airy, showing layers of the boulanger's hard work and experience, which is the hardest part. And the sexiest, too, as it is a tiny way to go from perfection to disaster. If you proof too fast and in too hot an environment, the butter melts. If the butter is too cold, and there are no decent layers, or if it is too warm, you have a bun.
That being said (more about history here) here, after an eight year relationship with this city, I have listed all of my favorite croissants in Lyon.
Maison Deschamps
My favourite croissants. Buttery and very French. And, all organic.
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Alma Boulangerie-Patisserie
Airy, light croissants. Somewhere between classical French and Californian.
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Maison Terrason
Also, one of my very favourites, as there is a touch of orange blossom water in their croissant. Very much a French-style croissant.
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Boulangerie Les Frères Barioz
Winner of 2021 best croissant in Rhone region. Light, airy, and superb.
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Sébastien Bouillet
The croissant, light and airy, still reminds me of that very particular taste of a French croissant.
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La Boulangerie Pralus
The variety is not large, especially on the side of viennoiseries, offering just croissants, pain au chocolate, and two escargot types, yet they are so gorgeous, making it hard to decide whether to buy one of them or one of their incredible breads or even sandwiches.
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