Nearly died and went to heaven when we stumbled today upon the little unassuming storefront of Patrick Hermand in Vieux Lille.
Un believable. UN believable.
I thought we had found macaron heaven in Paris at Laduree and some others earlier this year. Not even in the same game let alone in the same league. UN believably good. So many special and fabulous flavours. So delicate and whispy yet powerful.
Flavours exactly as described.
Might be worth a 1 hour and 3 minute TGV train trip to LIlle and a 10 minute walk. You could do worse.
http://www.patrickhermand.com/accueil/accueil.html
Lille doesn't have a huge amount to go in its favour other than the first driverless Métro, the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle, the birthplace of the ubiquitous bakery chain Paul, and some exquisite architecture. Now there is a real reason to go there.