Odette Tea Room Paris In The Latin Quarter

Looking for a great tea room in Paris with views of Notre Dame?

Look no further than Odette Tea Room Paris. This little beauty is easy to miss as it’s not on the main drag, and it’s often overlooked for a more picturesque walk along the Seine.

But, this is one you’ll want to add to your list on your next visit to Paris.

There is only one thing it sells and that’s choux à la creme, aka creme puffs. And they’re made using the original recipe of the owner’s Grandma, Odette.

The only reason I found it was because I was staying in a little hotel in the Latin Quarter and decided to explore some of the surrounding streets.

A wrong turn took me down the tiny cobbled street of rue Galande, and there, staring at me was Odette’s.

Visiting Odette Tea Room Paris

When I first saw Odette’s, I was on my way to Shakespeare and Company bookshop and the tea room was closed.

I was a girl on a mission as I wanted to get to the bookshop when it opened at 10 am and beat the crowds. But I’d clocked this cute-looking tearoom, plus, the intriguing looking green building next to it, for later and knew I wanted to go back. 

If for nothing else, to see what it looked like when it was open. Well, I wasn’t disappointed.

Things were in full swing an hour or so later, and I ventured in. It was unlike any tea room or patisserie I’d ever been to because there was only one thing on the menu, creme puffs.

I later discovered that the place was owned by Frédéric Berthy and named after his Grandma, who, when he was a child used to make the most amazing choux à la creme.

Fed up with his corporate job in the online world, he decided to jack it all in and start Odette’s, a dream he’d had for a long time.

Sticking with his Grandma’s tried and true recipe, he set up shop on rue Galande, selling his now famous creme puffs.

What you don’t see at first glance, because it’s hidden behind the counter, is that there is an upstairs where you can sit and enjoy the creme puffs you brought. 

If you go to the top, you get a fantastic view of Notre Dame, making climbing those windy stairs worth it.

I loved this place with its black and white tiled floor, gorgeous cakestands, and vintage trays. It had a feel of effortless olde worlde Parisian chic.

What is a Choux à la Creme or Creme Puff?

A Choux à la Crème or Crème Puff is a French pastry made from choux dough filled with a sweet and creamy filling, usually whipped cream or custard. The dough puffs up during baking, leaving a hollow inside filled with the cream. It is light, with an airy texture and rich flavour and is seriously yummy.

Don’t mistake it for a macaron, a meringue-based cookie made from almond flour, sugar, and egg whites, sandwiching a layer of ganache, buttercream, or jam with a chewy interior.

Choux à la Crème is a pastry, not a cookie, and has a completely different eating experience from the crisp and chewy texture of a macaron.

What flavours can you get at Odette’s?

When I went, there were eight flavours you could choose from, vanilla, caramel, coffee, chocolate, passion fruit, pistachio, lemon and raspberry. 

The lemon, vanilla and raspberry were my favourites, and I took a box home with me.

They also have an online store you can order from with luxury options and creme puff towers.

There is even a custom option where you can choose the colours according to your brand and even have your logo popped on.

I can just imagine how cute they’d look with a Life in Rural France logo on them.

Things To Do Around Odette’s Tea Room

As I mentioned earlier, it’s right in the Latin Quarter, which is filled with great little finds. Opposite and to the left is Shakespeare and Company, my favourite bookstore and across the road from that is Notre Dame.

If you keep walking, you’ll be river front by the Seine, and then you’ll get to see all the bouquinistes, the Paris booksellers. I’ve always been fascinated with them, and I loved seeing them featured in one of my favourite movies, Midnight in Paris.

I’ve picked up a few really old journals and papers from these stalls, one dating back to 1897, Le Petit Journal, which is a treasured possession.

In the opposite direction, going further into the Latin Quarter, is another English language bookshop, Abbey Bookshop. It’s a lot quieter than its famous counterpart, but just as fascinating. 

Abbey Bookshop is incredibly narrow, and you have to squeeze carefully past the shelves if you want to get to the back. On the left-hand side, directly as you come into the shop, is a very steep staircase going down into the basement, where you’ll find some of the classics. I spent a while down there browsing as it was empty, and there were so many books to look at.

You’re also not far from the Panthéon with its Corinthian columns and massive dome, and I have to say it is so impressive when you see it. I think I took about thirty pictures of it as I couldn’t decide which site I liked best.

Where to find Odette’s Tea Room in Paris

Apart from the original store on 77 Rue Galande, there are two other stores you can visit, 18 rue Montorgueil in the 1st arrondissement and 38 rue Godot de Mauroy in the 9th. For more details go to the Odette Website >>>

Final Thoughts: Odette Tea Room Paris

France is full of patisseries, boulangeries and coffee shops, but Odette’s is something special and completely different.

Something else I discovered recently on a trip to Paris was the vintage carousels. There are lots of them to find in and around the city.

And if you’re not sure where to stay, I’d recommend staying in the 5th arrondissement, the Latin Quarter, because you’re so close to everything.