Alma par Marvin Brandao. Boulangerie-Patisserie

This corner bakery has a very special place in my very fresh lyonnaise heart and seemingly every heart of a patisserie critic who travels around France to name the best pastry shops and their creations. Yes, they do appear in almost any top, where there is a discussion about excellency in patisserie. Yet, for still unknown reasons to me, this was a place, I could not make myself enter for the first few months living in Lyon, that changed in an instant I opened that door and hopefully will never close. There are days when I pass by its windows trying not not look inside, as each piece of pastry they have is exceptional and a piece of art, served in the most balanced and elegant way. 

The success of this place lies on many pillars. The first one is croissant and pain au chocolate. Prepared in a style closer to the one you would get in London and New York, it is much lighter yet still buttery, and with layers no one has time to count. They do like to disappear fairly fast during the mornings, so no time has to be wasted when coming for these. Yet, that's only one small part of their success. Pastries, those elegantly and artfully prepared pastries steal people's hearts more than anything else. Each person can find their favourite pastry, yet everyone loves smoked vanilla and chocolate tart, leaving no one partial. After that, although with line moves fast and not too much time to think, do take your time to choose that lucky creation you are going to enjoy as the choice is not an easy one to master between Paris-Brest (praline cream and pate choux), Sicile (citrus-based tart), Saint Honore, Le Riviera Maya (chocolate, pean, quinoa), Les Galapagos (lemon, wakame and coconut) and d'Or rouge (saffron, hazelnut dacuiose, hazelnuts, creme brulee). And, if that is not enough, always remember that I am talking only about one side of the vitrine here, as in the other there are financiers, cookies of many kinds, cardamom buns, brownies, and, locally special Gateau Savoyard. 

Address: 17 Rue Bugeaud, 69006 Lyon
Instagram: @almaparmarvinbrandao