Le Moulin de la Vierge

One month into our time in Paris, The Croissant Co-president Nasser found the best pain au chocolat he’d ever had at Le Moulin de la Vierge. Cautious about the 3.5-star rating the bakery has on Google Reviews—most negative reviews targeting the “stale croissants”—I chickened out of spending my budget on the croissant at the last minute. Instead, I went with the chausson aux pommes (apple turnover) and the tartelette framboises (raspberry tart). The chausson aux pommes was surprisingly light, with perfectly tart filling that balanced the buttery flavor of the crust, which was layered, crispy, and not too thick. Unlike most chaussons aux pommes I’ve had, the apple filling was a fine purée rather than syrupy chunks. That was fine with me, but it might be a problem for strong chunk advocates. I rate it 8/10—it would’ve been a 9 if it had just a bit more filling! Nonetheless, I thought it was an excellent chausson aux pommes, and I’d definitely come back for more. After reading positive reviews recommending the sweets—many accompanied by pictures of fruit tarts—I decided to go with the tartelette framboises, which turned out to be disappointing. Upon closer examination, I realized the raspberries were not the freshest, with dark spots near the bottom. The custard was mediocre, lacking the depth of flavor that could’ve made it a remarkable tart. Between the custard and the crust, there was a thin bed of streusel. The crust had the right thickness—thin enough to not overpower the filling yet thick enough to add texture. Overall, it was above average but singular in taste and, honestly, a bit boring. I rate it a 6/10.