Retail

A box of macarons for R28,000

Bianke Neethling • 25 March 2026

High-end French pastry and candy retailer Ladurée has opened a store in South Africa at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Branding itself the world’s most prestigious haute macaron and patisserie house, Ladurée said its move into South Africa marks a new era of French luxury on the continent.

According to property analyst Ash Müller, the V&A Waterfront store is currently selling a box of 200 macarons for R27,999.

“A journey of careful planning and thoughtful consideration has led us to this incredible milestone – we are thrilled to bring a taste of Paris to South Africa!” the company said via social media.

The company was founded over a century ago in 1862 by Louis Ernest Ladurée in the heart of Paris, France.

Starting from humble beginnings, Ladurée was the son of bakers who later became millers. He opened the first Ladurée store on rue Royale, which is located in Paris’ popular Madeleine district, a hub of luxury commerce, gourmet food and gastronomy.

However, tragedy struck in 1871, when a fire ravaged the rue Royale shop, and the bakery was severely damaged.

Luckily, this fire turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Ladurée, as it led to its rebirth as a pastry shop.

French artist Jules Chéret was chosen to decorate the shop, with his work inspired by the ceilings of the Opéra Garnier and the Sistine Chapel.

This gave Maison Ladurée a new style, with joyful, winged angels, now called the shop’s “pastry angels,” becoming the maison’s artistic emblems.

The interior was painted in a celadon green hue, which also became a Ladurée signature.

“As Paris flourished into a global hub of luxury, Ladurée evolved from a bakery into a celebrated pâtisserie, with its design inspired by the artistry of the Sistine Chapel and the Garnier Opera House,” the company said.

However, the maison’s artistic flair did not stop at its interior decoration, with Ladurée also putting its unique stamp on its signature pastries.

From Paris to Cape Town

As the shop started to grow, Ladurée’s wife, Jeanne Souchard, had the idea to merge pastry-making with coffee, creating one of the first tea rooms in Paris.

“This visionary concept offered women a space of freedom and refinement on the first floor of the boutique on Rue Royale,” the company explains on its website.

A few years later, another groundbreaking idea would emerge, as Ladurée’s second cousin, Pierre Desfontaines, created a macaron that would mark “the history of pastry”.

Two crisp meringue shells joined by a sweet and indulgent filling would become the signature of Maison Ladurée and a symbol of “French chic”.

With these inventions in its staple, the business continued to grow, and in 1993, the Holder family took over Ladurée and immediately focused on spreading the French art of living beyond Paris.

Under the Holders, a second location opened in 1997 at 75 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and a third on rue Bonaparte.

This marked the beginning of international expansion, with the shop going global in the early 2000s, with locations in London, New York, Tokyo, and beyond.

“The macaron became an icon of accessible luxury as Ladurée boutiques established themselves in major cities around the world,” the company explained.

“Each location, conceived as a showcase dedicated to the art of French pastry, reflects the Maison’s dreamlike world with coherence and refinement.”

In March 2021, Ladurée joined the LOV Group, which was founded in 2008 by French businessman Stéphane Courbit.

This allowed the group to expand even further, with it opening its first shop in South Africa in December 2025.

At the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, Ladurée said South Africans can expect a “taste of Paris”, with the maison offering its iconic macarons and other pâtisserie in the store.

South Africans can also purchase Ladurée’s products through its online store, where it offers macarons, eugénie pastries, chocolates, biscuits, jams, teas, and honey.