Maison Meert, Historical pastry shop in Lille, France
Maison Meert is a building in Lille featuring neoclassical architecture with a four-story facade of marble, copper elements, and gilded decorations. The ground floor holds a shop selling pastries and chocolates, while the upper level contains a tea room for eating on site.
The confectionery was founded in 1761 and became a cornerstone of Lille's pastry tradition. The building earned protected historical status in 1980, following significant renovations carried out by architect Charles Benvignat in 1839.
The shop is known for its homemade vanilla waffles made with Madagascar vanilla, prepared using the same recipes for generations. Visitors can see these traditional sweets being sold and experience how this specialty remains central to the place's identity.
The shop and tea room are easily accessible and centrally located on Rue Esquermoise in the city center. Visitors can enjoy their purchases immediately in the space or take them away.
The basement houses a small museum with around 5,000 pieces of historical confectionery equipment and machines from earlier centuries. This collection reveals how the craft of pastry-making evolved over time.
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