At beginning of 20th century Paris was wrapped up in a frenzy of entertainment . People wanted to make new acquaintances , but literary salons and literature circles were outmoded . Outspoken writer and activist Louis Ernest Ladurée ’ s wife , Jeanne Souchard , had the idea of fusing the Parisian café and the French patisserie , which led to the creation of one of the first tea rooms in town . Established in 1862 on Rue Royale in Paris , the patisserie ’ s original interior was designed by Jules Chéret , a famous painter and poster artist at the turn of the century . The chubby cherubs dressed as chefs that he painted on the ceiling would form the company ’ s emblem .
The story of the Ladurée macaron as we know today began in the middle of the 20th century with Pierre Desfontaines , who was the first to take two macaron shells and joining them with a delicious ganache filling . In the 1990s , Ladurée started releasing flavors seasonally , in the manner of clothing collections . The bakery , having opened its flagship location on the Champs-Élysées in 1997 , also began advertising in the French versions of Vogue and Elle , alongside makeup , jewelry and handbags . This way the haute couture met haute cuisine and made Ladurée one of the coveted delicacies that is loved and cherished all around the world .