I came across this fun competition while looking at JP Hevin's website. I quote from this link:

http://www.lechef.com/data/02062005/...05-111823.html

"Les établissements Jean-Paul Hevin, L'Artisan des Saveurs et Ladurée sont les lauréats du concours Le meilleur macaron de Paris. Jean-Paul Hevin est vainqueur de la catégorie «classique », L'artisan des Saveurs, de la catégorie «étonnant» et Ladurée, de la catégorie «grand public.» Le concours s'est déroulé à l'Atelier des Chefs."

Does anyone know L'artisan des Saveurs?

This link http://www.lemeilleurmacarondeparis.com/
doesn't list the winners yet, but has lots of other useless information that can keep the bored busy.

Apparently L'Artisan des Saveurs is on 72 r. du Cherche-Midi.

I need to locate these macarons etonnants (astonishing/surprising)....

By the way, "grand public" is the "people's choice"

("elu en ligne par le grand public&quot.

It looks like etonnant = "house specialty" (maison ou le plus etonnant).

I'm getting even more curious.

Can't seem to get more info on Google. I'm wondering who the 2nd and 3rd place finishers are.

Very good Macarons are also those of Pierre Herme...There are 2 shops in Paris, one in the 6th and one in the 15th...I went to the one in the 15th, near Pasteur metro station, and took a 'Macaron au caramel'...My god! It was sooooooooo good!!! Do not hasitate to taste...

They're frequently praised here. I actually liked them better than Laduree.

The website gives you a link to the winners. In the Classique they are
1) Jean-Paul Hevin
2) Sadaharu Aoki
3) Maison du Chocolat
in Etonnant
1) L'artisan des Saveurs
2) Laduree
3) Carette
Grand Public
1) Laduree
2) Patisserie Mulot
3)Patisserie Herme

I will be there in 3 weeks and the Sadaharu Aoki is very close to my apartment!!! Can't wait to try them all.

How did you find this, quigs43?

I was looking at a French food blog this morning, and it also mentioned Aoki. It's listed in my Time Out guide also. I've never made it there. It sounds really wonderful. Isn't this in the Left Bank near Jardin du Luxembourg?

I'm surprised the Laduree beat out Herme, actually.

I've walked past Mulot (I think it's on r. de Seine, across from Pierre Marcolini) but never made it inside either. It seems like a more casual patisserie, but I could be mistaken.

I was curious enough, so I left my e-mail on the website and I got some press results back.

For the etonnant category, these're the flavors:

1) L’artisan des Saveurs [Réglisse]
72, rue du Cherche Midi (6e) 01 42 22 46 64

2) Ladurée [Citron vert basilic]
16, rue Royale (8e) 01 42 60 21 79

2) Carette [tie, I guess -- Passion]4, place du Trocadéro (16e) 01 47 27 98 85

As the word document attached says, "Vive les macarons ! La vie est un carnaval gourmand."

By the way, the competition defines classic = chocolate, it seems.

They attach a spreadsheet with these results:

Classique:

Jean Paul Hévin 1
Sadaharu Aoki 2
La maison du chocolat 3
Le Nôtre 4
Dalloyau 5
Walter (Le petit Duc) 6
L'artisan des saveurs 7
Fouquet 8
Carette 9
Cador 10

Etonnant:

L'artisan des saveurs 1 réglisse
Ladurée 2 ex aequo citron vert-basilic
Carette 2 ex aequo passion
Walter (Le petit Duc) 4 vanille
Arnaud Larher 5 violette cassis
Charpentier 6 caramel beurre salé
Malitourne 7 pommes-cannelle
Dalloyau 8 cognac champagne
Laurent Duchêne 9 praliné
Cador 10 mandarine