Café Lancôme on the Champs-Élysées: a new era under the direction of Étienne Leroy

When I first stepped into Café de la Rose Lancômeat 52 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, I felt as if I were entering a jewel box rather than a simple tea room. The aroma of freshly ground coffee mingled with notes of rose, and at the back of the room, I glimpsed the display cases showcasing the creations of Chef Étienne Leroy. Here, the result of a collaboration between Lancôme and Lenôtre, beauty, luxury , and pastry truly come together in perfect harmony.

Lancôme's Café de la Rose, conceived as an extension of beauty

The Café de la Rose Lancôme isn't a concept tacked onto the brand; it's a natural extension of it. On the Champs-Élysées, the brand has established a location where you can do much more than simply test a perfume or lipstick. You settle in, take your time, and immerse yourself in the world of the house through taste, textures, and light.

Everything evokes the Lancôme. The powdery tones, the touches of pink , the golden reflections, the comfortable seating that invites you to linger. Some customers arrive with a shopping bag at their feet, others simply for a coffee, drawn by this sophisticated yet welcoming atmosphere. The terrace, overlooking the world's most famous avenue, extends this tranquil escape into the warmer months.

Étienne Leroy, world pastry champion, behind the shop window

At the heart of the project is one name:Étienne Leroy, the 2017 World Pastry Champion. This isn't just a catchy detail; he's been the driving force behind Café de la Rose Lancôme since November 2025, when he succeeded chef Nina Métayer, twice named World's Best Pastry Chef. Having worked at Café Pouchkine and the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, and as head pastry chef at Lenôtre since 2022, he creates cakes that are never overloaded: the lines are clean, the colors perfectly balanced.

In the window display, I saw the Rose Agora, the house's signature floral and gourmet fragrance, as well as an exclusive rose petal cheesecake and a chocolate entremet called Feuille d'automne (Autumn Leaf). It's clear the menu is far from superfluous: it embodies the Lancôme as much as the bottles displayed in the boutique. The chef beautifully sums up his intention: to make the rose an emotion to be savored.

For the brand, partnering with a chef of this caliber and a prestigious establishment like Lenôtre on the Champs-Élyséessends a clear message. Luxury is now also experienced through pastry, through moments shared around a plate, not just through a product displayed on a vanity.

A gourmet and seasonal menu at Café de la Rose Lancôme

The strength of Café de la Rose Lancôme lies in its menu, which changes with the seasons. Étienne Leroy 's pastries are not merely beautiful; they tell a story. The Rose Agora, reimagined seasonally, including a peach-lychee interpretation, directly evokes the world of the house's perfumes, while another dessert showcases chocolate with an almost textile-like delicacy.

Éclairs , macarons , tarts , and entremets are prepared with seasonal ingredients and meticulous attention to texture. Tea lovers will find a carefully curated selection, coffee aficionados can choose from a strong espresso or a more comforting latte, and floral infusions echo the iconic Lancôme rose . As the holidays approach, the menu expands to include individual Yule logs—Souvenir d'enfance, Nuit de fête, and Citrus—and a selection of takeaway treats, from macarons in five flavors to coated almonds and candied orange peel.

You leave feeling satisfied but never weighed down, exactly what this urban clientele is looking for, ready to stop for a moment of luxury and relaxation.

A deliberate, yet subtle, drive-to-store tool

On the Champs-Élysées , every square meter counts, and Lancôme knows it. The Café de la Rose Lancôme is also a drive-to-store tool , designed to create a link between the physical address, the brand's boutique, and its digital universe.

In practice, people sometimes reserve a table after discovering the place on social media, settle in for afternoon tea prepared by Étienne Leroy, and then end up walking a few meters to enter the boutique. After a delicate dessert and a frothy cappuccino, the idea of ​​trying a new perfume or skincare product seems almost natural.

This drive to the store is achieved through seduction. Beauty meets gastronomy ,and thecustomer experience becomes more cohesive. People no longer simply come to buy a Lancôme; they come to experience a story with the brand.

An Instagrammable setting, but truly alive

What strikes me about Café de la Rose Lancômeis that the décor is undeniably Instagrammable, but it's so much more than that. The floral motifs, the softly designed tables, the comfortable armchairs, and the touches of pink create an atmosphere that makes you want to take out your phone, yes, but also put it down to chat. From December 1st to 31st, the space is even transformed into the colors of the Lancôme Express Train, a spectacular display designed for the holidays.

The atmosphere plays on this typically Parisian contrast. Outside, the bustle of the Champs-Élysées , the taxis, the tourists. Inside, a slower pace, softer lighting, dishes arriving in time with the conversations. You'll find regulars, travelers discovering everything, and pastry enthusiasts who have come for the name Étienne Leroy .

The place truly comes alive, driven by an attentive team and a service that remains relaxed despite the luxury.

Café de la Rose Lancôme, a contemporary vision of French luxury

With this Café de la Rose Lancôme, the house is doing much more than just adding another address to its Parisian collection. It offers a contemporary vision of French luxury : responsible in its choice of seasonal products, rooted in the reality of the Champs-Élysées, but open to a diverse clientele, from beauty to gourmet strollers.

As I left, I found myself just a few meters from the boutique, the taste of dessert still lingering in my mouth and the scent of perfume on my wrist. This is undoubtedly where the true success of Café de la Rose Lancôme. It extends the brand's story beyond the bottles, into a tangible, shared moment.

For a luxury and lifestyle magazine , this address ticks all the boxes. A strong brand identity, a renowned chef and a historic gastronomic establishment, a legendary location, a customer experience that goes beyond mere consumption. And the feeling, upon leaving the dining room, of having tasted both exceptional pastries and a certain idea of ​​beauty according to Lancôme .

Sources

• Luxury Journal: "Café Lancôme Champs-Élysées: Étienne Leroy (Lenôtre) succeeds Nina Métayer"
• Lancôme: Official page of Café de la Rose (address and opening hours)
• Going out in Paris: "Café de la Rose Lancôme by Étienne Leroy, world pastry champion"