Introducing “Bakery Mugi” and Exploring Differences Between Croissants in Paris and Japan｜数学教師のインフラ（English and French）ブログ

Today I finally went back to my favorite bakery, Mugi, located near Ise-shi Station, for the first time in about two months.

Mugi has an official Instagram account where they show their latest products, which always makes me look forward to visiting.

Mugi’s Official Instagram Account -> https://share.google/TEJ6SxQmYna0zlgMZ

My favorite item is their “cup-of-tea” (the campagne), but this time I wanted to experience the differences between croissants in Paris and Japan, so I bought their classic croissant. The rustic yet flavorful croissant from Mugi is simply outstanding.

Comparing Croissants in Japan and Paris

The croissants at Mugi are wonderful, but those in Paris are distinctly different.

Parisian bakery croissants are all about the richness of butter. The outside is crisp and fragrant, while the inside is moist or slightly chewy. With just one bite, the aroma of rich French butter fills your mouth, instantly making you feel, “Ah, I’m really in France.”

During my stay in Paris, I had croissants about five or six times, but the most memorable experience was breakfast at the Disneyland Hotel. In addition to regular croissants, they also offered vegan counterparts. Perhaps because they didn’t use dairy butter, the texture was a bit dry and lacked crispness, yet I was surprised at how delicious they still were.

* Croissants from the Disneyland Hotel buffet: the one on the left is a regular croissant, and the one on the right is a vegan croissant. You can even see a slight difference in their appearance.

What amazed me even more was discovering that McDonald’s also serves croissants. The price was more affordable than at bakeries, yet the taste was by no means inferior. As expected, the outside was crisp and the inside was moist—a remarkable quality! I remember telling my wife, “Even McDonald’s feels stylish in Paris.” Incidentally, you can also spot their croissants in the first episode of Season 3 of the Netflix series Emily in Paris, so if you’re interested, be sure to check it out.

In Paris, I never once encountered a croissant that made me think, “This isn’t so good.” Every shop maintained an impressively high standard, and you could sense the pride behind what they offered.

Conclusion

The croissants at Mugi in Ise are rustic and deeply flavorful, something to be truly proud of locally. On the other hand, Parisian croissants captivate us with their buttery aroma and texture—deliciousness on a whole different level.

Both Japanese and French bakeries have their own unique strengths, and that’s exactly what makes comparing them so enjoyable. I look forward to introducing more of the bakeries I discovered during my trip to France in future posts.

Au revoir!