I was born and raised in Paris, and FWIW it never occured to me that beignets were typical French pastries.
If you are willing to spend a few hours in Paris, I would suggest the following places, in no particular order, for the absolute best French pastries culinary experience that provide renowned “salon de thé”:
— Ladurée, known for selling one the best macarons, with shops in Les Champs-Élysées, Concorde, and small temporary shops in La Vallée Village just a few kilometers from DLP
— Angelina, just accross the Musée du Louvre, with the absolute best hot chocolate drinks you'll find anywhere on Earth
— Le Nôtre, with several shops all around Paris, they also sell full meals that you can bring back to your hotel room (several options do not require being heated while some do)