The best chocolatiers Pays De La Loire

The Coutant chocolate factory will soon celebrate its 50 years of existence in Nantes, in the gourmet district of Copernic. This artisanal chocolate factory is known for its seriousness and its quality, never denied until today. In the district, regulars but also newcomers and other tourists regularly stop in front of the attractive store. Held by the sympathetic Véronique and Laurent Carretero and their faithful team, the artisanal creations are born under the sign of the subtlety and the balance. Every month, the store window changes according to the seasons, the holidays and the news from Nantes. Among the many creations, let's mention the Muscadettes nantaises (a ganache with muscadet brandy) or the macaroons (coffee, chocolate, Grand Marnier, blackcurrant, caramel, passion, lemon, etc.). The house also makes delicious florentines, these nougatine and candied fruit palets placed on a chocolate disc. Original creations of impeccable quality. Try the home-made chocolate bites like the Duchesses (orange ganache, caramel coulis and pistachio almond paste). Created by Mr. Coutant, the Anne de Bretagne crowns (70% cocoa, raisins, almonds and hazelnuts) have become famous. One comes of course to discover the traditional chocolates house, but also the chocolates of origins (Ivory Coast, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Peru and the innovations 2022 with Uganda or Papua. Always with the surprising Equacacao directly from Ecuador from the producer to the processor! In boxes, bags or bars, we succumb to the pleasure of chocolate. The Coutant fondant (chocolate fondant with 64% cocoa from Peru, chopped roasted almonds: excellent!) is a hit. Try also the new shortbread with raspberry inserts... In summer, homemade sorbets are available for our greatest pleasure. In 2022, we can now enjoy the new Nantais Coutant cake (4 or 6 parts according to the gourmands). The little bears made of marshmallow and dark or milk chocolate were also created! Not yet 50 years old, but still very creative.

In the Graslin district of Paris, Capkao has set its sights on cocoa, bringing on board the expertise and talent of two complementary partners: pastry chef Nicolas Riveau and chocolatier Anthony Bourdillat (son of Angevin chocolatier Stéphane Bourdillat). These two enthusiasts met at the Valrhona school, where they were both instructors. The idea of this pretty establishment, which is both a laboratory and a boutique where you can discover their delicious and creative creations, was born from their experiences at fine addresses (such as the Crillon with Christophe Adam). Their Capkao brand offers a wide range of chocolate bars (including the gourmet white chocolate and raspberry), spreads, delicious beketés (little chocolate candies with corn, dark chocolate, etc.), pralines and ganaches, including Souvenir d'enfance (vanilla yoghurt ganache with raspberry confit), Original (black sesame praline with fresh ginger) and Breton (buckwheat praline). As for pastries, you'll love the creamy vanilla flan, the pavlova, the chocolate financier, and cakes with evocative names: Cap sur l'Ardèche, featuring chestnuts, or Cap sur les States au chocolat. The welcome is warm, and Nicolas and Anthony take the time to explain their know-how. Good news: in 2022, L'Atelier Capkao has just opened. Pastry and chocolate-making classes can now be booked for 3 to 8 people maximum. Count on 2h30 of sharing and conviviality. And, of course, you get to take home your own creation! Anthony teaches the chocolate classes and Nicolas the pastry classes.

After successfully opening their chocolate pastry shop in Vertou in 2011, Stéphane Pasco, helped by his sister Isabelle in this beautiful adventure, set up a boutique in Nantes in the summer of 2019 to the delight of the people of Nantes. And to showcase the pastry chef's productions, they have created a sort of jewel case: a dark setting where the colours of delicious cakes, tasty cakes, pretty macaroons with pastel and acidic reflections are revealed, not forgetting the farandole of succulent chocolates. Taste pastries such as the Facilité, a favourite, salted butter caramel/milk chocolate mousse/salted peanuts/Brittany sand, or the Signature, a taste journey with sunny colours, vanilla light cream/ mango compote/ginger mango/coconut rock/shortbread, savour the delicacies for examplethe Pistachio-Amarena Cake, the airy and melting lightness of morello cherries, and taste chocolates such as Agapé, passion fruit ganache, a subtle sensation of eating the fruit. The expression "when art is tasted" takes on its full meaning here. Stéphane Pasco works pastry like a plastic art. And like in an art gallery, he exhibits his creations. You can admire his latest work all in chocolate in the shop window... We would eat it!

The unavoidable chocolate maker from Yonne has 4 other shops in the Vendée and its Chocolate Museum. The chocolates of this artisan are among the best in the Vendée. On the front page, various flavoured or pure ganaches, creations such as the Vendée heart and the town's official delicacy, La Napoline bearing the effigy of Napoleon, an award-winning chocolate. Other sweets: bars, spreads, homemade chocolate powder, verrines, macaroons, ice creams and above all pastries: the Vendée pavé, the crunchy, the caramel flower, the Mont-Blanc.

A little way from the town center of Les Sorinières in the South of France, Olivier Grimault (OG) and his team have set up their gourmet laboratory here. What a sublime surprise to discover his creations of pure cocoa butter chocolate bonbons. With recipes as original as they are affordable. The boxed chocolates (platters) are a real eye-catcher, with their varied assortments and timeless, original flavors. We're talking about chocolates filled with refined ganaches, classic pralines and puff pastries, intense dark chocolates, varieties with a wide range of spices (pepper, vanilla) or refined flavors (tonka bean, lime, blackcurrant...). Everything is sublimated and blends well once transformed, accommodated in the hands of the master craftsman. Chocolates that invite us to travel, between Tanzania, Venezuela, Vietnam, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, Grenada... Try the Maen Hir speciality, a unique blend of 72% cocoa beans (from Santo Domingo and Mexico), or the Pavé soriniérois, a box of small chocolates with flaky praline and caramelized almonds. Indulge yourself with mendiants, grignotines, Crousty'nuts, Croq'télé or Crousty pop's. Olivier Grimault makes us melt with pleasure with homemade confectionery, fruit jellies, Taga'boum, Geli'fizz, marshmallows and other names that make young and old alike dream of indulgence. The spread here is called Goûter de Paco with milk and hazelnuts - a must! or the "flaky" version, or "caramel with fleur de sel", or the new "cocoa bean slivers". And don't forget to try Tatie Thalie's delicious sweetness.... Have you tried the new Soriniérois chocolate fondant? Divine dark chocolate to share and make people happy! Add to that the chocolate sculpting talents and chocolate courses, the super-reasonable prices, the warm welcome and the free parking, and you'll know why this place is well worth a visit! Don't forget the "food truck glacier" for your events, whether professional or private, which is available for sweet and original desserts or snacks! Speaking of ice creams, here they're 100% homemade and to die for! Chocolate mint, macadamia vanilla... Iced verrines with tangy flavors, evasion, Montélimar, are original desserts to offer! New in 2021, for chocolate addicts, subscription formulas for sweet boxes: "la Créat ' Box" for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, with a box representing a patchwork of homemade sweets - you should have thought of that! Taste our new products: Manabi 72.5% le Cameroun 71% and 100% grands crus!

Benoît Chocolats embodies excellence and a passion for chocolate: witness Anne-Françoise Benoît's many awards over nearly 30 years! Founded on a family heritage, this chocolate factory offers unique creations that enchant the taste buds of gourmets. Each chocolate tells a story, one of exceptional craftsmanship and a love of authentic flavors. By joining forces with Le Fondant Baulois in 2023, Benoît Chocolats is committed to passing on the quality of its ingredients and respect for artisanal techniques.

Debotté, a Nantes institution for three generations, a must for visitors, and still loved by the people of Nantes! The store on the Quai de la Fosse still amazes with its woodwork, chandeliers, friezes and scales classified as national heritage. Today, the two brothers have taken over: if Gérald is the chocolate maker, Josselin is the pastry chef. They have collected and preserved the paternal secrets of these strong and refined chocolates whose aromas seem to be part of the decor. Among the specialties of the house, the Mascaron, a dark chocolate rock filled with a crunchy praline and milk chocolate puff, created at the time when these mythological figures bloomed on rich facades to ward off evil spirits! Its magical power still seduces gourmets... Among the new products, try the Espelette pepper ganache with its heart of strawberry jelly, the 4 flavors sticks and the matcha tea chocolate. You will also find the famous berlingots from Nantes, and the Muscadet nantais which combines marinated grapes and dark chocolate. Josselin has inherited the family gift. His "pièce montée" is soft and light. You can taste his macaroons, Nantes cakes and other delicacies in the salons of the rue de Budapest or the rue Crébillon. Don't forget to buy your tea and coffee in the store on rue Copernic. And from now on, Debotté's homemade bread is also a beautiful baguette to take away! And in 2022 new ! the Mascaron pie is born : Breton shortbread, Mascaron with hazelnuts (Piedmont), dark chocolate ganache and dark chocolate plate ! Several formats exist, in stores or on order. We love this institution... When the weather is fine, you can also discover our homemade vacherin and other sweet treats!

As soon as you walk through the door, you can smell the sweet aroma of chocolate and guess the little hands at work behind the counter of the store. For more than seventeen years, Maryse Ouellette-Fougeray has been making her own treats (37 flavors to choose from!), adding praline, of course, but also Espelette pepper, maniguette, various spices, rose water for the most romantic ones, or even maple syrup, directly imported from her brother's home by Maryse, a native of Quebec. During the summer season, you can enjoy delicious homemade ice cream.

Carli NANTES, a patisserie-chocolatier since 1948, enchants your taste buds with its refined creations. Recognized as one of the world's top 100 chocolatiers and awarded the Tablette d'Or every year since 2019, Carli is a symbol of French elegance and savoir-vivre. In its 9 boutiques in Nantes, Ancenis, Chateaubriant, Saint-Nazaire, Vallet, Cholet, Blain and Sainte-Luce, discover a delicious selection of chocolates made from quality cocoas. You'll be making a responsible purchase, as these delicacies comply with sustainability standards and come in recyclable and reusable packaging.

This boutique showcases the original creations of Thuriès. This chocolatier-harvester is a former Companion of the Tour de France, MOF pastry chef-chocolatier-confiseur and ice-cream maker. Here, gourmets discover chocolates made with cocoa from plantations in San Fernando (Ecuador) and the South-West. We love the variety of the chocolates. Fruity, floral, dark, milk, etc. The store's Truffelines (a base of crêpe dentelle and praline), Bouchons (dark praline chocolate bonbons) and Noisirons (confectionery with honey, candied fruit and hazelnuts) are also very appealing. But we're also looking forward to other delights, such as demi-macarons, caramel, pralines and spreads. Something for everyone!

Established since 2012 in Saint-Georges-sur-Loire (store and workshop), Anthony and Isabelle Begou now offer their chocolates to a city-center clientele who should soon be hooked on their sublime morsels: Gianduja, fleur de sel, coconut, crêpe bretonne, arabica, ginger, rocher... the recipes abound! Or 100% homemade tablets, to which are added delicious fruit jellies and, in fine weather, equally successful ice creams and sorbets!

In a 400^m2 futuristic style building the shop and laboratory of renowned chocolatier Vincent Vallée, best chocolatier in the world 2015. He creates chocolate sweets, confectionery, ice cream and other delicacies. In the shop, like a jeweller's showcase, chocolate sweets made from pure dark ganaches, grand cru origins, 100% pralines, spicy or fruity dark ganaches, caramels reminiscent of coloured glass balls and macaroons

The Chocolatier Sablais, in addition to its vast boutique, also opens the doors of its production site for guided tours with the program, the discovery of the profession of chocolate maker, the origin and manufacture of chocolates, cookies and candies. After watching the film, you can visit the shop and all the delicacies made on site. More than 250 references of chocolates, pralines and homemade sweets. In addition to chocolates by weight, mouldings, chocolates with various alcohols, truffles, pistols, biscuits.

It is one of the best chocolate and pastry shops in the city and, without a doubt, the one whose window is the most artistically decorated during the Christmas season. The quality of the chocolates and cakes is the work of Jean-Yves Cerisier - the father of specialties to be tasted with an eye on his scale, the Douanier Rousseau and the Alexandra - and the beauty of the various decorations that adorn the façade and the window throughout the year, that of his wife Christine. It is true that she watches over her pretty store like a mother hen over her brood, and likes to show her talents as a decorator every year in December during the Christmas markets in Boston Square, where the "Imperial's chalet" is systematically one of the most noticed for its originality.

This square of caramelized nougatine coated with a blue chocolate imitating slates has celebrated its half-century of existence. In this shop-workshop, it is also available in the form of Petit-Beurre, Easter eggs, or in a dark Quernon version, with a dark chocolate coating. Don't miss the other specialities, exquisite chocolates made with ganache or praline, Mouchoirs de Cholet and others around Cointreau, macaroons, soufflés, morello cherries...

A sign that extends in the Grand West for Réauté chocolates, here among others in the heart of the Atoll, perfect for the little chocolate bites during the afternoon shopping! Inside you can find the style of Réauté chocolate chocolate with its small, prepackaged bags of chocolates that fall in all kinds: fondant, crisp, crisp, sparkling, fruity, to store in your small chocolate containers, sold in the store, perfect for a gift idea. But a huge selection of original presentations and packaging allows you to enjoy a pleasant gift. Apart from the chocolates, Réauté offers a wide choice of sweets such as meringues, des of all colours, nougats and even small biscuits. The most chocolate fondus will even find a loyalty card giving right to many advantages. The old store of Beaucouzé is still open and that of Ur-Erigné is at the South Shore shopping centre.

Always bouchées presented in beautiful boxes, offering a wide variety of products. A rich variety of semi-industrial chocolates of good repute with perhaps still too many pralines in the range. For the fine days, the ice of the house will seduce more than one papilla, with a rather classic but very tasty scent. Sorbets, cream cream (Belgium obliges!), Yogurt (more dietetic)… For those who prefer melting textures, Italian ice creams are generously served. We are here in a quality industrial chocolate, nothing to do with the low prices of the large distribution, but we are still far from the artisanal finesse of the real chocolate makers in Angers.

This essential chocolate maker has 4 other brands in the Vendée and its Chocolate Museum in La Roche-sur-Yon. Gelencser chocolates are among the best in the Vendée. It is in Chantonnay, that the story began in 1956, with Patrick Gelencser's grandfather. Among the flagship chocolates: flavoured or pure ganaches, orange aiguillettes, florentines, mendiants, the Vendée heart, dried fruit tablets, spreadable paste? Cakes, mainly chocolate-based, are a delight, as are chocolate verrines and macaroons. An institution!