The best chocolatiers Châteaux de la Loire

Although the creator, Max Vauché, has retired, the employees who took over from him have preserved the spirit of the company. For these are not simply stores, but places for exchange, both with the public who can watch and participate in the making of chocolate delights with the producers from Sao Tomé, Mexico or Colombia whom they accompany in a responsible approach. Don't miss the guided tour to appreciate all the flavors of the different chocolates, from the sweetest to the most bitter. How can you resist such gourmet delights?

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.

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.

The king of ganache, the prince of macaroons, the gourmet of gourmet cakes could be titles awarded to Sébastien Papion, master chocolate expert. Once you enter one of these three pharmacies, you can't leave empty-handed, because your sight and smell are overwhelmed by the style and aromas that emanate from these tasty and sweet inlays. How good it is to stroll and enjoy these fragile but so pleasant to eat interludes!

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!

Since 1760, the Chocolaterie Royale has not lost its name. And to say that we no longer know where to put our heads in front of all its chocolate temptations is not excessive. Candied fruit, fruit jellies and marrons glacés are not to be neglected. Macaroons are in the spotlight, with blackcurrant and violet, an extraordinary delicacy. As for the ganaches, recommended by the chocolate creator Daniel Mercier, whether they are made with dark, milk or white chocolate, they are melt-in-the-mouth... imperishable. A place where you can be damned. Not to be avoided.

The Bellanger chocolate factory is the story of a family with a passion for good things. You can find chocolate in retail or in boxes, sugared almonds, chocolate bars from France and elsewhere, ballotins, spreads... Some fruit jellies and a collection of macaroons complete the offer, with original flavours. The creations of the master chocolatier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 1982, are simply divine. In summer, enjoy the refreshing homemade ice creams. No guilty pleasure in sight, only happiness.

This family-run, artisanal chocolate factory, located in the heart of the Gâtinais region, makes pure cocoa butter chocolates, respecting good products and innovating in chocolate flavours. We appreciate to find here a wide range of chocolates, some of organic origin. The creations of this establishment are distributed in many delicatessens in France, but also abroad ... You will be able to choose between pralines, crunchy, truffles, spicy chocolates, croustines, etc. Take advantage of the open doors to come and discover the backstage of this family chocolate factory!

Since 1920, Rannou Métivier has been cultivating 100% authentic craftsmanship in the field of sweet pleasures. During a visit to the Halles de Tours, it is difficult not to want to look at this gourmet display. You will find delicious chocolates that go wonderfully with coffee, Montmorillon macaroons, cakes such as Bonne Mémé and Visitandine, but also teas, infusions and coffees. A choice address to make every gourmet break a refined and delicious moment. It is also a perfect place to buy boxes that will surely delight gourmets from all walks of life. An unmistakable address to please and please yourself!

The Rabelais' house, located opposite the entrance of the castle, offers you throughout the year its artisanal production of chocolates, delicious pastries and ice creams. On sunny days, take a break on the terrace to taste specialities such as the Guérandais, half-bitter chocolate mousse topped with a heart of salted caramel ganache or the cannelier, caramel mousse, cinnamon crème brûlée on a background of almond macaroon. In winter, you will settle down by the fireplace to enjoy a good homemade hot chocolate. Perfect for a snack!

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.

Offering or offering chocolates of all kinds: …, pistoles and......

Created in 1927, the Alex Olivier company has no reputation to make in Neuville-aux-Bois as in the Loiret region. Experience and tradition go hand in hand with a constant renewal of the range and an investment in promising niches: organic cocoa, fair trade. Delicious, the chocolates with multiple ganaches (speculoos, cinnamon, coconut cream, raspberry...) are offered in boxes that make beautiful gifts, whether they are made of tin or bamboo. The chocolate maker is invested in several associations and shares the beautiful initiatives it supports.