The best pastry shops Poitou-Charentes

For nearly sixty years, the orange and black window of the Trianon pastry shop has been attracting gourmets from the Couronneries district and aficionados of the Sunday market for its delicious pastries and beautiful pastries. In the window, chocolates, beggars, macaroons compete with the cakes. A must try? The Concerto, a marvel of chocolate mousses on a crispy bed. It's hard to resist when faced with so many delicacies. For birthdays, try a number cake! And in season, ice creams and home-made sorbets make their appearance. An address not to be missed in the district which perpetuates its know-how with brio.

THE artisanal tourteau-cheese factory, the guarantor of centuries-old traditions and tricks of the trade. So it's here, almost in the middle of nowhere, that you'll have to learn all about this sweet UFO made with goat's milk and a soot-black grilled crust. Virtually 100% of the ingredients are local (except for the sugar), hand-brewed and baked at 285°. A household name, the house remains the darling of the major catering establishments; it was even invited to the Elysée Palace by the presidential pastry chef! Brioches and pure butter crushed prunes are also available.

Blandine and Laurent Cathala know how to pamper the gourmets in all of us. In their workshop-boutique, our senses are on the alert. In the windows, treasures to savor. Colorful macaroons in original flavors (lavender-honey or angelica), tempting pastries with chocolate, fruit... and why not both? Here, gourmandise is made up of small and large pleasures that change with the seasons. Nothing is off-limits, not even ice creams, chocolate bars and bonbons with grand cru, infused ganaches and pralines.

Myriam and Arnaud warmly welcome you to the Lolmede biscuit. Whether it is for a gourmet purchase or a gourmet break, everything is planned, a few tables inside or on the terrace allow you to enjoy immediate tasting of the famous products of the house. All cookies are home-made, from the madeleines nature or chocolate to the famous macaroons which now fall into over fifty fragrances! The must, however, remains the old almond-based kernel by the couple, guaranteeing freshness. For tourists who will not miss this sign, you will also find a selection of regional products and for lovers of sweet moments, a nice palette of tea cups for all tastes.

No, this bakery isn't the smallest in the world. But when you look at this red storefront just a few steps from the market, you'll be amazed at just how small it is. Make no mistake, you'll find plenty of products! Le Petit Futé loves the variety of breads on offer: spelt baguette, cereal bread, corn cob, Impérial... And those with a sweet tooth will be just as delighted, with delicacies that are as well-crafted as ever: viennoiseries, pastries... Above all, here you're sure to be greeted with a smile and treated to a lunch break over a sandwich or burger.

Alongside pure butter viennoiseries like the surprising two-tone raspberry-filled chocolatine, you'll find a bread of rare quality!^5th in a generation of bakers, and winner of several awards for the quality of its products, including this croissant, which is the perfect way to start the day. The pastries are delicious, prepared with quality raw materials. There's no doubt that this bakery deserves all the praise it gets, and the Petit Futé strongly encourages you to visit!

If you want to surprise your guests with a unique cake, trust the Gallet house. You will find Valérie at the market of La Pallice in her pretty truck or in her workshop located in Château d'Oléron. This pastry chef, as passionate as she is talented, makes traditional cakes and real custom cakes. The result is as beautiful as it is delicious. Made with care, with quality ingredients, the pastries have a neat look with that girly touch that makes all the difference. Creations with a unique taste!

If you're one of those people who can't imagine ending a meal without a sweet treat, head for this patisserie. Located in the Genette district, just a few steps from the casino and the Mail, it's the ideal place to take a break. It's a delight to sit down in the tearoom, and enjoy a setting conducive to relaxation and tasting. Stanislas and Sarah create exceptional pastries, using local and organic produce. Chocolate cabbage, pecan millefeuille, carrot cake... they're as stylish as they are delicious!

This bakery and patisserie, located right in the heart of town, is a must for gourmets. The shop window is an irresistible invitation to come closer. You'll find viennoiseries, but above all pastries, including the inevitable puits d'amour, which has been delighting taste buds for over 40 years! This choux pastry, filled with crème pâtissière and topped with a crème brûlée glaze, is a delight. It's a pity, however, that the welcome lacks a smile and that the menu is subject to a high price tag.

" I love galettes. Do you know how? When it's well made. With butter inside ". If you love this Charentais dessert, head for Beurlay. If the village is well known to those who travel to Saintes via the main road, it is also well known for the large building in which the artisanal galettes have been made for four generations. Today, this cake is still one of Charente-Maritime's flagship products. It's true that it knows how to charm us with its golden skin, its softness and its different recipes, including the inevitable angelica.

Les Papys Gâteaux are two lively retired men, creators of Niort's first madeleine. Based in the former Coulon dairy, the former businessmen took on the challenge of revisiting the famous Commercy jewel. While the recipe is kept secret, we do know that it is distinguished by its local ingredients: AOP butter from Echiré, eggs from their own countryside and flour from Courçon. Not forgetting a hint of lemon, lovingly squeezed by hand. They wanted to have fun, and it shows: you too can have a bite and have a good time!

The monks of Ligugé share with the Carmelite sisters of Niort a recipe whose ingredients (sugar, cream, eggs, flour and almonds) have formed the name of this specialty: the SCOFA. It is a mille-feuille with sheets of meringue pastry, on which cream and chopped almonds are placed. A delightful treat. Made in a square shape and in many formats, its composition seems rich, but it contains only 300 calories per 100 grams. You can find it in the store of the abbey of Ligugé, in the Carmel of Niort, as well as on certain markets.

This young (and very talented) pastry-chocolate-confectioner apprenticed with two Deux-Sévriens Meilleurs ouvriers de France, bakers Dominique and Thomas Planchot. After a spell at the Maison Flu (Niort), he took over the pastry-making reins at the Alexandra Palace, before finally daring to set up shop in the Bocage region in 2023. His credo: gourmet desserts accessible to all. Fine pastries, vintage chocolates, homemade jams and pralines... to bring you to your knees.

Beware, you will crack! Apart from the city centre of La Rochelle, in the area of Kilkenny, behind the beautiful blue facade all are delicious delicacies… It is difficult to choose from one of the most tempting pastries. And you must see the window during the Easter holidays and Christmas, it is my-gni-fi-that!

Sometimes we have to wait a few minutes. No matter what! Olivier Bourgeois is a true artist! Inventiveness, originality, quality, seriousness and choice are the watchwords of this artisan, baker-baker-chocolate-maker, who has been in this neighbourhood for many years. With regard to bread, its flagship product is the Fermentine, a campagne campaign with aromas. But you will also find other products like the Tradition wand, which replaced the Gâna. Also a caterer with quiches, pizzas and sandwiches. We cracked for his pastries… A feast for all our senses: beautiful and delicious. And what's more, all of these handmade delicacies are at very reasonable prices. Among its specialities, the Royal, Petit Secret, Raspberry, Pabana… but rather than stating the names, the best is still to go there and make your choice. In any case, one thing is sure, you will also become a faithful bakery of the Bourgeois Bakery.

This is undoubtedly one of the best bakeries in La Rochelle. You'll be surprised to find yourself in a shop reminiscent of the bakeries of yesteryear. Arnaud and Valérie have no shortage of imagination, creating breads so delicious you'll find it hard to keep them whole all the way home. You'll find, for example, muesli raisin hazelnut bread, corn bread or cereal bread for sandwiches. Gourmets will undoubtedly turn their attention to the sweet shop window, which features a range of pretty pastries, and for those who like breakfast, the grandmother's brioche.

Pastry star of the United States, the donut is declined to infinity. In Poitiers, you will find your happiness at Bali's. In this cute store, Quentin makes 8 to 9 types of donuts and doughnuts every day, according to his inspiration. This sweet dough in the shape of a ring topped with a chocolate (white, milk, dark...), caramel or other topping is then adorned with a topping to complete the decoration. For the young man, it all began in 2020, during the second confinement: instead of renting cars, he tried his hand at pastry making. And finally decides to make it his main activity. You can take this delicacy away or enjoy it on the spot with a drink.

Marc Bayet has two passions: the Ile de Ré and cooking. After 23 years at the helm of his own gourmet restaurant, he decided to leave Belgium and settle on the Ile de Ré. To sample one of the pies on offer, head for the small shopping area just outside town. Push open the doors of the little store. We love the warm welcome and, above all, the quality of the tarts. Savory or sweet, they're made with the finest ingredients! Marc doesn't do surprises: his workshop is open on the counter!