2 October 2017
For me, the mere mention of Provence brings on memories of rolling green hills, long sunny days, fields of lavender and vibrant farmers markets featuring fresh French fare. Then, there’s the idyllic villages and small cities lined with lovely stone houses, cobblestone streets, charming town squares and occasionally, significant relics of the past.
Avignon is one such small city, with its mix of Provençal charm, stone architecture, historical Roman ruins, medieval marvels like the Pont D’Avignon and Saint Benezet Bridge, and the famous gothic edifice that is the Palais des Papes. How do chocolates fit in to this picture perfect setting and where can one experience the best that Avignon has to offer?
Aline Gehant Chocolatier
Creative and contemporary is what Aline Gehant does best. Is it possible to express the flavours of Provence in chocolate? Aline has given this much thought and come up with the Noir de Provence, a dark chocolate bar that exudes fragrant summery aromas of ripe plums, notes of almonds and a silky smooth texture. The aromas alone are enough to conjure up memories of balmy summers in Provence.
But it doesn’t stop there. There’s also her fine ganaches crafted from seasonal ingredients and the fraise bar, made purely with strawberries, cacao butter and sugar. It’s bursting with the sweet scent of ripe strawberries and a medley of sweet and tart flavours. Almost as refreshing as a serve of strawberry sorbet in summer.
Aline Gehant is a talented young chocolate artisan. From humble beginnings as a pastry chef, she soon fell in love with chocolates and honed her skills in Paris, including a stint at the famous La Maison du Chocolat.
The shop is tucked away in the old part of Avignon, on Rue Des Trois Faucons, a stone’s throw from the buzzing Rue de la Republique.
Patisserie Mallard
When in Avignon, one must seek out a taste of the city’s registered French national heritage – Les Papalines D’Avignon. Apparently, only two patissieres/ confectioners are licensed to artisanally manufacture and sell these Les Papalines in Avignon. One such person is Patrick Mallard, who has been perfecting his craft for over 30 years.
Each Les Papalines comprises an inner cell filled with origan du Comtat or oregano liquor from the Comtat. The liquor is in fact made with oregano, marjoram and up to 60 other plants sourced from the foothills of Mount Ventoux. The inner cell is dipped in 72% dark chocolate followed by a second outer layer of pink papaline chocolate to create the final masterpiece.
Head to Rue du Vieux Sexier to savour this French heritage.
The artisanal chocolate brand Puyricard takes its name from a small township just outside of Aix en Provence, where it was established in 1967.
The specialties here are the extensive handmade bon bons of ganaches, pralines, caramels and liqueurs, plus the traditional French confectionary called calissons. These are almond shaped and consist of a smooth, pale yellow paste of candied fruit and ground almonds, topped with a thin layer of icing sugar.
Puyricard was founded by the Belgian couple of of Marie-Anne and Jean-Guy Roelandts, who have since handed the reigns to their son Tanguy. Craftsmanship, quality and freshness are key to Puyricard’s success thus far.
The puyricard store in Avignon is located at Rue Joseph Vernet.
Provençal delicatessen and chocolate shop best describes Le Comptoir de Mathilde, a chain available throughout the south of France.
The chocolates on offer include flavoured bars representing the spirit of Provence such as the praline rose, nougat de Montelimar and piment de espelette, and single origin bars made with cacao from countries like Madagascar, Ecuador, São Tomé and Vietnam. For those with an insatiable appetite for chocolate, there are the encyclopaedia-sized blocks with hammer provided, I kid you not!
The Le Comptoir de Mathilde in Avignon is just a block behind the Palais Des Papas, on Rue de la Balance.
The Verdict:
Chocolate blends in beautifully into French culture and in Avignon, this is no exception. Here, one can experience the many flavours of Provence, expressed in the creativity and artisanal mastery of chocolatiers like Aline Gehant and Patrick Mallard.
