More About French Confectionery
Our French Confectionery collection is a tour of France through its sweets: calissons from Aix-en-Provence, nougat from Montélimar, bêtises de Cambrai, Provençal fruit pastes, soft milk caramels, marrons glacés, La Pie qui Chante Michoko and crisp Eric Bur biscuits. Many of these confiseries are linked to a town or region and to a story, and they make a lovely gift or an after-dinner treat, delivered across the UK.
A Sweet Tour of France
France has dozens of regional confectionery specialities, many of them born centuries ago in a single town. They are bought as souvenirs, given at Christmas and on name days, and served with coffee at the end of a meal. Here are the classics in our collection.
Calissons d'Aix-en-Provence
The calisson is the emblem of Aix-en-Provence: a smooth paste of ground almonds and candied melon, shaped like an almond or a smile, set on a thin wafer and topped with white royal icing. A popular legend links it to the wedding of King René of Anjou and Jeanne de Laval in 1454, when the bride is said to have smiled on tasting it. Choose Calissons from Aix-en-Provence 250g or Le Roy René Petits Calissons Christmas 125g.
Nougat de Montélimar
Montélimar, in the Drôme, is the capital of white nougat. To carry the name nougat de Montélimar, the nougat must contain at least 30% almonds (or 28% almonds and 2% pistachios) and 25% honey, often lavender honey. Try Nos Régions Nougat from Montélimar 200g.
Bêtises de Cambrai
These striped boiled sweets from Cambrai, in the north of France, are said to have been born from a confectioner's apprentice's mistake, a bêtise, in the 19th century. Two local confectioners, Afchain and Despinoy, both claimed the invention, and a court ruled on the dispute in 1889. The classic flavour is mint. Choose Nos Régions Bêtises de Cambrai Mint Flavour 200g or the mix of lemon, apple and violet.
Pâtes de Fruits from Provence
Provence, and the town of Apt in particular, is famous for preserving fruit in sugar. Pâtes de fruits are soft, sugar-coated squares of fruit paste with an intense fruit flavour. We stock Nos Régions red fruit (strawberry, cherry, raspberry) and yellow fruit (peach, pear, apricot) pastes from Provence, a festive 300g box, and St Siffrein Fruit Paste 720g in individual sachets.
Marrons Glacés
Candied chestnuts, slowly cooked in sugar syrup, are a Christmas treat in France. Choose L'Artisan candied chestnuts (x16) or Motta marrons glacés (x9 or mini box).
Caramels and Michoko
La Pie qui Chante began in Lille in 1860, when Émile Cornillot started making sweets; the company took over the Marseille caramel maker La Pie qui Chante and adopted its name in 1927. In 1936 it created Michoko, a soft caramel coated in chocolate, available here in milk and dark chocolate, along with Goms fruit gums. Nos Régions also offers an assortment of soft caramels made with fresh milk, in flavours such as coffee and chocolate.
Biscuits and After-Dinner Mints
Eric Bur Mini Craquantes are small, crisp biscuits, plain or flavoured with strawberry or mocha, to serve with coffee. After Eight mint chocolates complete the selection.
How to Choose
- A gift from Provence: calissons, nougat or pâtes de fruits.
- Christmas: marrons glacés and the festive fruit paste box.
- A taste of the north: bêtises de Cambrai.
- Chocolate and caramel: Michoko.
- With coffee: Eric Bur Mini Craquantes or After Eight.
- Sharing at work: individually wrapped fruit pastes or caramels.
Serving and Storage
Serve confectionery at room temperature on a small plate with coffee or tea, or arrange a selection on a Christmas table alongside the traditional Provençal treize desserts. Keep sweets in a cool, dry place, away from heat and humidity, and close boxes well after opening so calissons and fruit pastes do not dry out. Many products contain nuts (especially almonds), milk, egg or gluten: check the ingredients on each product page. Hard sweets are not suitable for young children. For more, see Chocolates and Sweets.
French Confectionery FAQs
What is a calisson?
A speciality of Aix-en-Provence made from almond paste and candied melon, on a wafer, topped with royal icing.
What makes nougat "de Montélimar"?
It must contain at least 30% almonds (or 28% almonds and 2% pistachios) and 25% honey.
Why are they called bêtises?
"Bêtise" means a silly mistake: according to tradition, the sweets were created by accident by an apprentice in Cambrai.
What is Michoko?
A soft caramel coated in chocolate, created by La Pie qui Chante in 1936.