Bordeaux has a lot of great chocolate shops! Having lead tours on the history of chocolate in Barcelona and Bayonne, the story behind cocoa in the Old World is fascinating. Those are two cities you’ll want to visit in Spain and France for the history of this product and to go back to its origins. Bordeaux, with its proximity to Bayonne, would have also had chocolate locally very early on. My favorite chocolate shop in Bordeaux is older, from the mid-1800’s, but Bordeaux also has the winner of the World Best Chocolate Bar 2024, by female-owned chocolatier Hasnaâ, which you’ll certainly want to try! There are, in addition, plenty of bean to bar options for the those interested in sourcing certain styles of chocolate.
One of my favorite chocolates in Bordeaux comes from the oldest chocolaterie in Bordeaux, Cadiot-Badie. Located on Allees de Tourny, near the Intercontinental hotel in the center of town, their kirsch soaked cherry – guinette – dipped in chocolate is so delectable! The sweet and bitter, varying textures…smooth and balanced, just like you’d want in a chocolate. There are a multitude of different options with seasonal items like chocolate heart shaped boxes filled with chocolates for Valentines Day. Personalized boxes for weddings and baptisms are possible, including traditional dragees which in the USA we call Jordan almonds (almonds covered in chocolate and colored sugar shell). Closed Sunday and Monday / 26 Allees de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux / +33(0)5 56 48 05 75 /
Saunion is another historic chocolate maker in Bordeaux (from 1893) with a jewelry shop as a boutique, on one of the streets making the ‘Golden Triangle’ neighborhood of Bordeaux. Here you’ll want to try their ‘Le Clemenceau’ which is a rhum soaked cherry dipped in milk chocolate. This cherry has no pit, like in the guinette, so you can eat them much more quickly! 56 cours Georges Clemenceau, 33000 Bordeaux / +33(0)5 56 48 05 75 / Chocolaterie Saunion – Chocolatier et confiseur à Bordeaux depuis 1893
Hasnaâ Chocolate was just awarded the best chocolate bar for her 72% Peruvian bio bar by International Chocolate Award. She also has a selection of chocolate pieces with different spices and aromas, cacao juice which is fun to try, in addition to her bean-to-bar options showcasing the best of different terroirs. La meilleure tablette de chocolat du monde est bordelaise ! | Le Bonbon. Closed Sunday / 4 Bis r Vieille Tour, 33000 Bordeaux / +33(0)5 56 81 11 40 Hasnaâ chocolats grands crus – Chocolatier Bordeaux Hasnaâ (hasnaa-chocolats.fr)
Darricau, not far from Hasnaâ and next to Dunes Blaches pastries, has been making chocolates since 1915. One of their top sellers is the candied ginger in chocolate which, interestingly enough, was one of the first chocolates to be removed from mixed chocolate boxes in England as they were so divisive. I personally love them! They make other candied fruits with chocolate and a really lovely chocolate spread for your goûter 🙂 Closed Sunday / 7 bis de Rue de la Vielle Tour, 33300 Bordeaux / https://www.darricau.com
On the other side of the Garonne River, in the trendy Eco-district ‘Darwin’ of the Bastide, is bean-to-bar chocolate maker ‘Origines‘. You can see in-person the process of the beans being ground down to chocolate liqueur, and the space is young and fun. My ‘frappe‘ was served as a room-temperature chocolate milk, but hopefully that was just an off day. The chocolate box of five different chocolates at 70% with different origins was fun and worth getting if you’re interested in a degustation and discovering the concept of terroir in chocolate. Open daily / 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux / +33(0)6 37 56 62 60 / Chocolaterie bio Origines Bordeaux – chocolaterie-origines.fr
Interested in a chocolate and sweet tour of Bordeaux? There are a lot of great locations, chefs and products to try! Send me an email Anne at aquitaineguide@gmail.com with the dates you have available, number and ages of guests and any specific interests!