The Basque Coast, Chocolate Side

It all began a little further south, in Portugal and Spain, where the first cocoa beans arrived and where those who knew how to transform them were to be found. Among them were Jews who, driven out by the Inquisition decreed by Isabella the Catholic, settled in the Basque Country, in Bayonne, particularly in the Saint-Esprit district. It was there that, armed with their expertise, they developed a chocolate-making business. Close ties with the community in Amsterdam ensured both a supply of beans and a market for their products. This craft developed in the 19th century, spreading throughout the region and sometimes becoming industrialized.

It is therefore only natural that traces of it can still be seen today in Bayonne. You only have to walk down Rue du Port-Neuf to see these shops, old and new, competing with each other. There is something for everyone, with locals sticking to one brand over another due to family tradition, habit, or simply because “that's where we've always bought them.” 

The best Kanouga

And if there's one subject that's not to be trifled with in the region, it's Kanouga, a soft, melt-in-the-mouth caramel whose name is said to be a variation of the Russian city of Kaluga. Although almost all the chocolatiers in the region offer it, only one has the official right to use this name: Pariès, which claimed ownership and registered the name. At Cazenave, they will tell you that it was Jacques Damestoy, the company's former chocolatier, who first made it here before passing on the recipe to his children, including his eldest daughter, Catherine, who became Madame Pariès... In truth, it doesn't really matter, as it's the product that counts, and after putting it through its paces, it seems clear to us that the best comes from a complete outsider. It is made by Madame Garrigue and sold in a single shop in Biarritz. Now off the radar, this shop, which hasn't changed since the 1960s (at least!), stands out like a sore thumb on Rue Gambetta, which is constantly being revamped and gentrified. The opening hours are unpredictable, and orders are often necessary, but go there with your eyes closed!

The great chocolatiers of the Basque coast

Cazenave

Founded by Pierre Martin Cazenave in 1854, the chocolate factory, which bears his name, enjoyed its heyday thanks to the Biraben family of chocolatiers and confectioners, who acquired it in 1929. They were succeeded by two employees: Claudine Bimboire and her sister, the former having worked for the Birabens since 1907. Their descendants are still at the helm, preserving the heritage while bringing it into the 21st century. In 2014, Cazenave was the first in the Basque Country to obtain organic certification. The original Bayonne tea room, with its wood paneling and stained glass windows, remains the legendary place to drink frothy hot chocolate accompanied by brioche bread.

19, rue du Port-Neuf, 64100 Bayonne

Website: www.chocolats-bayonne-cazenave.fr

Maison Pariès

Everything is connected in the history of Basque chocolate. It was Madame Cazenave herself who gave Jacques Damestoy, founder of Maison Pariès, the opportunity to learn the ropes in chocolate. After five years with the company, he became his own boss in 1895. His children joined him, then in the 1950s it was his grandson Robert Pariès' turn to take over the family business. The fourth generation took over in the early 2000s and continued its development with the opening of branches outside the Basque coast: Paris, San Sebastián, Bordeaux, etc. The company uses only the finest 100% pure cocoa butter, almonds from Catalonia, vanilla from Madagascar, and hazelnuts from Urrugne, just a stone's throw from the production site. 

14, rue du Port-Neuf, 64100 Bayonne

1, place Bellevue, 64200 Biarritz

9, rue Gambetta, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Website: www.paries.fr

Daranatz

This historic shop was founded in 1890 by the Daranatz brothers. After being run for over a century by the Josuat family, it was bought in 2014 by Bertrand Mojon, who has been visiting the shop since childhood. Here, tradition reigns supreme, both in terms of production methods and taste. The other specialty of the house is tourons, marzipan made from two varieties, available in colorful bites with different flavors and a retro look. 

15, rue du Port-Neuf, 64100 Bayonne

12, Avenue Foch, 64200 Biarritz

Website: www.daranatz.com

Mr Txocola

In this ancient and classic world, Mr Txocola has come along to shake things up and breathe new life into the Bayonne chocolate scene. Two chocolatiers, Ronan Lagadec and Cyril Pouil, one an artisan and the other an industrialist, joined forces in 2017 to found Mr Txokola, working (and this is a rarity) from the bean. Roasting, grinding, and conching are all done in their Bayonne workshop. The bars are beautifully packaged and come in classic or less conventional flavors, some of which feature local specialties such as Espelette pepper, Salies salt, and Txopinondo apples.

11, rue Jacques-Laffitte, 64100 Bayonne

17, rue des Halles, 64200 Biarritz

Website: www.monsieurtxokola.fr

Also

Dodin

Quai de la Grande Plage, 64200 Biarritz

Website: www.dodin-biarritz.fr

Garrigue

7, rue Gambetta, 64200 Biarritz

Chocolaterie Henriet

3, avenue de Bayonne, 64600 Anglet

Place Georges-Clemenceau, 64200 Biarritz

10, boulevard Thiers, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Website: www.chocolaterie-henriet.com