Tonnerre's former town hall, an old Renaissance building housing a store and laboratory.
Formerly the town hall of Tonnerre, this old Renaissance building was bought in part by confectioner Louis Egendorfer in 1862. Here, the craftsman produced his now-classic specialties: barley sugars, marrons glacés... Until 1904, when he sold his business to the Thévenin family. A good idea, as the chocolatier quickly became an institution whose reputation spread far beyond the region. General de Gaulle was one of his most prestigious customers. He regularly left the Elysée Palace to treat himself to the chocolates he loved so much: palets d'or.
Closed in 1978, the Thévenin chocolate factory (listed as a Historic Monument) was first bought by the city, which undertook a long and necessary renovation. The premises will be handed over to the Tous au Château company in 2023. It's now up to the company to continue the work and bring these premises back to life, making them a permanent part of the local heritage. Since then? The front, store and laboratory have been restored to their early twentieth-century appearance, and over 350 objects from the period (jars, molds, etc.) have been replaced. La Chocolaterie de Tonnerre has thus become a moving museum where nostalgia and poetry triumph. After the visit, the Napoléon III boutique is the perfect place to indulge in a few sweet treats while taking part in workshops. As for the Belle Epoque laboratory, it is the setting for workshops devoted to wine and chocolate pairings. Because, let's not forget, Tonnerre is also a land of wine!
Did you know? This review was written by our professional authors.
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