Here 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc, we live on the border with 🇨🇭 Switzerland, one of the most famous chocolate producing nations in the world ( though neighbouring countries do outweigh this small country in chocolate production! ).

Those happy 🇨🇭 Swiss 🐄 alpine cows produce 🥛 a rich creamy milk, perfect to mix with cacao, to form delicious chocolate . . .

And here in our 🗻 Haute-Savoie mountains, we also have a rich tradition of artisan chocolate-making, which dates back to the 19th century!

And, as you’ll see in this article, we also have some exquisite artisan chocolate makers 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc!

La Chocolaterie Pissard à Sallanches – this was the oldest brand of chocolate in Savoie, with the factory founded in 1827-1828, in Bellegarde, by the Pissard brothers. The elder brother, nicknamed “Bilbao”, had learned the rudiments of the chocolate-making trade in Bilbao, Spain. In the first years of production, the factory was flooded, and hence transferred to the left bank of the Sallanche river in Sallanches.

[ ⇒ to read more about the Pissard chocolaterie, see the blog La Pissarderie : Sallanches et la chocolaterie here ]

[ ⇒ for a brief history of chocolate in the world, see the charts below ]

At Christmastime, our shops are filled with chocolate delights : advent calendars, 🥚 praline assortments, bûches de Noël, meringues pralinés . . .

. . . and at Easter too – chocolate eggs, festive cakes and exquisite creations a-plenty !

And then there is Valentine’s Day, 1st May muguet, la Fête des Mères & des Pères, end of the school year teacher treats, Halloween . . . any excuse for making and consuming chocolate !

Aside from these big chocolate dates in our calendar, a box of chocolates is a great treat any time of year, and a lovely option for a present !

And so, here below, are some suggestions for buying the perfect chocolate present 🗻 au Pays du Mont-Blanc!

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Colour code for listings 

Pays du Mont-Blanc

Chamonix Valley (Chamonix, Argentière, Les Houches, Servoz and environs) & Vallorcine

Passy & environs

Sallanches, Combloux, Cordon & Domancy

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Le Fayet, Saint Nicolas de Véroce, Bionnassay & environs

Megève & Praz-sur-Arly

🇫🇷 Further France

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Chamonix Valley

Gâteau & Cacao ( CHAMONIX )

The first boutique of this lovely chocolate and cake shop opened in Sallanches, and now the owners have set up a second shop in the historic Chamonix chocolate shop Ancey Chocolaterie ( known originally as the « Maison de Nougat » back in 1821, it was taken over by the Ancey family in 1892 )

website & FB page

address: 60 rue Joseph Vallot, 74400, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc / tel: 04 50 53 09 79

Pâtisserie Richard Chamonix ( CHAMONIX )

The 🧁 Pâtisserie Richard was always my favourite boulangerie for bread and viennoiserie when I lived down the road in Chamonix, but I rarely indulged in its incredible selection of cakes and chocolates back then – why ever not?!

Also available are the macaroons ( and the macaroon shop Richard: côté Macarons down the road ) . . .

FB page & website

address: 10 rue du Docteur Paccard, 74400, Chamonix / tel: 04 50 53 56 88

Look at these beautiful chocolate bars :

Maison Fattier :  Aux Petits Gourmands & Chalet 4810 pépites & gourmandises ( CHAMONIX )

Aux Petits Gourmands ( FB page ) & Chalet 4810 ( FB page ) have the most incredible selection of beautiful cakes and chocolates! The chocolates are exquisite, with some designed liked mountains and snowflakes! They’ll also design for your company!

There is also a newer branch of 🧁 Aux Petits Gourmands opposite the church in Saint-Gervais – see below !

Shoukâ ( CHAMONIX )

Some of you Chamonix residents may remember the noisy bar Le Choucas ?

Well, a few years ago Le Choucas chalet became home to Le Shoukâ: ” une manufacture de cacao et de café “.

In this article on the blog, Le Shoukâ tells you why eating (good quality) chocolate (in moderation) is good for your health! You can also buy coffee beans from the dispensers . . .

FB page & website

address: 206 rue du Dr Paccard, 74400, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Le Jardin du Goûter à l’Hotel Oustalet ( CHAMONIX )

Those in the know in Chamonix are aware that the tea room at this hotel – Le Jardin du Gouter – is just lovely! ” In winter, you can relax in our comfortable lounge after a full day of skiing . . . Hot chocolates from the full-bodied house and tasty pastries will certainly appeal to your taste buds. ” The pastry chef, Stéphane Martin, changes the cakes with the seasons, at Easter chocolate eggs are also produced !

FB page & website


address: 206 rue du Dr Paccard, 74400, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

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Passy

Les Gourmandises de Manon ( CHEDDE )

🍫 Les Gourmandises de Manon is run by Manon, and specialises in artisan chocolate! You’ll see her at work in the shop!

FB page & website


address: 8 rue Paul Corbin, 74190, Passy / tel: 07 60 65 22 26

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Sallanches, Saint-Gervais & Le Fayet

Gâteau & Cacao ( SALLANCHES )

The new kid on the block for cakes and chocolate in Sallanches ( and now with a new boutique in Chamonix ) ! You can see the two owners beavering away in their lab behind the counter.

The cakes are exquisite !

website & FB page

address: 38 quai Saint Jacques, 74700, Sallanches / tel: 04 50 55 83 68

Chocola’thé ( SALLANCHES )

Chocola’thé is a cake and chocolate shop, within a tea room, located on the quais of Sallanches.

FB page

address: 38 quai Saint Jacques, 74700, Sallanches / tel: 04 50 55 83 68

Délicat Délice ( SALLANCHES )

🍫 Délicat Délice is also located on the quais, and has beautiful cakes and chocolate, and tea and coffee for sale. There is also a branch in La Roche-sur-Foron.

FB page

address: 72 quai Saint Jacques, 74700, Sallanches / tel: 04 50 55 83 68

Lydie’s cake ( SALLANCHES )

Lydie is known for her cupcakes and custom-made cakes, and she also sometimes makes chocolate goodies!

FB page

address: 151 rue du Mont-Blanc, 74700, Sallanches / tel: 07 85 12 87 90

Chocolats de Neuville ( SALLANCHES )

🍫 Chocolats de Neuville is a not a local brand, though it is a French brand, and it has a small shop next to Monoprix in Sallanches . . . ©

address: 9 avenue de la Gare, 74700, Sallanches

Zanin Pâtissier & Chocolatier (Sallanches, Le Fayet & Cluses)

Zanin is another institution locally, selling beautiful cakes, chocolates and macaroons. The first branch to open was in Le Fayet and there are newer shops in Sallanches and Cluses;

FB page & website

address (Sallanches): 540 rue du Général Jacques de Montfort, 74700, Sallanches

address (Le Fayet): La Potinière, 111 avenue de Chamonix, 74170, Le Fayet

Aux Petits Gourmands ( SAINT-GERVAIS )

You’ll find a newer branch of 🧁 Aux Petits Gourmands opposite the church in Saint-Gervais – what a beautiful location! ( on a warm day, you can eat your cake in the church gardens, otherwise you can have a cosy seat indoors! ).

Sérac Gourmet ( SAINT-GERVAIS )

Important to mention in this article is the Les Merveilleux collection from the Sérac Gourmet – a divine chocolate creation that you can eat on-site, or you can take away! I especially love the white chocolate and raspberry combination !!!

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Megève & Praz sur Arly

Boulangerie Le Montagnard ( PRAZ-sur-ARLY & MEGEVE )

Founded in 1989, and set in a chalet, this boulangerie sells amazing cakes and chocolate!

As well as the Praz-sur-Arly location, there is also a small Megève shop.

FB page

address: Praz-sur-Arly / tel: 04 50 21 26 76

Le Comptoir du Père Sotieu ( MEGEVE )

This cute tea room is located in a little chalet that actually looks like a chocolate box, and it sells cakes and chocolate!

FB page & website

address: 19 rue Général Muffat de St Amour, 74120, Megève / tel: 04 50 21 67 51

Isabelle Vigliengo – les Glaçons de Megève® ( MEGEVE )

Les Glaçons de Megève® are delicate praline meringues, and they are a speciality of Megève – for the last 112 years, they have been made there, based on the recipe of Barthélémy Vigliengo, now continued by Isabelle !

 ⇒ more information

address: 215 route Edmond de Rothschild, 74120, Megève / tel: 06 01 73 88 99

Yann Couvreur ( MEGEVE )

A declaration of love for Megève, this Paris-based pâtissier is offering his creations here in the Alps this Christmas – order and collect from l’Hôtel Coeur de Megève from 22nd to 25th December.

” Véritable déclaration d’amour à la ville de Megève. Cette bûche, aux allures de massif montagnard au chocolat noir enneigé où vient se lover notre renard emblématique, renferme une délicieuse ganache montée à la vanille, un cœur au marron sous toutes ses formes et des cimes gourmandes à la pâte de noisette, fleur de sel. “

FB page

address: l’Hôtel Coeur de Megève, 74120, Megève

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🇫🇷 Further France

🇫🇷 Le Choc’Alpin ( THONON-les-BAINS )

These guys are located in le Chablais, but I’ve included them in this list, as their product is so unique : a chocolate bar in the form of the mountain relief of our Alps ! You can order your chocolate bars on the internet !

The story : ” Nous sommes Tristan et Lucie, deux natifs des Alpes et créateurs du Choc’ Alpin. Nous avons grandi avec une passion commune pour la montagne et embrassé le mode de vie qui va avec. Les reliefs nous fascinent, il faut dire que le terrain de jeu offert par les Alpes est infini . . . Tout à commencé comme ça : Tristan conçoit des pièces de mobilier bois dont les Alpes sont la source d’inspiration, mais aussi des moules pour une chocolaterie locale. De là est née l’idée d’en concevoir un, représentant avec exactitude nos reliefs montagneux. Le résultat ultra précis, conjugué à la brillance du chocolat nous a bluffés, et nous nous sommes embarqués dans cette aventure ! ”

website & FB page

address: 89 chemin de la Ballastière, Thonon-les-Bains / email: contact@choc-alpin.com

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A history of chocolate

For a little more information about the history of chocolate, from the Aztecs drinking a bitter blend, to European kings and queens enjoying a sweeter drink, and then to the production of solid chocolate bars, see the charts below . . .