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Burgundy
‘In 1902, the visit of an Ethiopian general to Paris inspired a Nevers confectioner to name his new creation: a chocolate caramel encased in hard caramel — named after the title mistakenly bestowed upon General Mekonnen by the French press.’
Confectionery from Burgundy.
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At the end of every year, the house of Grelier & Lyron in Nevers made a habit of creating a new sweet inspired by an event or a highlight of the past year. In July 1902, France held its breath during the official visit of an extraordinary figure: ras Mekonnen, an Ethiopian general and governor crowned with the glory of his victory against the Italian colonial army. His stature, presence, and glittering uniform caused a sensation — his visit took place in Paris and not in Nevers, where in reality it is not attested by any document.
The French press, carried away by enthusiasm for this imposing man, erroneously attributed to him the title of négus — an Ethiopian term designating the supreme monarch, then borne by Ménélik II, who had remained in Ethiopia. It was under this inaccurate title that General Mekonnen entered Nevers confectionery lore. The house of Grelier & Lyron, faithful to its tradition of drawing inspiration from topical events, named its new creation after the title popularised by the press.
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The Négus was born: a soft chocolate-flavoured caramel, encased in a shell of glossy hard caramel, forming a sweet with a striking dual texture. Its success was immediate and enduring. It eventually far outstripped the ephemeral treat it was originally intended to be, prompting the confectionery to change its name and officially become ‘Au Négus’ — a name it still bears today.
In 1909, Henri Hiriart, a worker at the confectionery, bought the business. The Hiriart family held the reins for four successive generations: Henri, then his son Charles, then his granddaughter Denise, and then his great-grandson Alain. In November 2013, the house was taken over by the Ménard chocolate group; today the confectionery is run by the Dolfi family, who perpetuate the artisanal craft of the Négus in the same spirit.
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The recipe has never changed since its creation. The same soft chocolate caramel, the same cooked sugar shell, the same manual enrobing: from the house of Grelier & Lyron to the Hiriarts, and then to the Dolfi family since 2013, each generation has preserved this craft with remarkable consistency. Today, the Négus is one of the rare regional sweets to have spanned more than a century without ever being industrialised: all stages of production continue to be carried out by the house itself.
Appearance
Medium-sized sweet, slightly irregular, with a glossy amber caramel colour. Smooth, golden surface.
Aroma
Warm caramel, note of milk chocolate. Delicate and enticing.
Taste
Deep caramel and milky chocolate, without excessive acidity or bitterness. Lingering finish.
Texture
The signature of the Négus — a crisp hard shell that yields under the tooth with a crystalline snap, then melting soft chocolate caramel. A two-stage sensory experience over time.
Classic Négus — The original sweet: soft chocolate caramel inside hard caramel. The recipe registered in 1902, unchanged.
Abyssin — The sibling of the Négus: the same dual texture, but the inner caramel is flavoured with coffee rather than chocolate. Named after Abyssinia, the former name of Ethiopia — where the coffee flavouring its centre was reportedly discovered.
Assortments — The confectionery offers tins combining Négus and Abyssin, as well as seasonal variations.
Soft caramel cooked at a moderate temperature with milk chocolate. Partial cooling.
The soft chocolate caramel is cut or moulded into uniform portions.
Hard caramel cooked at high temperature to achieve the characteristic snap.
The soft caramel centre is wrapped in the hard caramel while it is still pliable.
Shaping and smoothing before complete cooling.
Controlled cooling to ensure perfect crystallisation of the shell.
In small tins bearing the likeness of General Mekonnen or the coat of arms of Nevers.
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The Négus is enjoyed on its own, allowed to melt gradually in the mouth to appreciate the succession of the two textures. It naturally pairs with a strong black coffee or a glass of marc de Bourgogne as a digestif. In its small illustrated tins, it is the quintessential confectionery souvenir of Nièvre — sold at the ‘Au Négus’ boutique in the historic centre of Nevers for over a century.
Négus de Nevers does not hold any official PDO (AOP) or PGI (IGP) label.
Its renown and longevity make it one of the most frequently cited emblems of Bourgogne confectionery heritage — ‘one of the pillars of French indulgence’, according to the regional tourist office. The house of ‘Au Négus’ is still open in Nevers.
Artisan confectionery
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