Pithiviers

The Confrérie de l'Authentique Pithiviers is an association under the 1901 Act, registered on 11 February 1983 and published in the Journal Officiel twelve days later. Its aim is to promote awareness and appreciation of the pithiviers — the frangipane puff pastry that bears the town's name — and to protect the quality of this speciality through dedicated events.

More than forty years after its creation, the brotherhood remains active: its latest official declaration at the prefecture dates from 10 March 2019. Like other French gastronomic brotherhoods, it perpetuates the tradition of the pithiviers through events and activities that bring this sweet heritage of the Loiret to life for the public.

À la Renommée presents itself as an artisan bakery and patisserie established in Pithiviers for more than 50 years. The establishment offers breads, pastries, chocolates and confectionery, as well as a snack and catering service. It highlights handmade production using quality local ingredients from around Pithiviers.

Its speciality is the Pithiviers, offered in its ancestral, fondant, or puff pastry versions, crafted using artisan methods and in keeping with tradition. The bakery also welcomes customers all day on Sunday.

La Gâtinaise is listed by the municipality of Dadonville, in its directory of shopkeepers and craftspeople, as a pastry chef, chocolatier and ice-cream maker. The establishment, located on Route de Pithiviers, is run by Mr and Mrs Langevin.

Bruno Cordier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Glacier — a title awarded in 1997 —, has been perpetuating the savoir-faire of the Pithiviers for 44 years in his shop in the centre of Orléans. He prepares his own ground almonds to retain some texture on the palate, and replaces a small quantity of wheat flour with rice flour in his cake.

In his establishment, rum flavours the puff pastry version, whilst the fondant is loosened with a little syrup to set the icing.

Maison Cordier describes itself as a pastry chef, chocolatier, ice-cream maker and caterer, established for more than 45 years at 20 rue Bannier in Orléans. Bruno Cordier also holds the title of artisan Boulanger de France, a label that commits him to making all his own breads, viennoiseries and pastries. An apprentice master for more than 35 years, he states that he received the Prix du Maître d'apprentissage 2018 for his dedication to training young apprentice chocolatiers and pastry chefs.

Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Carreira, run by Nelson Carreira and his wife Gaëlle, has been established in Chambon-la-Forêt, in the Loiret, for more than ten years. Nelson Carreira pays particular attention to the ingredients of his Pithiviers: farm eggs, Isigny PDO (AOP) butter, sugar produced in the region and Label Rouge flour from the Forichet flour mill.

At the Concours de l'Authentique Pithiviers 2024, Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Carreira received the prize of excellence in the Pithiviers glacé — Boulanger-Pâtissier category.

Le Fournil Chapellois is an artisan bakery located in La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin, in the Orléans urban area, run by Aurélien Nicot. Long specialised in the feuilleté, the bakery recently began producing Pithiviers fondant as well, aiming to use as many local ingredients as possible.

At the Concours de l'Authentique Pithiviers 2024, the gold medal in the Pithiviers feuilleté — Boulanger-Pâtissier category was awarded to Le Fournil Chapellois.

Les Lutins Joyeux is a restaurant located in Yèvre-le-Châtel, in the commune of Yèvre-la-Ville (Loiret), set in wooded grounds just a stone's throw from the medieval fortress — the site describes itself as situated in "one of the most beautiful villages in France". It is part of a sustainable vocational integration initiative, in a mainstream environment, for people with Down's syndrome, run by a cooperative society of collective interest (SCIC).

Run by Gérard Bobet, the establishment has been making Pithiviers there for 60 years. The cooks glaze it with icing sugar using the old method, which is less sweet than the fondant used more recently. Gérard Bobet travels across France to promote the speciality.