Shop for Belgian chocolates in Belgium!
No one seems to know precisely why it is that Belgium is so famous for chocolates.
Of course, there is an abundance of wonderful chocolate shops and fabulous chocolates that come out of the country.
But that does not explain why the Belgians began producing the stuff in the first place.
Could it be that they simply started off with far better taste buds than the rest of us and the creative imagination to produce ‘pralines’ (that’s the word invented by famous Belgian chocolatier Neuhaus to describe filled, bite size chocolates) that make us all drool just at the very thought?
Whatever the past, the present could not be better – in every sense of the word.
It’s always the right time of year to buy chocolates, though in the run-up to St Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, chocolates are foremost in our minds.
So, how about a short break in the heartland of chocolate where you can spend many a happy hour browsing through a myriad specialist shops to get just the right gift.
Madame Draps belongs to a family of long established chocolate makers. Her passion for chocolate led her to open her own museum in 1998.
Find out about how the Aztecs cultivated cocoa beans as an offering to the gods – luckily we no longer need to be gods to be given chocolates!
How chocolate first came to Europe and how its advent influenced the creation of porcelain services to serve, savour and drink chocolate. Chocolate masters demonstrate how it’s all done and even allow you to sample. There’s a little shop on site where you can buy chocolates rich with the memory of a fascinating visit. Visit Museum of Cocoa & Chocolate.
Dunkirk to Brussels: 1hr 40mins easy motorway cruising
Address: Musée du Cacao et du Chocolat, 9/11 Rue de la Tête d'Or (a stone’s throw from the Grand’Place), 1000 Bruxelles. Tel: +32 (0)2 514 20 48
Opening hours (museum and shop): Tues-Sunday: 10am to 4.30pm; closed Mondays except in July, August and on public holidays.
Admission: Adults 5€; children (under 12) accompanying parents: free; students and senior citizens: 4€.
The Chocolate Museum in Bruges
This museum also has a shop on site. Visit Bruges Chocolate Museum.
Dunkirk to Bruges: under an hour
Address: Wijnzakstraat 2 (Sint Jansplein), 8000 Brugge. Tel/Fax: +32 (0)50 61 22 37
Opening times (museum and shop): every day from 10am to 5pm; closed on the 24th, 25th and 31st December and 1st January; also closed 8-19 January.
Admission: Adults 6€; students 5€; children (6-12 year) 4€; children under 6: free.
Buy handmade chocolate from the Chocolatiers themselves
Master-Confectioner Goossens perfected his art of chocolate making in Switzerland and France before setting up his famous chocolate manufactory in 1955. They produce a range of fine handmade chocolates using only the finest chocolate and natural ingredients. Theirs is a lifelong passion for chocolate. Chocolates can be purchased direct from the factory (just a few minutes from the city centre) or at a handful of Antwerp’s smartest hotels. Visit Goossens.
Dunkirk to Antwerp: 1hr 40mins
Address: Goossens Isabellalei 6, B-2018 Antwerpen. Tel: +32 (0)3 239 13 10
Opening times: 9am to 6pm Mon-Sat; closed Sunday.
Founder Hans Burie first started producing chocolates at the age of 20 from his parents’ home, gradually gaining loyal customers and producing chocolates for local bakers. As his clientele expanded so too did his ambitions and he finally moved to Antwerp where he set up his first shop in 1964. His fame has grown with time, not just for the exquisite quality of his chocolates but for his stunning chocolate ‘sculptures’ on display in the shop window (they change regularly) and attracting local curiosity. Burie still manufactures on the premises. Visit Chobel.
Dunkirk to Antwerp: 1hr 40mins
Address: Chobel Korte Gasthuisstraat 3 Antwerpen 2000 Belgium Tel: +32 (0)3 232 36 88
Opening times: 9.30am to 6pm Mon-Sat; closed on Sundays.
Pralines and Neapolitans are the speciality of Bouchard L’Escaut, one of Belgium’s foremost chocolate manufacturers, established in 1986.Their range is wide (there are 32 flavours of pralines alone!). Only the finest quality ingredients are used and the best traditions of Belgian chocolate craftsmanship. Visit Bouchard L’Escaut. Factory visits are not permitted, but their shop is in the centre of the picturesque and historic town of Ghent.
Dunkirk to Ghent: 1hr 15mins
Address: Bouchard L’Escaut Henegouwstraat 1, 9000 Gent. Tel: +32 (0)9 255 03 61
Opening times: 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday; closed Sunday.