The sweet shelves of the Lamothe Bakery and Pastry Shop in Calais and its gingerbread. ©Timothé Lovergne

The Top Sweet Winter Treats

When winter arrives and Calais XXL is adorned with its festive lights, shop windows fill with treats that warm the heart as much as the palate. From inventive Yule logs and exceptional chocolates to award-winning croissants and unique pastry creations, local artisans pull out all the stops to make this season a festival of deliciousness. This winter, discover those who transform the holidays into pure gourmet magic.

Sweet Cravings

Lady Hamilton: Calais' new pastry shop

In the heart of Calais, on Place Crèvecoeur, the pastry shop Sweet Cravings byOlivier Bouclet seduces those with a sweet tooth with its 2025 creation: the Lady HamiltonLord Admiral Nelson's mistress ended her tumultuous life in Calais in 1815. This elegant and historic pastry shop stands out as one of the New sweet treats from Calais. On a sweet pastry base, the combination of almond cream, red berries, hibiscus, and fig-raspberry confit creates this cocktail of flavors. A creation as beautiful as it is delicious. Furthermore, the Envies Sucrées pastry shop regularly offers pastry workshops.

Discover 'Sweet Cravings'
Lady Hamilton pastry shop can be found at 'Sweet Desires' ©Timothé Lovergne
Portrait of Olivier Bouclet in his shop 'Envies Sucrées' ©Timothé Lovergne

Maxime House

The new gourmet address on Boulevard La Fayette

Opened in January 2024, the pastry shop Maxime House is already a local benchmark. Its young founder, Maxime GavoisHaving passed through the expert hands of Stéphane Glacier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2000 (Best Craftsman of France 2000), in Paris, Maison Maxime offers high-end cakes perfect for Christmas tables. Carefully crafted products and modern recipes make Maison Maxime a trendy address for gourmets this winter.

Discover Maison Maxime
The shop windows of Maxime's pastry shop in Calais ©Timothé Lovergne
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The Rojance

Awarded by the Gault & Millau guide 2025

Today, it's one of Calais's most highly regarded gastronomic destinations. Jean-Baptiste Dhier offers refined, creative pastries, free of artifice, showcasing the quality of the ingredients and the artisanal craftsmanship. Yuzu lemon, cocoa bean, trompe-l'œil mango… His creations are among the unique pastries to discover this winter in Calais. Le Rojance also offers catering and takeaway options.

The Rojance
Rojance pastry shop in Calais

Dejonghe Bakery

One of the best croissants in France comes from the Calais XXL destination!

The croissants of Samuel Dejonghe They are among the best in France thanks to 3 major awards from the National Confederation of French Bakery and Pastry:

  • 1st prize, departmental
  • 1st regional prize
  • 2nd national prize

The delicate layers of pastry, the perfect golden color, and the masterful flavor make his pastries a winter morning essential. Also in 2025, the baker distinguished himself with a silver medal at the national pain au chocolat/chocolatine competition, making his bakery a must-visit for those with a sweet tooth. A few years ago, Samuel Dejonghe also won a gastronomic competition organized by a local newspaper, the one for... best "Calais", the iconic local pastry.

The Dejonghe Pastry Bakery
A closer look at Samuel Dejonghe's award-winning croissants ©Timothé Lovergne
Portrait of Samuel Dejonghe and his famous croissants ©Timothé Lovergne

The Chocolate Workshop

And its newest arrival: The chocolate monitor lizard!

For the holidays, chocolate remains a sure bet. In Calais, Christophe Auchedé, artisan chocolatier, has created an exceptional piece, the Varan in chocolate, to celebrate the arrival of the new mechanical creature in Calais in November 2025.

Created from 3D designs, this unique mold (after many hours of thought and experimentation!) is available in milk or dark chocolate. It is made from three exceptional cocoa beans sourced from São Tomé, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast.

The 700 limited-edition chocolates embody the expertise of Calais' chocolate-making tradition. A small bonus: each box contains a replica of an original Varan drawing by François Delarozière.

The Chocolate Workshop
The monitor lizard from Voyage en Chocolat by the Atelier du Chocolat in Calais ©Timothé Lovergne

Master Craftsman Lamothe

In Calais, the Lamothe bakeries and pastry shops These are not just places to buy bread, but true gourmet havens that showcase local expertise. Master bakers and their teams craft homemade pastries, golden viennoiseries, and artisanal ice creams that invite you to take a break, summer or winter. For visitors, it's an opportunity to taste two iconic specialties: the Calais, the bakery's signature sweet treat, and the Rond de Saint-Nicolas, a nod to local traditions, especially around the holidays. Between a stroll along the seafront and exploring the city center, Lamothe offers a simple and genuine way to connect with Calais: through taste, generosity, and the passing down of a living craft.

The sweet shelves of the Lamothe Bakery and Pastry Shop in Calais and its gingerbread. ©Timothé Lovergne
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The Circles of St. Nicholas

A must-try Calais specialty during Advent

Originating in the late 19th century, this Calais specialty is enjoyed every year between Saint Nicholas' Day and Christmas. These round almond biscuits, made without butter but delicately flavored with honey, almond flour, and sometimes rum, are recognizable by their white royal icing adorned with a pink "N," the symbol of the patron saint of children. They have become a staple in bakeries all along the coast, from Calais to Boulogne-sur-Mer. These essential Advent biscuits represent a true local culinary heritage. To savor one is to experience a warm tradition, deeply rooted in Calais culture and passed down from generation to generation.

The Saint Nicholas rounds from the Lamothe pastry shop in Calais

Bakery in Charlotte

A multi-award-winning team

In Coquelles, the bakery and pastry shop in the Pont-du-Leu district is renowned for the quality of its creations and the transmission of its expertise. This year again, its talents shone brightly at the Hauts-de-France regional competition for artisan bakers and pastry chefs.

  • 3rd prize for best croissant 2025 – Kalilou Soukouma
  • 1st prize for the 2025 frangipane galette – Mattéo Vanthore, apprentice
  • 3rd place traditional baguette 2024 – Stéphane Cape, the owner

An address to remember for finding artisanal King Cakes, Yule Logs and winter treats.

To Charlotte
galette des rois ©Pixabay