Édouard Hirsinger, a Top Chocolatier
A single shop under the arcades of Arbois, a single workshop, and deliberately limited production: Édouard Hirsinger, a recipient of the “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” award, chose to remain an artisan when others would have turned their success into an empire. It’s a gamble that has earned him a reputation that extends far beyond the borders of the Jura region.
No sooner had Édouard Hirsinger settled into a seat on the terrace—with its colorful chairs—at the boutique-teahouse than he greeted nearly every passerby. In Arbois, everyone knows him, and with his blue, white, and red “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” collar, he certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. A local celebrity, this chocolatier could have chosen to ride the wave, produce more to open additional shops, and become one of those highly publicized chocolate stars. That’s not the path he chose; he preferred to keep just one retail location and a single production space tucked away in the back of the shop. Far from being flashy, Édouard’s work nonetheless inspires the greatest professionals in the world of chocolate, and connoisseurs travel from far and wide to taste his unique creations—a perfect balance between family heritage and boundless personal creativity.
Chocolates of Memory
As a true Arbois native, I myself have been a regular at the Hirsinger shop since my earliest years, not-so-discreetly snatching the famous “galets”—a filling made of almond praline and dark chocolate encased in a thin meringue with a deliciously addictive flavor—displayed on a gigantic platter right at eye level for a child like me...
