Confiserie Despinoy, Confectionery store in Fontaine-Notre-Dame, France
Confiserie Despinoy is a candy shop on the main road through Fontaine-Notre-Dame, near Cambrai in northern France, known for making and selling Bêtises de Cambrai. Alongside the sweets, the shop also produces a candy-based liqueur called Crème de Bêtises, a syrup, and a sugar-free version of the candies.
The Bêtises de Cambrai are candies from the Cambrai area that have been made for several generations using handed-down recipes. The Despinoy family established itself as one of the main producers of this local specialty, continuing the tradition to this day.
The Bêtises de Cambrai are closely tied to local identity in this part of northern France, and people often bring them back as gifts from the area. Inside the shop, several flavors are on display, from mint and apple to raspberry and praline, and visitors are welcome to taste before buying.
A visit to the shop takes around an hour and includes the chance to watch the candy-making process and taste samples. It is worth checking opening hours by phone before arriving, as they can vary.
The first flavor ever made for the Bêtises de Cambrai was mint, and all other varieties came later. The name "Bêtises", which means "silly mistakes" in French, is said to come from an accident that happened during production and ended up creating the candy by chance.
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