Afchain, Confectionery store in Cambrai, France
Afchain is a confectionery store in Cambrai, northern France, best known for producing and selling Bêtises de Cambrai, a hard candy made from sugar and glucose with a mint flavor. The shop also carries chocolates, biscuits, and other sweets, all displayed in glass cases and on shelves lining the interior.
The shop traces its roots to around 1830, when the Afchain family began making candy in Cambrai. According to the story passed down through the family, a young apprentice named Emile added too much mint by mistake, and the resulting candy became so popular that it turned into the shop's signature product.
The name "Bêtises" means "nonsense" in French, a nod to the accidental origin of the candy. Staff members often share this story with visitors, and it gives the shop a personal, storytelling quality that sets it apart from a regular candy store.
The main shop is located in the center of Cambrai and is easy to reach on foot from the town's main streets. A factory visit is available for groups by prior booking, and it gives a closer look at how the candies are actually made.
Alongside the classic Bêtises, the shop also makes Perles de Bêtises, a smaller round version of the original candy. Visitors who arrive at the right time during a factory visit can taste the candies fresh off the production line, before they have been packaged.
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