Musée du Chocolat

Artisan chocolatier since 1956, Gelencser invites you on a chocolate journey through time: plunge into the heart of the history of cocoa.

Since 2014, Maison Gelencser, a renowned artisan chocolatier in the Vendée, has been inviting you to discover the fascinating world of chocolate through its Musée du Chocolat, the very first in the region. This museum, the only one of its kind in the Vendée, immerses you in the history and secrets of chocolate making, from the cocoa bean to the finished product.

The story of Maison Gelencser began in 1997 in Les Sables d'Olonne, where the family opened its third shop. In 2010, the shop moved and expanded to include pastries, chocolates, coffee roasting and tea sales. In 2002, the company took a decisive step by moving its laboratory to La Roche-sur-Yon, where a new 850m² space was inaugurated in the Espace Bell, including a fourth boutique directly adjoining the production workshop. The expansion continued with the opening of new shops in Chantonnay in 2006 and Challans in 2011.

However, it was in 2014 that Patrick Gelencser's passion for chocolate took on a new dimension with the opening of the Musée du Chocolat, where he shares his exceptional expertise and passion for Bean to Bar. Only around fifteen chocolate-makers in France practise this traditional method of transforming cocoa beans into chocolate, guaranteeing a rare, high-quality product. Each stage in the production process is an art, from the choice of beans to the creation of chocolates with subtle flavours that are both unique and refined.

The Gelencser Chocolate Museum is a must for chocolate lovers, where you can discover the history of this delicious delicacy, learn the secrets of its manufacture and taste a variety of exclusive creations, made with meticulous care and unfailing passion.