Discovering Orléans’ local specialities
A gourmet journey
Discover the local specialities of Orléans and the region’s local produce, a true art of living and a festival of flavours. Feast in our traditional restaurants, discover gourmet treasures in the delicatessens, and stroll through the local markets for a real feast!
Let yourself be surprised by the talents of our craftsmen and producers, who put all their know-how into every bite.
Fish from the Loire
Fish rillettes, fish soup, smoked fish… don’t miss the chance to taste these recipes, made directly from the fish caught in the Loire, with their delicious and original flavours!
Andouille sausage from Jargeau
Andouille from Jargeau, a speciality with an andouillette-like flavour named by the inhabitants of the town of the same name, has its origins in the Middle Ages, although its fame dates back to the end of the 19th century.
The Toques du Loiret frequently feature it on their menus!
Fruit and vegetables from the Orleans region
Orleanais has always been a horticultural region, producing a wide range of fruit and vegetables for the markets and tables of Paris. These include strawberries, asparagus, beetroot, pears, apples and cherries, for which there is even a brotherhood, the Mangeux de cerises de l’Orléanais.
Orléans vinegar
Transported by boat, the famous Loire wines sometimes arrived “pitted” and undrinkable. The people of Orleans turned this unsaleable merchandise into a highly prized vinegar.
Today, the best chefs use Orleans vinegar produced by Martin Pouret for its wide range of flavours.
You can even find vinegar sorbet in some of the town’s ice cream parlours!
Orleans mustard
Developed from a forgotten recipe dating back to 1580, Orleans mustard reappeared in 2002 thanks to vinegar-maker Martin Pouret. Made from the famous Orléans vinegar and historically local seeds, mustard had disappeared from the shelves at a time when agriculture was abandoning its cultivation in favour of higher-yielding cereals.
An enthusiastic supporter of tradition, Jean-François Martin, in association with farmers in the Loire Valley, has re-launched a local mustard seed industry for the production of this precious condiment.
Cotignac of Orleans
Cotignac is a sweet made from quince jelly and presented in a round spruce box, the lid of which is traditionally broken off to make a spoon.
In the Middle Ages, a confectioner from the village of Cotignac settled in Orléans and continued the production. Recommended by medical officers of health in the 17th century, this sweet was eagerly adopted by the great and good of the Court.
Fruit macaroons
A recent Orleans speciality launched in 2006 by a group of pastry chefs, Orleans fruit macaroons are made with local produce: strawberries deglazed with Orléans vinegar, pear and ginger compote, hazelnut cream or rose petal, lime and cinnamon confit.
Olivet pear
Olivet pear brandy originated in the Middle Ages, when the monks of Saint-Mesmin de Micy produced this spirit from local pears. In 1933, the Olivet winegrowers decided to found a fruit cooperative to compensate for the losses caused by the ravages of phylloxera. They planted a large number of fruit trees. But a large stock of unsold pears prompted them to direct their fruit to the distilleries, and this unfortunate episode actually marked the start of a real success story.
The arboriculturists hang the bottles in the trees, in secret places! They enclose the budding pears, which will then develop inside their blown-glass case. Once the fruit has reached maturity, the bottles are harvested and filled with pear alcohol. The fruit then macerates in the bottle for three years.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.
AOC Vin d’Orléans and Orléans Cléry
Like many wine-growing regions in France, the Orleans vineyards suffered from phylloxera in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and almost disappeared. Today there are 88 hectares of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Cabernet vines, whose quality production was awarded an AOC in 2006.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.
Teas and coffees
Cafés Jeanne d’Arc is one of the oldest coffee shops in Orléans. With 3 shops, a roasting workshop, a demanding selection of exceptional coffees and over 120 teas from all over the world, the know-how has been handed down from father to son for 5 generations.
Les Cafés Jeanne d’Arc sont l’une des plus anciennes enseignes à Orléans. Avec 3 magasins, un atelier de torréfaction, une sélection exigeante de cafés d’exception et plus de 120 thés provenant du monde entier, le savoir-faire se transmet de père en fils depuis 5 générations.
