Sweet treats

delicacies from Savoie

Our sweet treats

From traditional recipes featuring the iconic flavours of our mountains, let yourself be tempted by Savoie’s sweet specialities: apple matafan, bugnes, blueberry tart and sweets with mountain flavours. So many delicacies to savour and share during your stay in La Toussuire!

Our sweet specialities Delicacies from Savoie

From traditional recipes to mountain flavours, sweet specialities form part of Savoie’s culinary heritage. Apple matafan, bugnes and sweets with mountain flavours: these are just some of the treats that tell the story of our region’s history and traditions.

Apple matafan a country recipe

The matafan takes its name from the Savoyard dialect word ‘matefaim’, which literally means ‘appetite-suppresser’. In the past, this hearty flatbread was eaten early in the morning by farmers to give them the energy they needed for working in the fields.

Originally, the matafan was mainly made in a savoury version. Depending on the recipe, it could take the form of a pancake made from potatoes mixed with beaten eggs, or a thick crêpe made from flour, eggs, water and hard cheese, all cooked in a frying pan. Simple and filling, this dish provided a nourishing meal made from everyday ingredients.

Over time, the recipe has also evolved into a sweet version. In the apple matafan, the potatoes are replaced by apples, whilst the batter is enriched with milk and sugar. Traditionally served to children as a dessert, it can also be flavoured with a dash of génépi for a touch of the mountains.

Somewhere between a rustic dish and a fruity treat, the matafan reflects the evolution of traditional Savoyard recipes, adapted to the ingredients on hand and to individual tastes.

Bugnes the crispness of Savoyard traditions

Golden, dusted with sugar and deliciously indulgent, bugnes are among the traditional treats associated with celebrations and moments of togetherness. Their history is said to date back to ancient Rome, where similar doughnuts were enjoyed during festivities, particularly at carnival time. In France, this speciality became firmly established in the culinary heritage of the Duchy of Savoy, before spreading to the Centre-East, particularly in Lyon and the Rhône Valley.

Their name is thought to derive from the Lyonnais word ‘bugni’, meaning ‘doughnut ’. The recipe is based on a simple batter made from flour, butter, eggs, sugar and milk. Once shaped, the dough is deep-fried in hot oil until it turns a lovely golden colour, then sprinkled with sugar.

There are two main varieties of bugnes: the thin, flat ones, which are rather yellow and crispy, and the thicker ones, with a deeper golden colour and a soft, chewy texture. So there’s something to suit everyone’s taste!

Long associated with carnival season, bugnes remain a convivial treat that we love to make and share with family or friends. A speciality that keeps our region’s culinary traditions alive.

Old-fashioned sweets fragrances inspired by our mountains

In Le Corbier, near La Toussuire, Confiserie Spagnolo is reviving the tradition of old-fashioned sweets. Founded in 2021 by Antoine Spagnolo and Manon Musart, this artisan confectionery business carries on time-honoured expertise using machinery dating back to the 1930s.

The production process is based on working with boiled sugar, shaped using traditional methods. Some machines are specifically used to give the sweets their distinctive shapes, whilst others are used to make confectionery such as berlingots. Each stage helps to revive the techniques of yesteryear, with production taking place directly in the Corbier workshop.

The company offers a range of flavours that reflect the tastes of our mountains: Savoie mountain honey, blueberry, génépi and larch, alongside other fruity and floral flavours. The sweets are made with natural flavourings, and the confectionery favours French and local ingredients wherever possible.

As well as sweets, Antoine and Manon also make marshmallows, fruit jellies, nougat and jams cooked in a cauldron. A gourmet destination that combines artisanal tradition with local roots – well worth discovering during a stay in the Maurienne!

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Blueberry tart a taste of the mountains

A small berry synonymous with mountain landscapes, the blueberry lends this tart a delicately tangy flavour and a lovely deep colour. Arranged on a crisp pastry base, the berries form a generous filling that is sure to delight lovers of fruity desserts.

With its blend of sweetness and freshness, the blueberry tart is an unmissable treat to round off a day in the mountains. A speciality to savour throughout your holiday in Savoie!

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