The praline from Montargis, the marshal's weakness

What’s this?

Confectioner Mazet makes the real pralines in Montargis. He jealously keeps the primitive recipe, created in 1636...

But, what’s a praline? It’s a roasted and caramelized almond: you’ll recognize the Montargis one by his crunchy, shiny, caramel shell. Nowadays, they’re flavoured with cherry, orange and clove, salted butter caramel.

The little history

Clément Jaluzot, duke de Plessis-Praslin's cook, simply roasted almonds in sugar: his master loved the recipe!

Immediately, king Louis XIII’s court also adopted the candy. And Jaluzot decided to open a little shop in Montargis, in 1636, called Au maréchal duc de Praslin. A sign we still can see on the nice Neo-Gothic house raised in 1920, the current shop.

And when people asked him the name of those sweets, Jaluzot immediately answered "Praslines"... a tribute to the marshal! People often used to call them "pralines Jaluzot"...

In the beginning of the 20th century, Léon Mazet turned up.

This confectioner who worked in the best French shops moved in Montargis, place de la République. He bought Jaluzot’s recipe! Shops opened in Paris and Mazet became famous.