The Bergamot of Nancy is a sweet, translucent candy with a unique taste. It was the first confectionery in France to be awarded PGI status, a Protected Geographical Indication.
This translucent square sweet has a yellow amber colour, is slightly tart and is flavoured with bergamot orange essential oil. This natural oil from Calabria, Italy was brought to Nancy well before 1750 by René D’Anjou and René II, both Dukes of Lorraine.
Once the favourite candy of Stanislaw Leszczynski, another Duke of Lorraine, it became the specialty of Nancy’s confectioners at the end of the 19th century.
The Bergamot of Nancy is the only sweet with a PGI, Protected Geographical Indication, awarded in 1994. It has become the gourmet emblem of Nancy.
This delicious golden candy is made by combining natural bergamot orange essential oil with cooked sugar. Get a behind-the scenes look at the production process.
In Lorraine, only 4 confectioners are authorised to make Bergamot of Nancy PGI candies, and they must strictly adhere to the production methods.
The Jean-Marie Pelt Gardens in Villers-lès-Nancy have recently created an area for citrus fruits, in particular for the delicate bergamot orange.
The bergamot orange, a mysterious fruit
While bergamot orange trees thrive in warm regions (the majority of the plantations are located in Calabria, in the Southern Italy), you can also discover this little-known fruit here in Lorraine.
Just outside of Nancy, the Jean-Marie Pelt Botanical Gardens in Villers-lès-Nancy have a superb collection of citrus fruit trees: lemons, oranges, bitter oranges and of course bergamot oranges. Come for a visit and learn all there is to know about bergamot oranges, a small citrus fruit with a yellow peel and a subtle fragrance.
The month of January is the ideal time to discover the plants, when the flowers are in bloom and the fruit has formed.
Often used in the cuisine of Lorraine, bergamot oranges can be found in all types of dishes. Available on the market stalls in Lorraine in January, they’re wonderful when used in the traditional recipe for Crepes Suzette. They also flavour Earl Grey tea. In Nancy, the Maison Betjeman & Barton has a tea in honour of the city called “Si Nancy m’était conté” (Tales of Nancy), made with mirabelle plum essential oil, macarons and bergamot oranges!
The citrus fruit is also used by famous perfume brands for its delicate, long-lasting and fresh scent.
Discover the list of regional producers and specialty shops
