Just a stone's throw from the head office in rue Grande, Frédéric Cassel has opened a new store in 21 rue des Sablons A tea room dedicated to enjoying tea on the premises. It’s a chance to do what the main patisserie – which is absolutely heaving on Saturday mornings – doesn’t really allow: to sit down, take your time, and sample the creations there and then rather than in the pink box you take home.
Bellifontaine's most exported pastry chef
Frédéric Cassel is over 30 years at Fontainebleau. He opened his first shop there in 1994, having previously worked at Fauchon and learnt the art of haute pâtisserie from Pierre Hermé. Since then, his shop on Rue Grande has become the flagship of a brand that now has a presence in Tokyo, Kyoto, Casablanca, Tunis, Berlin and Rabat. Chairman of Relais Desserts since 2003, he also led the French team to victory at the World Pastry Cup 2013. For many residents of Bellifontaine, it’s the local pride they mention when they want to impress a visitor from Paris.
A proper living room, where you can sit down
Rue des Sablons is quieter than the main shopping streets in the city centre. The setting here is very much that of a classic tea room: table, armchair, cup, saucer, conversation. It’s the place to go as a couple or in pairs for an afternoon, when you don’t fancy queuing at the patisserie next door or sharing your tart with tourists visiting the château. The production workshop is located on Rue d’Avon, which explains why the display windows at the three Faubourg-de-Fontainebleau branches (Rue Grande, Rue des Sablons, Rue d’Avon) are always freshly stocked.
What to try whilst you’re there
Cassel’s identity is shaped by the signature desserts, the macaroons whose fragrances change with the seasons, the chocolates made at the artisan workshop in Fontainebleau, pastries and, as soon as the weather gets warmer, a range of ice creams and frozen pastries. Festive treats punctuate the year: galette on Epiphany, Easter eggs, Yule logs at Christmas, and remain one of the best reasons to pop in at specific times of the year. As for drinks, the menu features a fine selection of teas and hot chocolates, as befits the brand.
Address and access
Address: 21 rue des Sablons, 77300 Fontainebleau, France - Tel. 01 60 71 00 64. The shop is located in the city centre, just a few minutes' walk from the Château de Fontainebleau. Pay-and-display car parks are available nearby in the town centre. Fontainebleau-Avon station is about a quarter of an hour’s walk away, or can be reached by bus from the town centre.
