Many of us probably have a small oval tin box lying around in a drawer, filled with paper clips or perhaps safety pins. But once upon a time, something much more tempting hid under the decorated lid: small, chalky white sugar pastilles with anise flavor. Les Anis de Flavigny โ the anise pastilles from the village Flavigny-sur-Ozerain in Burgundy โ has made taste buds sing for centuries, and the pastilles are still made today in exactly the same way as before. But even if you're not that fond of sugar pastilles, the village itself is well worth a visit. Flavigny is named one of The most beautiful villages in France.
From a distance we see the small village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain perched on its high hill. The sand-coloured stone houses with their colourful shutters bear witness to the village's medieval history. It feels like stepping straight into a film set โ and sometimes it feels like I've been here before. It was here in Flavigny's charming alleys that Johnny Depp filmed the Oscar-winning film "Chocolat". But Flavigny has never been a chocolate town. Anise and sugar have reigned supreme here โ ever since 1591.
The sweet scent of melted sugar and licorice-like anise wafts from the old Benedictine monastery, where the pastilles are made using the same method that has been used for hundreds of years. In rotating copper cauldrons, the tiny anise seeds are gently rolled around while thin layers of sugar syrup are added, day after day, until they finally take on their characteristic round shape.
It takes a full fifteen days for the pastilles to be rolled to the perfect size, and each pastille is a work of art in itself. Experienced older inspectors often walk around and check the process, checking the size, shape and taste of the pastilles. Nothing is left to chance.
Initially, there was only one flavour on the pastilles โ anise โ but over time the flavours have grown. Rose, lemon, ginger, liquorice, violet, blackcurrant, orange blossom and coffee โ all are still made today only from natural extracts. For example, to produce a single litre of orange blossom extract, a whole ton of orange blossom petals is required. For one litre of rose extract, two tons of rose petals are needed. It is not only the actual production of the pastilles that takes time, but the raw materials and flavours have to be perfect.
In the small museum you can follow the process from hand-picking anise seeds to candy through pictures, old tools and scent stations. Most of the texts are in French, but it is not difficult to follow, as everything is very visual. It is also possible to join free guided tours, but the tours were fully booked and there were no tours in English on the day we visited.
In the factory store, the classic metal boxes are lined up in neat rows, each box adorned with a nostalgic illustration. For those who are really fond of the candy, you can also buy kilo packages of selected flavors.
We take the opportunity to taste our way through the different varieties at the tasting station. The hard lozenges melt very slowly on the tongue, so it's important to choose your taste buds carefully. You'll never have time to taste all the varieties.
We're buying a bunch of beautiful boxes and a beautiful tray. There will also be some refill bags of violet, rose and mint. We're even going to splurge on a kilo bag of mint pastilles. These are sweets that you know won't run out anytime soon, so I expect it will take a few years to empty the stash. Perfect sweets to keep in the car in a tin box for a holiday in France and refill as needed.
In the courtyard of the old monastery there is a small cafรฉ that serves coffee that comes with little sample sachets of the pastilles. We fuel up with some caffeine and even more sugar, so we can keep up with exploring the village in the heat.
Flavigny-sur-Ozerain is built around the old Benedictine monastery and the village has all the details you would expect from a medieval town. The city wall, city gate and cobblestone streets greet you immediately and the narrow streets are almost deserted. Most tourists don't go further than the candy shop and the few tourists we meet are unexpectedly American. They are probably on a group tour by bus and are looking for Johnny Depp in the alleys.
Flavigny-sur-Ozeron was founded by the Romans and grew as a religious center in the Middle Ages due to the large Benedictine monastery. However, the monks fled the town during the French Revolution, when France underwent major political and religious changes.
The city has, through all these years and changes, kept its original appearance. The houses are built in the classic Burgundian style and many streets are still cobbled. You won't find any new houses or modern gardens here. Just the occasional paved street.
Today, Flavigny has a population of 300, but on this warm summer day the village feels rather sleepy. We walk past several small shops and a couple of cafes, but it is far from full of people anywhere other than the candy factory.
Many tourists who come here take the opportunity to hike, as the nature around the village is incredibly beautiful and hilly. The vineyards and fields are bordered by the Ozeron River and you are never far from a nice restaurant. There are two major hiking trails โ Des Anis Au Vignoble (7,8 km) and Around Mont Drouot (5,1 km) โ perfect for a half-day trip with plenty of time for a wine stop.
On the way to the car, I crack open a jar of violet-flavored candy and let the lozenge roll around on my tongue. This is not just a taste of childhood and France, but a part of Burgundy's history. And even though a lozenge only weighs a gram, sometimes it's the little things that you remember the most from a trip.
How do I get to Flavigny-sur-Ozerain?
Flavigny-sur-Ozerain is located 65 kilometers northwest of Dijon and 300 kilometers southeast of Paris, which is also the nearest international airport. To travel around Burgundy you need a car, it is very difficult and time-consuming to try to get to the small villages by train and bus.
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