Maison Gouchault
Ships orders within 11 to 20 days
Minimum order €100
All brands in one minimum checkout of €300.00 and always shipping free
- Since 2025
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lecotignacdorleans
###History of the House
Founded in Saint-Ay (Loiret), Benoît Gouchault has been perpetuating the rare expertise of Cotignac d'Orléans since 1975, a quince-based confectionery that has become an icon of the city of Joan of Arc.
Trained by his neighbor Mr. Jumeau, Benoît Gouchault chose to continue the activity to pass on this inherited know-how. He then created Maison Gouchault, which grew and became known for its high standards and expertise. Cotignac from Maison Gouchault is then mainly distributed in Orléans, in around ten partner boutiques. It is gradually becoming the local reference for this artisanal specialty.
In 2021, as the last artisan to produce Cotignac, Benoît Gouchault partially ceased his activity due to Covid.
Reading an article from "La République du Centre" (Why does the Cotignac d’Orléans of yesteryear, so dear to tourists, no longer exist? published on August 11, 2024), his nephew Antoine decides to take up the family torch to offer a revival to this forgotten product. He trained with his uncle to restart production and pass on this artisanal heritage to new generations.
The welcome for its return was immediate: thanks to the support of the Orléans Tourist Office and long-standing partners, the shops were once again distributing products and sales quickly resumed.
During the Joan of Arc celebrations in May 2025, the people of Orléans are happy to rediscover this old-fashioned product and rediscover the unique taste of this confectionery. This confectionery, sometimes considered the ancestor of roudoudou, thus finds its place in local traditions. Many anecdotes are shared, including that of a lady whose first punishment was “being deprived of Cotignac” by her parents for having been “insolent”.
For several months, the Maison's artisanal activity has been developing and new partnerships have been established to enable as many people as possible to enjoy Cotignac.
Founded in Saint-Ay (Loiret), Benoît Gouchault has been perpetuating the rare expertise of Cotignac d'Orléans since 1975, a quince-based confectionery that has become an icon of the city of Joan of Arc.
Trained by his neighbor Mr. Jumeau, Benoît Gouchault chose to continue the activity to pass on this inherited know-how. He then created Maison Gouchault, which grew and became known for its high standards and expertise. Cotignac from Maison Gouchault is then mainly distributed in Orléans, in around ten partner boutiques. It is gradually becoming the local reference for this artisanal specialty.
In 2021, as the last artisan to produce Cotignac, Benoît Gouchault partially ceased his activity due to Covid.
Reading an article from "La République du Centre" (Why does the Cotignac d’Orléans of yesteryear, so dear to tourists, no longer exist? published on August 11, 2024), his nephew Antoine decides to take up the family torch to offer a revival to this forgotten product. He trained with his uncle to restart production and pass on this artisanal heritage to new generations.
The welcome for its return was immediate: thanks to the support of the Orléans Tourist Office and long-standing partners, the shops were once again distributing products and sales quickly resumed.
During the Joan of Arc celebrations in May 2025, the people of Orléans are happy to rediscover this old-fashioned product and rediscover the unique taste of this confectionery. This confectionery, sometimes considered the ancestor of roudoudou, thus finds its place in local traditions. Many anecdotes are shared, including that of a lady whose first punishment was “being deprived of Cotignac” by her parents for having been “insolent”.
For several months, the Maison's artisanal activity has been developing and new partnerships have been established to enable as many people as possible to enjoy Cotignac.
