· BAKERY · BISCUIT MAKER ·
In Tossiat
our beginnings
Les Gaudélices
The story begins in the 1980s... already within the world of fine food.
At the age of 15, Patrick Bourgeois embarked on a career in baking, and in 1982—at the age of 21—he opened his first shop in Bourg-en-Bresse with his wife, Dominique..
Initially a baker by trade, he quickly trained in pastry-making to offer his customers a comprehensive range of products.
Driven by curiosity and creativity, he continued to hone his skills throughout his career, producing homemade ice cream, *petits fours*, and chocolates. This commitment to homemade quality proved highly successful, enabling them to open two additional bakeries in Bourg-en-Bresse.
Career change into the biscuit industry
After 27 years in the bakery business and a brief break, Patrick and Dominique embarked on an organic biscuit-making venture. In 2010, the family sold their three bakeries to start a new chapter: opening their own artisanal biscuit workshop, Les Gaudélices.
The challenge: bringing roasted corn flour—the famous *gaudes*—back into fashion. Once used by every grandmother in the Bresse region to make soup, *gaude* is now incorporated into the famous *gaudrioles* biscuits.
The cookie factory opened in 2011 in Tossiat, a farming village located near Bourg-en-Bresse.
A completely artisanal production process, carried out on-site using high-quality ingredients, naturally became the chosen method of production.
Biscuits Bourgeois were first produced under the name Gaudélices, in reference to Gaudes flour.
A few twists and turns...
But getting “organic Gaudriole” off the ground proved to be complicated in the early years... And this was due to two main reasons:
In 2011
“Organic” products are just beginning to gain a foothold in major cities; their acceptance in smaller towns remains much more difficult, due to consumer habits and price.
In France, it’s hard to imagine a meal without bread… But cookies, unlike in England and its former Commonwealth colonies, for example, remain a special treat rather than an everyday item.
In 2014
In addition to switching to conventional cookie production, Patrick and Dominique decided to return to their first love and combine the trades of baking, pastry-making, and cookie-making. So they renovated a bakery on the factory premises.
This combination of trades allowed them to promote the cookies more quickly and, above all, to make them—like bread—an everyday staple!
In 2017
New renovations are underway in the store to accommodate the ever-growing number of customers.
In 2018
History is being written right now
In 2018, their son Quentin joined the family business to learn from their experience and expertise and take the reins to carry on the tradition.
The story unfolds day by day to meet the expectations of tomorrow:
New recipes, new coffee-and-cookie pairings, a new logo and packaging...
There’s no shortage of ideas at Gaudélices...
Nevertheless, one thing does not change: the goal remains the same, and so does the leitmotif:
Everything here is homemade!
Les Gaudélices is first and foremost a production workshop.
Every day, our biscuit makers craft cookies in the workshop adjoining the shop; customers can watch the entire production process through a glass partition.
Drawing on their expertise, our teams of biscuit makers and pastry chefs regularly create new recipes and can accommodate specific requests. We are able to fulfill—to the extent possible—any requests for custom-made biscuits. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly at the shop, by phone, or by email.
It's also a cozy and pleasant shop!
You can purchase our cookies, *tuiles*, marshmallows, meringues, gingerbread, panettone, gift boxes, and gourmet hampers on-site.
We also offer a selection of local products from the Ain department, including gourmet foods, wines, and local beers!
Finally, for a decorative gift, discover our collection of Bresse roosters and hens!
