With Easter and Mother’s Day on their way, we thought it would be a great idea to make you discover a chocolate factory! Our choice is La Cabosse d’Or, a Belgium chocolate factory that opened its doors in Otterburn Park in 1986 and that specializes in praline chocolates making. This chocolate factory does not only make simple chocolates, because over the past 20 years, this factory has developed to offer a large variety of chocolates. So much that the boutique itself has become an attraction with all its treasures. Come see by yourself and discover the tearoom or the terrace in the summer season. You can sample the homemade pastries or one of the 24 flavours of ice cream and sorbets. The highlight of your visit will undoubtedly be the Choco-Putt, which is a thematic mini-golf course about chocolate. This is your chance to test your “mini” swing!
Sharing a Chocolaty Passion
When La Cabosse d’Or started to sell its products, the chocolates were made in the owner’s kitchen. To make the chocolate factory known, the family decided to distribute leaflets from door to door to the region’s inhabitants. These people, who wanted to satisfy their curiosity, started to visit the house, looking for the chocolates they saw on the advertisement. With its increasing clientele, the kitchen soon became too small. The owners decided to build a boutique that would be large enough to contain a workshop where pastry and chocolate masters would make their creations together. The first stage of this construction started in 1992.
The factory, which is now equipped with a boutique, can offer a larger variety of fine chocolates, homemade pastries, as well as cakes and ice creams. You will also find a selection of candies and gift ideas for special occasions. Thanks to this new success, the chocolate factory underwent another extension in 1998. This construction will allow visitors to see pastry and chocolate makers at work.
Tearoom and Mini-Golf!
Meanwhile, the tearoom became more and more popular with the teas imported from all over the world. Those who do not cherish this beverage can also have herbal tea, special coffees and even hot chocolates made from real chocolate. To fully savour your beverage, you can sit in the comfortable tearoom or outside on the beautiful terrace. The breeze and the trees shadowing the terrace will cool you down during the warm summer days! From your seat, you will even have the opportunity to cheer for the mini-golf players!
Speaking of this mini-golf, it is a unique mini 18-hole course about… chocolate! The Choco-Putt, which was opened in 1996, is 115 000 ft2 and presents features like a stream, a wooded area and a pond. The course will not only help you improve your mini-golf swing, but will also teach you about the history and making of chocolate with the interpretation panels located along the course.
Why Not a Museum?
To complete your learning about chocolate, visit the museum of La Cabosse d’Or, which is the most recent addition to the factory. In collaboration with the pastry and chocolate factory, you will have the chance to learn more about the history of chocolate as well as about its transformation process, from the cacao to the chocolate product you are savouring. Information workshops are conducted upon request on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Enjoy your chocolate!
Last-minute news: La Cabosse d’Or – Otterburn Park – has just won the Grand Prix du tourisme 2008 prize for the Montérégie region in the category “tourist attraction with 100 000 visitors or more”. Congratulations to the entire team!
La Cabosse d’Or Website
