A Sweet Hour in Vendôme

When everyone you meet in a small town seems to recommend the hot chocolate from a little cafe (especially when you never even brought up hot chocolate), you know it must be something special. And that’s exactly what I found on a little street in Vendôme.

Douce Heure, French for sweet hour, is everything a chocoholic could dream of and more. And with the bitter cold biting at my finger tips, I could think of nothing better to warm me up than a nice cup of hot chocolate.

Situated right along the river that runs through Vendôme, Douce Heure offers a comfortable place to relax – either with friends or your favorite book. It’s a local favorite, also great for tourists with its large windows overlooking one of the many canals that flow through this bustling town in the Loire Valley. The decor is classic but with a contemporary twist: red everything (cabinets, containers and even espresso maker) with brown accents such as the large, comfortable couches just begging for you to relax in.

But enough with that, let’s talk about the chocolate. There were at least 24 different types of hot chocolate to choose from, each offering a unique blend of flavors each classified by season. For instance, you could try the naturally spiced cocoas from South America (like wine and coffee, cocoa tastes different depending on the region it’s grown in) recommended for Autumn or for a taste of Winter, the milk chocolate with a touch of hazelnut was phenomenally delicious. And it wasn’t the corn syrup hazelnut flavor of Starbucks syrup! Douce Heure only adds natural ingredients – instead I watched as he ground fresh hazelnuts into a paste (hazelnut butter) and then added to the chocolate before it was all steamed together with the milk. Other blends included strawberries, oranges, pralines (a French favorite), espresso and even nougat!

And you don’t just get one cup! Each person gets their own antique porcelain pitcher to fill their delicate cappuccino mugs again and again and again – promising hot chocolate ’til the very end.

There are three reasons why I love this little cafe so much: quality, ambiance and diversity. First of all, I haven’t found many nicely decorated cafes that invite customers to relax with a book or a pen while also providing such delicious, hand-crafted beverages. Cafes in France are for great conversation, not chill, alone time and the menu usually has the same typical handful of beverages to choose from. Secondly, there are not too many places in France that enjoy breaking the mold when it comes to beverages (especially when it comes to espresso) – I just can’t seem to find the creativity! Finally, Douce Heure is sure to have something for everyone no matter the weather. Not much of a chocolate person? They also offer a wide variety of tea and coffee beverages. Headed to Vendôme in the heat of summer? Cool down to blended chocolate fusions, fruit smoothies and even blended coffee topped with a dramatic swirl of chantilly.

I have only a short time left in the Loire – but I can promise you, some of it will be spent sipping away at one last mug full of delicious hot chocolate.

Have you stumbled upon a special cafe that breaks the mold? What about it is it that you love? What makes it unique? No matter what part of the world I’m in, I’m always searching for a one-of-a-kind charm of a coffee shop.

Tagged as: Loire Valley, Restaurant Review