A true tradition dating back to the 14th century, Epiphany brings together young and old to enjoy the essential and delicious Galettes des Rois. This Christian holiday, which celebrates the arrival of the incarnate Messiah in the world and the visit paid to him by the Magi, falls every year on January 6th. But since the biblical date is not a public holiday, it is customary to celebrate it on the first Sunday after January 1st. In reality, it is also customary to eat these cakes throughout the first fortnight of January, so you still have time to enjoy them! In this article, I invite you to discover my small selection of galettes from previous years, which I am gathering here to keep as a record.
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Table of Contents
My small selection of Galettes des Rois
Of course, this selection is not exhaustive and only covers the few cakes I had the opportunity to taste beforehand while preparing this article. I will also add my other reviews during the month of January (when it is customary to enjoy them)!
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Les Belles Envies
This Parisian pastry shop offers cakes, chocolates, and biscuits with a low sugar content. They use ancient, fiber-rich flours with a low glycemic index, such as lupin flour, coconut flour, and T80 semi-whole wheat flour. Their creations have a glycemic index of less than 30, which represents about 60% less than that of an ordinary pastry. They also hold an igc® certification: Index Glycémique Contrôlé (Controlled Glycemic Index).
The 2024 Galette
This traditional cake features a crisp puff pastry, filled with an almond frangipane (using coconut sugar and agave syrup) with a Low Glycemic Index. Regarding the fève (charm), the 2024 collection celebrates the event of the year: the Olympic Games. A special fève will be hidden in a few cakes, entitling the lucky winners to a €30 voucher in-store.
Les Belles Envies Galette
Price: €33 for a whole cake and €6 per slice
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Paris Baguette & pastry chef Julien Chamblas
The 2023 Galettes
In 2023, for Epiphany, Paris Baguette‘s pastry chef Julien Chamblas imagined two creations: a traditional galette with a crispy puff pastry and frangipane cream (the one we tested in 2022) and a more original pistachio-cherry galette, still with a frangipane cream, which we tested in 2023.
In 2022, we tested the traditional frangipane galette with my favorite photographer. We found it very good with a very crispy crust and generous frangipane without being sickly. In addition (totally by chance), I found the fève on the very first slice I cut (you can even see it in one of the photos…). In 2023, we tasted the pistachio-cherry creation. I found it very rich in pistachios and very indulgent. Once again, the pastry was still very crispy, but I found it, in the end, perhaps a bit “richer” than the traditional version.
Paris Baguette
Galette for 4: €18 / Galette for 6: €24 / Galette for 8: €31 / Brioche des Rois: €15
11 rue Jean Lantier 75001 Paris
1 rue de la Harpe 75005 Paris
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Fruttini by MO
The 2022 & 2023 Nougatine Galette
This almond nougatine galette with almond ice cream is extremely indulgent! At the heart of this fleeting creation, you’ll find an almond charm covered in gold for the luckiest among you! I discovered Fruttini this year by tasting their galette. For info, if you don’t know it, the house offers frozen pastries, ice creams, or sorbets made artisanally from the flesh of the same fruit and then refilled into its shell. It’s really super good! I tested it in 2022 and they are offering it again this year!
Fruttini by MO
Only one size for this nougatine galette: 6/8 people (more like 8/9 people, I would say)
2022 Price: €56
Available in-store or by phone order
24 rue Saint-Placide 75006 Paris
32 rue des Martyrs 75009 Paris
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La Fabrique Cookies
The Frangipane Cookie
La Fabrique Cookies is offering a new limited edition during this month of January for Epiphany and for those tired of the traditional Galette des Rois: the Frangipane Cookie! This recipe is made with fresh AOP Charentes-Poitou butter, organic eggs from farms in the South-East of France, natural organic bitter almond flavoring, and is always free of artificial flavorings, texturizing agents, or palm oil.
La Fabrique Cookies
Frangipane recipe in limited edition, in-store and on the e-shop, starting January 2nd and for one month
Price: €8.50 for 4 cookies
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La Maison du Chocolat
The famous Parisian chocolatier is committed to traceable sourcing of cocoa right up to the producer. Their chocolates contain no artificial colors or flavors, no GMOs, and no palm oil. As every year, in addition to the signature galette that I present below, La Maison du Chocolat also offers a more classic chocolate and almond Galette des Rois (€45 for 6 people).
The 2025 Royal Pineapple Galette
In 2025, Nicolas Cloiseau proposes an almond-chocolate association with juicy pineapple and coconut, featuring an intense dark chocolate ganache, pure Bali origin (68%), and a heart of almond cream enriched with shredded coconut. It brings a bit of sunshine into the heart of winter with an island-style galette.
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The 2024 Mandarin Queen Galette
In 2023/2024, Nicolas Cloiseau proposes an almond-chocolate association with mandarin, featuring an intense dark chocolate ganache (75%) and a heart of almond cream mixed with mandarin pastry cream. In contrast, a caramelized puff pastry crowned with mandarin juice welcomes a fine lace of crunchy chocolate.
Mandarin Queen Galette / La Maison du Chocolat
Price: €60 for a 6-8 person galette / individual charms sold for €7.70
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The 2023 Sun of the Kings Galette
This galette contains a heart with a melting hazelnut cream zested with candied yellow lemon that mingles with an 80% dark chocolate ganache. In contrast, a caramelized puff pastry with pearls of yellow lemon juice and dark ganache.
Sun of the Kings Galette
Price: €60 for a 6-8 person galette / individual charms sold for €7.70
Reservation from January 2nd in-store or online and pickup in-store from January 3rd to 31st
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The 2022 Galette
This year, La Maison du Chocolat and Nicolas Cloiseau are offering, in addition to the traditional galette, an exceptional Golden Galette halfway between the caramelized melting of a “Tatin” and a crispy crumble. On the menu: Golden apples stewed with caramelized icing sugar set in a frangipane softened with apple compote, surrounded by dark chocolate ganache and mounted between two sheets of cocoa crumble.
Maison du Chocolat
Single size for 6 people issued in a very limited series: €60
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Nina Métayer
Pastry chef Nina Métayer has been the ambassador for AOP Charentes-Poitou Butter since 2019, which she uses in her recipes.
2024 Galettes des Rois with AOP Charentes-Poitou Butter
This year, she is offering 3 galettes for 2024 at Délicatisserie: “Le Flocon des Rois” (The Snowflake of Kings), the signature galette with citrus frangipane featuring puff pastry made with AOP Charentes-Poitou butter (€49); “L’Envol” (The Flight), a simple and delicate galette with almond and buckwheat seed frangipane and, of course, puff pastry made with AOP Charentes-Poitou butter (between €32 and €39 depending on the size); “Ambrée” (Amber), the classic rum-flavored frangipane galette (€29).
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2023 Galettes des Rois with AOP Charentes-Poitou Butter
She is offering 2 galettes for 2023 at Délicatisserie: “La Couronne” (The Crown) with oriental flavors (almonds, pistachios, and orange blossom) featuring puff pastry made with AOP Charentes-Poitou butter, and “L’Authentique” (The Authentic), a simple and delicate galette with frangipane and almond cream, plus roasted almonds and, of course, puff pastry made with AOP Charentes-Poitou butter.
Nina Métayer Galettes des Rois
La Couronne: galette for 6 to 8 people €49
L’Authentique: galette for 4 to 6 people €29 / for 6 to 8 people €34
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Jean-Paul Hévin
The 2025 African Kings Galette
This galette is composed of a plain puff pastry and a dark chocolate puff pastry with an almond cream studded with Grand Cru chocolate chips from Cameroon and also with a caramel pastry cream.
Jean-Paul Hévin’s African Kings Galette
Price: galette for 6 people €39 / also available in 1, 3, and 9-person sizes
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The 2024 Snow in Paris Galette
This galette is composed of a plain puff pastry and a dark chocolate puff pastry with an almond cream studded with Grand Cru chocolate chips from Peru and also with a Grand Cru dark chocolate cream from Peru.
Jean-Paul Hévin’s Snow in Paris Galette
Price: 1 slice €7.10 / galette for 3 people €21 / galette for 6 people €39 / galette for 8 people €58
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Guy Martin & Episens
In 2024, chef Guy Martin is offering 2 galettes in collaboration with Episens, the wheat division of the InVivo group: the Chestnut Vanilla Galette with a frangipane base combined with the melting texture of chestnut, and the Raspberry Mint Galette with a touch of ginger, a frangipane base associated with the fruity and tangy notes of raspberry and the freshness of mint.
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La Glacerie
The 2023 Reindeer Galette
This chilled reindeer galette in trompe l’œil resembles a classic frangipane galette, while it hides an orange blossom and caramelized almond ice cream, a prune sorbet in mulled wine, a honey frozen nougat with candied fruits, and a thin sheet of almond nougatine. And on top, a white chocolate crown that can be eaten.
La Glacerie Reindeer Galette
Price: €62 for 8 people
order from December 1st to 27th / available from January 2nd in-store
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Fournils de France
For Epiphany, Fournils de France, a network of bakeries, pastry shops, and fast-food outlets, is launching a limited edition of gold-plated charms. In total, 5 different charms are to be discovered in the Fournils de France galettes, each depicting a city where the brand is located: Paris, Toulouse, Lyon, Saint Quentin, and Bratislava. Covered with a thin layer of gold, these unique pieces are true collector’s items. A collection that Les Fournils de France plans to enrich by reproducing, over the years, the emblem of the twenty or so cities where they are already present. For die-hard fans, the display stand with the 5 charms is on sale for €35.
Les Fournils de France Porte de Versailles
405 rue de Vaugirard 75015 Paris
Price: 2 formats with 4 slices at €14.90 or 6/8 slices at €19.90
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Pierre Chauvet
The 2024 Crown of Kings
In 2024, Pierre Chauvet re-invents the famous Galette des Rois with a Crown of Kings from the forest, plain brioche, flaky, and even fruity. On the program, a braided plain dough, half-brioche, half-flaky galette with a forest of candied fruits and almonds as per Provençal tradition, and with a melting and fruity heart. You can also find an almond frangipane from Provence, orange blossom, and artisanal candied fruits from Provence. Alongside this signature galette, there is a series of galettes des rois: the traditional frangipane galette; the chestnut frangipane galette from Ardèche; the caramelized apple and pear galette; the braided chocolate frangipane brioche (which was the signature galette of 2023).
Pierre Chauvet Forest Crown of Kings
Price: crown €24 for 6 people / galettes for 4, 6, or 8 people starting from €16
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Meert
This famous Lille-based company was founded in 1677. If you are passing through Lille, don’t miss their beautiful shop on rue Esquermoise.
The Snowman Galette
This galette with a lovely snowman decoration is made of frangipane and apricot compote (price starting from €24 for 4 people and €34 for 6 people). It is available in-store from January 2nd to January 31st, 2024.
Meert’s Snowman Galette
Available in-store from January 2nd to January 31st, 2024
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Maison Sève
The Maison Sève Red Praline Galette
I am a huge fan of the red praline Galette des Rois from the iconic Lyonnais master chocolatier and pastry chef, Richard Sève. I think it is difficult to find it elsewhere than in Lyon, but it has been my little favorite for years!
Sève, master chocolatier and pastry chef / Lyon
Price: from €22 to €65 depending on size
Available in stores in January
Events around Epiphany
The Chefs’ Galette
Epiphany goes hand in hand with solidarity thanks to the Disciples d’Escoffier Paris who are organizing the 18th edition of the Chefs’ Galette on January 7th, 2023 in front of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés church. Bringing together the crème de la crème of chefs, pastry chefs, and artisans, the association sells galettes for a good cause! This sale supports the POIC association to treat this orphan disease. In January 2022, the Disciples raised more than €15,000 with 500 galettes sold.
Starting at 9 a.m., in front of the Saint-Germain church, more than 500 galettes will be sold at a flat price and for a good cause, as all profits will be donated to the POIC association (Pseudo-Obstruction Intestinale Chronique).
The Chefs’ Galette
January 7th, 2023 starting at 9 a.m.
If you have any good addresses, a preference, or advice on finding the best Galette des Rois, don’t hesitate to leave a little comment to share your tip! And happy Epiphany to everyone!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization required before any use
