Le Président: The Chocolate Crown
Jewel of Lyon’s Bernachon
A dessert so exquisite it was made for a president — and loved by everyone else.
If you ever find yourself in Lyon, skipping Bernachon would be like walking past the Mona Lisa without a glance. This legendary chocolatier, nestled along the elegant Boulevard Franklin Roosevelt in the city’s sixth arrondissement, has been a cornerstone of Lyon’s culinary world for generations. But among all its handcrafted treats, one creation stands above the rest: Le Président.
Bernachon isn’t just another chocolate shop. It’s a family legacy where passion, precision, and tradition blend seamlessly. Unlike most chocolatiers, Bernachon makes its chocolate entirely in-house — from bean to bar. Each cocoa bean is carefully sourced from the best regions in the world, roasted, ground, and transformed into rich, velvety perfection. The result? Chocolate that tastes like no other.
And then comes Le Président, the dessert that made Bernachon a household name in the world of French pâtisserie. It was created by Maurice Bernachon in 1975 to celebrate the 50th birthday of President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. Fit for a head of state, this masterpiece is a symphony of flavors and textures: layers of delicate chocolate genoise, smooth hazelnut praline, and luscious cherry confit, all wrapped in a bloom of paper-thin chocolate petals as fine as lace. It’s elegant, indulgent, and utterly unforgettable.
For most visitors, the original Le Président might be a little pricey — around €45 to €60 — but there’s good news: its smaller sibling, the Vice Président, offers the same bliss in a personal-sized portion. Enjoy it next door in Bernachon’s charming tea room, Passion, where the aroma of cocoa fills the air. The first bite melts effortlessly, a cloud of chocolate and praline that somehow feels weightless — pure heaven in dessert form.
Le Président isn’t just a cake. It’s a story — one of family heritage, French artistry, and the magic that happens when tradition meets creativity. At Bernachon, dessert isn’t just the end of a meal; it’s the moment you remember forever.