For Delicious Gluten-free Pastry in St-Rémy-de-Provence, Try Chez Nouch

There’s a new patisserie in St-Rémy-de-Provence, and it’s a hit. Chez Nouch opened its doors in May and is already creating a buzz. Founded by Lucie Durand, daughter of famed chocolatier Joël Durand, it offers high-quality, entirely gluten-free pastries.

Photo credit: ©Chez Nouch

Cakes, cookies, entremets, bagel sandwiches, and more are available at her shop near the town’s main square, along with salads and drinks. Not just a patisserie, but also a tearoom, Chez Nouch offers cozy seating inside and out. Business is already so strong that table space ran out during the first week of operations.

Photo credit: ©Chez Nouch

Perfecting Gluten-Free

Durand recognized a need for gluten-free products during her years working as a pastry chef. Clients would often ask if she had anything gluten-free available, as did customers at her father’s boutique. “Why not make some of my own?” she thought.

Photo credit: ©Keith van Sickle

Hence began a six-month process of developing recipes. “Cakes and cookies were easy,” Durand says, “but entremets took more time because they are delicate and the batter is finer.”

Photo credit: ©Chez Nouch

For her pastries, she uses combinations of rice, corn, chestnut, and tapioca flours, depending on the product. Most people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between those made with wheat.

Durand explains, “I grew up around food—my father is a chocolatier and pastry chef, and my mother is a gourmet food journalist—so I learned early what good food is like. It inspired me to make my own, with an emphasis on fresh and local ingredients, because there are so many here in Provence.”

Her top seller is her delicious carrot cake, a far cry from the cloyingly sweet versions one so often finds. It includes walnuts and warm spices, and its rich flavour makes it hard to stop after one slice.

Durand’s future plans include expanding her indoor space to include more seating and updating her menu for the cooler fall and winter months.

Practical Information

Chez Nouch
2 Impasse Jaume Comte, St-Rémy
Open Wednesday – Sunday
Instagram: @chez-nouch

Joël Durand Chocolatier

“As a young boy in Brittany,” says Joël Durand, “I had three dreams—to be a chef, a pastry-maker, or a race car driver.” A smile crosses his face. “My parents made it clear that driving race cars was not in the cards, so I started cooking when I was six.”

Durand quit school at 14 and apprenticed as a pastry maker in Cherbourg. His talent quickly became apparent when he earned professional certifications as a pastry maker and as a confectioner, chocolatier, and ice cream maker within three years. And that was just the beginning.

Photo credit ©Joël Durand

At the age of 17, Durand was hired by not one but two restaurants simultaneously, managing over two dozen pastry makers. And these were not just any restaurants, but top destinations in the resort town of Megève—one of the restaurants had a Michelin star! Keep reading here for more about this famous chocolate maker in St Rémy.

Insider’s Guide to St Rémy and Area

Who is the Insider’s Guide intended for? And how do you recommend that they use it?

My guidebooks supplement standard guides like those from Rick Steves or Fodor’s. I skip lodging and transportation, instead sharing local favourites Val and I have found or learned of from French friends. The book offers a deeper look at the area from an insider’s view. I include hundreds of links in the book for those who would like more information on a particular subject. And for bikers, I have links to maps that show the routes I recommend. In addition, my guide to St-Rémy is the only one in English focused just on this town and the surrounding area, so I like to think it brings something unique.

Full-Day Wine Adventure from Marseille: Exploring the Côtes de Provence Appellation

Join us for a captivating day tour as we explore the Côtes de Provence wine appellation! Your adventure begins by unveiling the beauty of Montagne Sainte Victoire, an iconic symbol of the area.

Book this Experience

Keith Van Sickle

Keith and Val Van Sickle made their first trip to Provence decades ago, and it was love at first sight. After that, they came back every year until 2008, when they began a part-time life there, splitting their time between Provence and California.

Over the years, they’ve travelled all over Provence, seeing sights both well-known and obscure. Their French friends have introduced them to favourite restaurants and wineries and picnic spots and taught them funny local expressions (not all for polite company).

Keith now shares this local knowledge in his new book, An Insider’s Guide to Provence. Packed with the Van Sickles’ favourite things to see and do, it’s a must-have for anyone travelling to this glorious corner of France.

Keith previously published two books about the couple's experiences in Provence. One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence, and Are We French Yet?, both are available from Amazon.

You can see all of Keith’s blog posts at Life in Provence.