You are now in front of the Maison Villaret, on the corner of Rue de la Madeleine and Rue de l’Aspic, in the heart of the Écusson. The story begins in 1775, when Claude Villaret founded a bakery here making sourdough bread and cakes. It was his son, Jules, who perfected the recipe that would make the house famous: the croquant, an almond biscuit flavoured with lemon and orange blossom. The anecdote is a delicious one. At the time, small coins were in short supply. So Jules Villaret had the idea of giving customers their change in croquants! The biscuit became a Nîmes speciality. The shop has kept its old wood-fired oven from 1775, in the middle of which you can now have a cup of tea. Since 1987, the house has belonged to the Brayde family, with three managers, Marion, Benoît and Rémi. In 2025, it celebrated its 250th anniversary. Go in, look at the jars of croquants, and have a taste: mind your teeth, they live up to their name, which means crunchy.
History
In 1775, Claude Villaret founded the Maison Villaret, which made sourdough bread and cakes. His son Jules perfected the recipe for the croquant. Since 1987, the house has belonged to the Brayde family; the siblings Marion, Benoît and Rémi run it today. It celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2025.
Art and architecture
The Villaret croquant is an almond biscuit flavoured with lemon and orange blossom. It ranks among the great French varieties of croquants, alongside those of Cordes, Marseille, Provence and Carpentras. The recipe is kept secret by the house.
Anecdotes
In Jules Villaret’s day, low-value coins were in short supply. He had the idea of giving customers their change in croquants. The biscuit, at first small change, became a true local speciality, so much so that people now speak of the Villaret croquant of Nîmes.
What to look for
Look at the shop on the corner of the two streets, then go in: the tea room is set around the old wood-fired oven from 1775. The house also serves food, with around twenty seats inside and around thirty on the terrace.
Practical
The Maison Villaret is at 13 Rue de la Madeleine, in the pedestrianised Écusson. The house also has a stall at Les Halles de Nîmes and a franchised shop in La Calmette. Opening times should be checked directly with the shop.
Nearby
Rue de la Madeleine links the Maison Carrée to the cathedral; you will find the Maison Romane there. Rue de l’Aspic, just round the corner, leads towards the Arena. Les Halles, a few minutes away, let you continue your foodie discovery.
On site, look for: Spot the corner of Rue de la Madeleine and Rue de l’Aspic, and look for the founding date on the shop.
Test yourself
In what year was the house founded?
- 1650
- 1775 (answer)
- 1900
What is the main ingredient of the croquant?
- Almond (answer)
- Chocolate
- Hazelnut
Who perfected the recipe?
- Alphonse Daudet
- Claude Brayde
- Jules Villaret (answer)
Sources
Information checked on 6 October 2026.