Christmas in the Ardennes: succumb to the charm of red sugar

Posted on 26 Sep 2025

Reading time: 4 min.

The end-of-year holidays are approaching and with them, the desire to share warm moments around delicious treats. In the Ardennes, a sweet tradition is passed down from generation to generation and takes us back to our childhood: red sugar.

Ancestral know-how preserved

Red sugar is more than just a candy, It is a symbol of the Ardennes culinary heritage. Each heated, colored and flavored sugar is poured by hand into period molds representing animals, characters and objects. The result is a bright red candy that crunches deliciously in the mouth. If in the past, this candy was made in many houses, today, one of the last addresses still keeps this tradition alive: the Simon House.

An Ardennes Christmas full of delicacies

In the Ardennes, Christmas is also an opportunity to share other regional specialties that brighten up the tables. How can we not mention the famous sugar cake, this soft and melting dessert, perfect to accompany a hot chocolate? And what about the Mollet cake, with its airy texture and buttery aroma, ideal for family holiday meals? Still on the sweet side, let yourself be tempted by an original discovery: the blue slates of the ArdennesThese sweets, as aesthetic as they are delicious, are made from nougatine coated in chocolate, a gourmet nod to the industrial and slate-mining history of the region.
Finally, for a 100% Ardennes Christmas, don't forget to invite to your table the Rethel white pudding or the tasty one Ardennes red turkeyThese tasty dishes will delight your guests and bring a touch of exception to your meal.

Red turkey from the Ardennes Photo, © David Truillard

To discover these sweet treats and many more, Visit the many local producer shops or Christmas markets in the ArdennesYou will find something to delight young and old.
Because Christmas in the Ardennes is above all a story of sharing, flavors and sweet treats... To your taste buds, and happy holidays!