Jouvaud Family
A Vaucluse institution
At Jouvaud, working as a family is a piece of cake!
The Jouvaud pastry shop is a lively seventy-year-old brand with 5 boutiques in the Vaucluse and 5 in Japan. The third generation is now at the helm, dedicated to keeping alive a passion passed down like a cherished recipe for Provence's famous croquants.
At Jouvaud, pastry-making became a true family affair where the work never really stops. Lisette was still in the Rue de l’Évêché store the day before her passing at the age of 83. Frédéric and Nicole’s era saw significant growth, including the opening of a second boutique in 1993 at the Cap Sud shopping center in Avignon. Though a bold and sometimes criticized move, it turned out to be a success. During the early 1990s, they expanded their offerings to include chocolates and candied fruits, adding to the array of Jouvaud delights. The adventure continued in 2002 with the launch of a franchise in Tokyo, followed by four more in Japan. Their excellence was recognized with membership in the prestigious Relais Desserts association, which includes 90 exceptional pastry chefs worldwide.
When Pierre, Frédéric and Nicole’s son, joined the business in 1999, he described it as “only natural.” “I always saw my parents thriving in their work,” he shared. It was no surprise when his sister Jeanne-Marie followed suit five years later. “I always wanted to play shopkeeper!” she exclaimed. Pierre and Jeanne-Marie share a deep passion for this demanding craft and a strong connection to Provence and the Ventoux region. Together, they now uphold the family legacy of creating “simple pastries inspired by Mediterranean terroirs,” as Jeanne-Marie explains.
Brother and sister contributed to the creation of the boutique in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in 2015 and the one at Les Halles d’Avignon in 2020. However, their greatest achievement might be the opening in the summer of 2023 of their production facility paired with a boutique and tearoom at 1050 Avenue Saint-Roch in Carpentras. This is where all Jouvaud-branded products are now crafted to supply their stores in Vaucluse: cakes, chocolates, ice creams, candied fruits, pastries, and a recent addition, bread and fougasses. Firmly rooted in their time, Pierre and Jeanne-Marie are committed to offering recipes with reduced sugar, less animal fat, and options that are gluten-free and vegan, all without compromising on flavor. A testament to their respect for tradition, many cakes created by Gilbert and Frédéric (Le Ménélik, Crescendo, Siffrin, Citronnelle, and Carré Rond) still hold pride of place in their displays.
The Jouvaud family has become an institution, a part of Vauclusian families’ happiest moments. “Baptisms, weddings, communions... we’re there for all of life’s celebrations,” says Nicole Jouvaud. “We meet joyful people and see children with sparkling eyes gazing at our displays,” adds Jeanne-Marie.
And what do the Jouvauds think about working as a family? “It’s great!” they say in unison.
“We’re working toward something bigger than ourselves,” confides Pierre. “The idea of passing it on is motivating.” In fact, rumors have it that two cousins (the daughters of Pierre and Jeanne-Marie) already enjoy getting their hands dirty in the Rue de l’Évêché shop…
By the numbers
10 tons of chocolate produced per year
180,000 individual cakes made annually
26,000 entremets (cakes for 4 to 10 people) per year
1.5 tons of candied fruits produced annually
100 employees across the 5 Vaucluse boutiques
For more information: www.patisserie-jouvaud.com
France was basking in post-war joy, and the French had an insatiable appetite for sweet delights!
When Gilbert and Lisette Jouvaud opened their pastry shop in 1948 in Carpentras, on Place du Colonel Mouret, no expense was spared on butter, alcohol, or sugar. Babas, millefeuilles, and other desserts quickly became favorites among the locals. The couple’s tireless efforts soon earned them a stellar reputation, leading to a need for more space. In 1968, they moved to Rue de l’Évêché, now home to the iconic Jouvaud shop that remains there today. Gilbert and Lisette laid the foundation before their son Frédéric and his wife Nicole joined the family business in 1978.
