Here’s a place that will delight gourmets and history buffs alike. After a visit to Gwakoko, you’ll know absolutely nothing about chocolate, how it’s grown, prepared, roasted and processed. But you’ll see that the Maison du Cacao is more than just a museum visit. Claude and Bernadette, true chocolate lovers, pass on their passion with kindness and generosity to spare.
Chocolate in Guadeloupe: a bit of history
Did you know that chocolate was once highly prized by the kings of France? However, chocolate subsequently fell out of favor, leading to its disappearance. All the cocoa farms in Guadeloupe closed down.
It wasn’t until 1993 that chocolate was given a new lease of life in Guadeloupe, thanks to a new site dedicated entirely to it: the Maison du Cacao. But make no mistake, this is not just an eco-museum.
It was built in the heart of an ancient cocoa-growing area, known as a “cacaoyère”. You’ll have the pleasure of strolling through a sublime botanical garden where you’ll learn about the different varieties of cocoa trees, which are grown in different parts of the world. You’ll also find a genuine artisanal chocolate factory with Creole flavors.
Many cocoa crops have been replaced by bananas. The last cocoa export from Guadeloupe took place in 1974.
Photo credit – Gwakako.com
Visit Gwakoko in Pointe-Noire, Guadeloupe
If you’re a chocolate lover, or if you’d like to learn more about its history, preparation and culture, you’re in for a wonderful (not to mention delicious) time at Gwakoko.
Gwakoko is located on the west coast of Basse-Terre, in the commune of Pointe-Noire. This leeward coast is ideal for growing cocoa.
Cocoa trees are planted on the highly fertile western slopes of the volcanic massif, which juts steeply into the sea.
Growing cocoa in Guadeloupe, a family affair
For over 25 years, Alain Pagesy and Claude Alvado, his brother-in-law, have been reviving cocoa production on their estate.
The site belonged to their family, and the grandfather’s wish was that the cocoa trees be preserved, and not uprooted.
It was only in 2012 that the family resumed farming this cocoa plantation. But of the 13 hectares, only 3 are being farmed. Some of the cocoa trees have been growing here for over 70 years. They can produce up to 1.5 tonnes of cocoa every year.
Photo credit – Gwakako.com
As cocoa production is not sufficient to meet the needs of the Maison du Cacao, Bernadette Pagesy declares that she is obliged to buy cocoa from other local producers, or to buy it from people who fetch wild cocoa from the forest.
Gwakoko: combining education and gourmet delights
A visit to the Maison du Cacao
A visit to the garden allows you to discover different varieties of cocoa trees: trinitario, forestero, criolo, as well as coffee, pineapple and roucous. You’ll finally know what a cocoa tree looks like and be able to recognize them easily.
Did you know that to protect themselves from both cold and heat, cocoa trees grow in the shade of other, taller trees?
You’ll be delighted to discover how the fruit of the cocoa tree is formed, with its tiny pink flowers that metamorphose into small fruits: mini-cabosses. These pods grow to around twenty centimetres in height. Inside are the famous cocoa beans.
Following a visit to the garden, you’ll taste the unworked cocoa bean as it is when the pod is opened. Then you’ll see all the steps involved in making chocolate, from roasting to grinding. Each stage changes the taste of the cocoa, leading to the taste of chocolate.
Let’s get to tasting! You’ll learn the difference between cocoa flavor and chocolate with added sugar. It was the Spaniards, as early as the XVIᵉ century, who added sugar to the Aztec drink. A delicious hot chocolate made with 150g cocoa and 120g sugar will be served, to end the visit on a velvety, sublime note.
Admission to the Maison du Cacao: €4 for children and €8 for adults.
Going further: the Gwakoko workshop
For an exceptional experience, opt for the Gwakoko workshop. You’ll have the chance to make your own chocolate bar in the heart of the cocoa plantation, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, in the company of Claude, your guide.
You’ll learn how to carry out the various phases of chocolate preparation, right up to the long-awaited moment of tasting cocoa-based beverages.
You’ll learn all you need to know about harvesting the pods, roasting the beans, peeling them and grinding them to obtain the cocoa paste you’ll use to create your own chocolate bar.
This workshop is a privileged moment that you’ll share with Claude, who passes on his love of chocolate in all his fascinating explanations. Whether you’re 7 or 77, in his company, this chocolate workshop will be a gourmet interlude you’ll remember for a long time to come.
If chocolate was once reserved for adults (until the XIXᵉ century), this is no longer the case today. Young and old alike can enjoy it. So treat yourself to the workshop at Gwakoko, as a couple or as a family. Everyone will leave with a smile.
A word of advice: the Gwakoko workshop is quite small, so we suggest you make a reservation so that Claude can welcome you in the best possible conditions.
Enjoy!
Workshop rates: children €30, adults €50, from 4 to 12 people. Reservations strongly recommended.
