Around the time of the French Revolution, Mulot & Petitjean founded one of several bakeries making Dijon's famous pain d'épices (gingerbread). Nine generations later, the founders' descendants have converted part of their factory into this interactive museum, opened in 2017. English-language audio guides and animated talking heads tell you the history of pain d'épices and take you through the production process. Afterwards, taste the goods, including Mulot & Petitjean's companion product – jacquelines – meringue-covered treats filled with nougat or hazelnut pralines. They run several outlets, including one on place Bossuet.
The pain d'épices tradition in France dates back to the Middle Ages, when Crusaders brought the recipe and the necessary spices back from the Middle East. In those days, spices served as currency, the basis for the modern French term espèces, meaning 'cash'!
