LOOKING FORWARD TO AUTUMNIN DOURNAZAC

Meeting with Alexei, at L’Atelier de la Châtaigne

In charge of the Châlus-Chabrol castle from 1997 to 2004, Alexei had the pleasure of managing the premises and organizing various cultural events, such as medieval tournaments. Motivated and truly committed to his work, he was forced to stop when the building’s owners decided to sell it. In 1999, following a chance meeting with his wife, he acquired the Atelier de la Châtaigne in addition to his flourishing chestnut business. Coming from a different professional background, he learned everything he needed to know from the local elders.

Alexei Delouis

Director of Atelier de la Châtaigne.

The history of the workshop

When the Marron et Châtaigne Limousine association was founded, it was to spare women the tedious manual work of blanching chestnuts, at a time when the local population could consume up to 2kg of chestnuts a day. In 1983, the association set up a limited liability company (SARL) to pursue its economic development and better adapt to the commercial context. Finally, in 1999, Alexei joined the adventure and, a year later, created the very first ready-to-eat product. This was chestnut jam with milk, the recipe for which remains unchanged to this day. This was followed by chestnut cream, which was awarded the silver medal at the Salon International de l’Agriculture in Paris in 2022. An accolade that makes an entire team proud, passionate and in love with their work. The company also boasts an organic range (creams, purées, flours, sous-vide, etc.) and the Parc Naturel Régional label. And don’t miss this year’s novelty: marrons glacés, for a pure moment of flavor.

Ancestral know-how

You’re probably wondering how many tons of chestnuts are used in the workshop every year, or where the fruit comes from. Last year, 40 tons were blanched, and the entire production comes from small local farms, Alexei’s chestnut groves and purchases from private individuals and professionals.

What is the blanching process? First of all, the fruit has to be washed, then sorted. Then the first skin is removed in a 700°c oven. And if a second skin proves resistant, it’s the parmentière’s turn to brush the chestnuts, keeping them warm with a special watering system at the right temperature. Finally, the raffineuse is used for fruit used in creams and jams.

From January to September, Alexei and his employee Charlotte work alone in the workshop, and it’s from September to December, when the season kicks off and demand grows, that the company reaches its full complement of 10 people from a variety of backgrounds.

Alexei Delouis - Directeur de l'Atelier de la Châtaigne

Alexei's favorite

A lover of the region’s typical landscapes, Alexei invites us to come and discover the Grand Puyconnieux de Dournazac at sunrise. This incomparable vantage point offers a magnificent panorama of the Monts de Châlus and far beyond on one side, and the verdant forests of the PNR Périgord-Limousin on the other. Hiking trails such as the one to Montbrun in autumn also suggest a real sense of wonder to our guest of the month.