© Lisa Cirieco 2025 - Zenhäusern tea room in Sion - Monsieur Raclette!
Created in 2005 and organized by the City of Versoix, Festichoc is a family festival showcasing quality chocolate and its crafts. It allows its visitors to taste the creations of the best chocolate makers in Switzerland!
5-6 April 2025: Make sure to go to this 19th edition of Versoix's Chocolate festival! It's a great day out and you will see some spectacular works of chocolate art as well as taste some great combinations. You might even find some new chocolates that become your favorite! There are 100s of little chocolate shops around Switzerland but Versoix only has room for the ones listed below. This exhibit might change your mind about industrial chocolate forever!
A few years ago I bought a chocolate ring: the ring was metal but they "glued" a fancy chocolate to it and I gave it to a friend (see photo below). Other non-chocolate items included beautifully-colored macarons, bags and calculators (chocolate-themed), and candies. One artisan had a box of 10 different chocolates, each accompanied by the name of the best wine to drink to enhance the flavor, another made the biggest easter egg I have ever seen, while another had chocolate truffles the size of footballs!
For this 19th edition, the team in charge of organization continues to implement initiatives to reduce the festival's footprint and develop actions related to sustainable development.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of initiatives undertaken in recent years:
- Access to the festival is completely free, allowing everyone to participate and promoting social diversity.
- Festival-goers are encouraged to use public transport to get around.
- Drinks are only served in reusable glasses with a deposit.
- Food stalls are staffed by local associations only.
- The staff needed to organize and run the festival are hired by young people from the town of Versoix, in order to integrate them into a communal event and give them their first professional experience.
In line with cantonal and municipal policies, and in order to continue to reduce the amount of waste generated by the event, the catering stands will serve food in reusable crockery only.
No deposit will be required for crockery (except for glasses) to facilitate its use.
The public is encouraged to bring their own tableware.
SALON DES ARTISANS / ARTISANS' FAIR
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free admission
Over an area of 2,100m2, demonstrations, tastings and sales of chocolate specialities by 34 artisans from all over Switzerland.
ESPACE CRÉATION MÉRIGONDE & CARAN D'ACHE
Salon des artisans
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free entertainment
Children can personalize their chocolate bar with multicolored pencils, and leave with their own unique creation.
PORTRAITS EN CHOCOLAT / CHOCOLATE PORTRAITS
Salon des artisans
Saturday 13h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free entertainment
A professional artist will draw your portrait on the spot (approx. 7 min. per person) with a few strokes of a pencil and... chocolate squares! The chocolate-scented work will then be offered to you.
LE MOT CACHÉ / THE HIDDEN WORD
Salon des artisans
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free entertainment
Discover which word is hidden on the Chocolate Wall (made up of over 600 slabs of chocolate from Pâtisserie Carole et Joël Mérigonde) and try to win a delicious prize.
QUEL EST SON POIDS? / WHAT DOES IT WEIGH?
Salon des artisans
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free entertainment
Try to guess the weight of the imposing chocolate sculpture, created by Chocolaterie Rohr, to win a delicious surprise prize.
CHASSE AU TRÉSOR CANONICA/ CANONICA TREASURE HUNT
Information stand
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free entertainment for children up to 12 years (participation while supplies last)
Answer questions about chocolate, sport (the year of the Women's Euro in Switzerland) and Canonica using clues scattered around the Festichoc site, and win a chocolate gift from Canonica.
LA CUISINE DES APPRENTIS/ THE APPRENTICES' KITCHEN
Espace Lachenal
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free entertainment
Come and discover the work of apprentice chocolatiers from the canton of Geneva.They'll be making chocolate creations for you to taste, too!
EXPOSITION DE SCULPTURES EN CHOCOLAT / EXHIBITION OF CHOCOLATE SCULPTURES
Espace Lachenal
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Free admission
Exhibition of chocolate sculptures created by apprentice confectioners from the canton of Geneva. Presentation of the “Ville de Versoix” prize and prizes awarded by industry professionals on Sunday at 3.30pm in the Salle Communale.
ATELIER BICHET POUR LES ENFANTS / BICHET WORKSHOP FOR CHILDREN
Espace Lachenal, lower ground floor
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Registration on site / duration 20 min / price CHF 8.-
Chocolate bunny and hen-making workshop for children offered by chocolaterie Guillaume Bichet.
MANÈGE POUR ENFANTS / CHILDREN'S CAROUSEL
Espace Lachenal
Saturday 10h-18h
Sunday 9h-17h
Activities at extra charge
Enjoy a few rides on the merry-go-round, or try your luck at duck fishing for a chance to win the jackpot!
CHASSE AUX ŒUFS / EGG HUNT
Near the Salon des artisans Sunday at 11h30
Free entertainment
Egg hunt open to all children up to the age of 12. Each participant receives a chocolate gift from the Oberson bakery.
Here are the artisans who will be present at the festival:
1. Confi-Choc
2. VK Chocolaterie
3. Sisao pure swiss chocolate
4. Garçoa Chocolate
5. Chocolaterie du Bugnon
6. La Maison du Carac
7. Taillens
8. Procope
9. MR Chocolat
10. Maison Manuel
11. L'espace Chocolat
12. KKO3
13. Notes de fève
14. Pallanterie Chocolatiers
15. Les Délices de la Ruche
16. Pâtisserie Mérigonde
17. Carrack
18. Céline et Sébastien
19. Canonica Chocolaterie
20. Artisan Gourmand
21. Du Rhône Chocolatier
22. Confiserie Zenhäusern (photo at top)
23. Boulangerie Oberson
24. Mr & Mrs Renou
25. Guillaume Bichet
26. Albert Pougnier
27. Othmane Khoris
28. Jorge Cardoso Chocolatier
29. Chocolats Rohr
30. Confiserie Christian Boillat
31. Wolfisberg
32. Chocolats & Cacao Favarger
33. Pascoët
34. Chocolaterie La Bonbonnière
FOOD
Enjoy hot and cold foods and drinks served all day outside the tent by 7 local societies. All crockery provided will be reusable. course there are many restaurants in Versoix as well.
1. SAUVETAGE
Veal sausage, pork sausage, French fries
Volunteer company alarmable 24/24 for all nautical interventions. Looking for new members!
2. GALLAGIU
Raclette, hot dog, coffee, tea, chocolate beer, special beers
Gallagiu is all about beer. On 26-27 September 2025, two evenings dedicated entirely to this delicious beverage.
3. PEPS - BILL BAR
Burgers, fries, cocktails
PEPS stands for physical education and sports teacher, but also for sharing, teamwork, passion and solidarity. These are the values by the volleyball club since 1974.
4. POTES-AU-FEU
Malakoffs, duck breast sandwich
Once a month, the Commanderie des Potes-au-Feu brings together people with a passion for gourmet cooking to share the pleasures of the table.
5. VERSOIX BASKET
Sweet and savory pastries, candy kabobs, coffee, tea, smoothies...
Versoix Basket offers quality quality structure and supervision the development of children with real prospects for advancement.
6. VOIXPLURIELLES
Hot dog, French fries, coffee, tea, spiced tea, mulled wine, syrups, sangria-punch
Versoix-based women's vocal ensemble seeks choristers with choral experience.
7. ASMV
Fish and chips, nuggets, squid fritters, cocktails
The aim of the association is to promote motor sports activities in the commune of Versoix and to create a forum for exchanges between young adults and adults.
LOCATION
Main event is at the Espace Lachenal which is behind the Aldi about 1 minute's walk.
Parking is difficult so best to arrive by train. Click here for train schedule from Geneva or go to www.cff.ch for more options
Official Website https://www.festichoc.ch
1290 Versoix (GE) click here for map of Versoix
Veroix website info http://www.versoix.ch
Program
Festichoc 2025
Versoix, GE
5-6 April 2025
Saturday 10h to 18h
Sunday 9h to 17h
The entrance to the festival is free, no need for tickets but just a good mood! The Festichoc proposes several animations, most of which are free during the whole weekend, for the young and not so young.
