Bêtise de Cambrai

Bêtise de Cambrai is a popular candy and a specialty of the town of Cambrai. Their original flavor is mint, but nowadays there is a great range of flavors such as apple, chocolate, violet, and cherry. The candies are usually decorated with a caramel stripe which gives them extra sweetness.

Bêtises come individually wrapped in cellophane, and are often packaged in tin boxes. They are so popular that the French consume an average of 3.5 kg of these sweets per year. Interestingly, two houses have a dispute over the candy - Afchain and Despinoy.

In 1889, the court declared that Despinoy was the creator and Afchain the inventor, but the debate continues to live on.