History

Four des Navettes at 136 Rue Sainte has baked the navette in a Roman-model oven since 1781, the recipe held by three families over the generations. The boat shape comes from one of two legends: either the unmanned boat that brought the Saintes Maries to the Provencal coast, or the form of a Black Virgin statue washed up at the Lacydon. Every February 2 the Archbishop of Marseille processes from the Vieux Port to Saint-Victor Abbey to bless the Black Virgin, then walks to the bakery to bless the oven and the day's navettes.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Eggs

Make it at home

Yield 16Hands-on 25 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 300g plain flour
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 70g unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons orange-blossom water
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water for the glaze

Method

  1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in the butter. Add the eggs and orange-blossom water and work to a smooth dough; do not overknead.
  2. Wrap and rest in the fridge for 2 hours.
  3. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each into a small log about 8cm long; pinch and taper the two ends to form a boat shape. Slash a deep line lengthwise down the centre.
  4. Place on a lined baking tray. Brush with the egg-yolk glaze.
  5. Bake at 180C for 18 to 22 minutes until golden. Cool fully on a rack; the biscuit is meant to be dry and crisp.

Tip from the editors. Slash the lengthwise cut deeply or it will close as the biscuit puffs; the open seam is the visual marker of a real navette.

Where to eat navette de marseille

Navette de Marseille in Marseille

Four des Navettes ★ 4.6

€ French bistro

Four des Navettes in Marseille's 7e has baked navettes since 1781, the orange-blossom boat biscuit by the paper bag, the cheapest edible Marseille souvenir.

TryNavette biscuits by the bag

TipClosed mid-afternoon between batches; Chandeleur morning is the day to come.

Directions

La Cure Gourmande ★ 4.0

€ BakeryRegional French biscuits, chocolates and confectioneryWalk-in only

La Cure Gourmande in Marseille's 1er at the corner of La Canebiere and Rue Saint-Ferreol sells regional French biscuits and chocolates since 1989.

Worth the queueOlivettes (almonds in dark chocolate)

TipGenerous samples at the counter; the olivettes travel well as gifts.

Directions

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