This year, the Auer chocolate factory celebrates its 60th anniversary and seizes this opportunity to thank its customers for their unfailing loyalty. The Auer dynasty has indeed had an exceptional destiny. On 29 November 1939, Henri Auer, himself the descendant of a famous family of confectioners in business since the beginning of the XIXth century, opened his store on the rue de Rive. Right from the beginning, the establishment was a great success. A year later, following his very observant wife Julia's advice, Henri Auer, only 27 years old, created the famous Pavé de Genève. These chocolates - that give the palate a wonderful iced taste - were often imitated but never equaled, and are still the main reason for Auer's fame..

In 1967, when Henry Auer, aged 54, prematurely died, his son Claude Auer took over the business. He was well prepared due to an apprenticeship at a famous confectionery of Geneva and the training period he had undergone at Nestlé in Germany. In 1989, Claude Auer completely rebuilt the manufacturing laboratories, moving them from the rue de Rive to the route des Acacias where they still stand today.

His son Philippe Auer, born in 1968, hastened to follow in his father's footsteps.After learning the rudiments of the profession at Chevillat in Geneva, he spent five months in the

United States in order to learn English and was able to assist his father from 1988 on. No wonder that he is today forever grateful to him for everything he learned. His exceptional qualifications enabled him to take over the business. Philippe Auer, 35 years old, has run Auer since 1997. Open and dynamic, he has, day after day, the immense joy of perpetuating the unique pleasure of satisfying chocolate fans, just like his father and grandfather.

Philippe inherited his father and grandfather's experiences. But he is also the heir of an even older know -how which goes back to the first decades of the XIXth Century. In the 1820s, his grand-grandfather Gaspard Auer opened a confectionery right across the Cornavin train station and was himself the grandson of the founder of the business, active in the chocolate field since 1820. It was in fact this same year that Henri Auer left his native village of Pontresina, in Engadine, for the bright lights of the Mediterranean, where he opened several shops; one of them is in Nice, in the old quarter of Saint- François- de- Paule.

But let's now return to the rue de Rive and the delicious Auer store with its antique wooden drawers. The confectionery is now enlarged by a tea room, but otherwise nothing has really changed.All specialties behind Auer's fame are still there: from the almond slabs to the hand made

fresh truffles, as well as a selection of small chocolates. These can be purchased on-the-spot or throughout the world as far as India, neatly arranged in beautiful cloth- covered boxes. Representing the fifth generation, Phillipe Auer is here today to perpetuate the pleasure of every chocolate and tradition lover. Auer is now available on Internet; its image has been slightly modernized in line with those of big establishments which simply redefine the course to be taken, from time to time, rather than unnecessarily revolutionizing.