French residents who cannot digest gluten can now have a gluten-free version of the traditional Galette des Rois cake reimbursed by the state health system.

An enterprising baker in Rouen has begun producing a gluten-free version of the Galette des Rois, which is partially reimbursed on the French health system for people who have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. 

Anthony Roy, owner of Le Petit Minotier bakery based in Darnétal, near Rouen, says he sells around 3,000 of his gluten free Galettes – made with rice flour – each year.

French people traditionally eat the Galette des Rois cake on January 6th – the date marks the Christian festival of epiphany but the ritual of the Galette is widely celebrated by non-Christians.

It comes with a hidden ‘fève‘ that brings a year of good luck to whoever finds it, as well as lots of other fun rituals.

But the cake – consisting of flaky pastry and a filling of frangipane (although fruit compote or chocolate filling is also available) is out of bounds to people who cannot digest gluten.

People who have received a diagnosis of Celiac Disease are able to access a partial refund of gluten-free products, on the basis that they tend to be more expensive than the classic versions of the same product, creating an effective ‘illness tax’ for Celiac patients.

The process, however, is complicated – patients must scan the barcodes of gluten-free products using the Ameli app, and must make a claim for each product.

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The use of barcodes also means that only pre-packaged products can be reimbursed – which is why Anthony Roy has now added a barcode to his Galettes, which sell for €18.

Products are reimbursed at 60 percent, capped at €45.73 per month for adults, €33.54 for children under 10.

Brigitte Croze, of the patients’ group Association française des intolérants au gluten, told France Info: “Even if it’s tedious, people should do it, it’s really a chance to have defined a reimbursement.

”Some people give up, and that’s a pity, because we fought hard to have this reimbursed.”