Orne

In 1965, after leading a large cider with his grandfather, Axel Bouland's dad decided to develop his own cider in a more traditional way. This was the birth of the Cave of Pride that Alex, as a good grandson and son of cidriers, continues to grow a half century later, with the greatest respect for tradition. Located between Perche, Pays d'Houses and Pays country, the orchards benefit from a privileged site combining the qualities of each land with the best profit. All the subtleties of the Bocage Normand are here. The Cellar of Pride has an orchard of 5 000 fruit trees spread over three production areas: Fountains, Furnaces and Pride. All apple trees and pear trees are grown without plant protection products, except Bordeaux and (solution used in organic farming). You will find at the Boutique boutique (the operation does not visit, for the moment), a warm welcome for a tasting around clogged cider or traditional cider. Rare in our land, the magnum of 1,5 cl of stuffy cider and the traditional (less pétillant) cider you can come directly to the counter. Also discover perry stuffy, apple heart, cid'sour (sweeter than vinegar), Normandy pommel, Calvados, calvados of apple pride or pear… What to do full of gourmet and original sweets.

This is a winery whose reputation has spread far beyond the borders of Argentan! A true mastermind behind this fine establishment, Marc Pottier makes it a point of honour to meet producers of reasoned, natural or biodynamic wines. Here, we share, exchange, make wonderful discoveries and feel good. Local products, such as calvados and other ciders and perries, are also on offer here. The sign says, "The cellar of tasteful French producers": it's true!

If you're passing through the pretty classified village of Villeray, don't forget to stop by the In Vino Veritas cellars. Located just a stone's throw from the Domaine de Villeray, the store offers a wide range of wines from the thirst-quenching to the grand cru, as well as a selection of organic, natural and biodynamic wines. The owner, Roland Sambor, is known for his good advice and for listening to his customers' tastes and desires. Attention, the store is only open on Friday and Saturday. During the week, it is better to call before coming to make an appointment.

Cidre Fournier is a family story that began in 1943 and has grown steadily over the decades to the point where production is now present in no less than 15 countries. Apple and pear trees flourish on the sunny hillsides. At the boutique, after a short tasting, you can buy cider, apple and pear juice, apple sparkling wine, perry, calvados... directly from us. The house offers no fewer than 70 cider references, including a fine organic range.

The estate nestles at the bottom of a small valley, so emblematic of the Pays d'Auge. Enjoy the scenery along the way. It's here that Nathalie and Jean-Luc Olivier devote all their time to tending their apple and pear orchards, producing cider, pommeau and calvados that have been certified organic since 2000. Of the 44 hectares of orchards, 30 are "high-stemmed". The tour includes an introduction to cider-making, and the store offers a variety of ciders, perries, pommeaux and calvados! Two gîtes are available to rent for a nature break.

A child of the apple, as he puts it. At the head of a 24-hectare orchard where numerous varieties of apples grow, mainly from Normandy and particularly from the Perche region, the owner and cellar master will be delighted to introduce you to the art of cider making. What's more, you'll be able to tour this 60-hectare farm in true Percheron style. This is a highly courageous undertaking for this young man from Orne, who created his cider house from scratch in 2009 (and has already won gold and bronze medals at the 2011 Saint-Jean des cidres). Planting apple trees, setting up the cellar, making a name for himself, establishing a place for himself in the business (he also sells his apples to the Agrial cooperative) and, at the same time, working towards the arrival of the AOC "Cidre du Perche" label, this is already Grégoire's gamble and path of faith. Not forgetting Juliette, who helps him in his task. Don't you just love young people? So, a refreshing stop-off is obviously welcome in these parts, where the semi-dry and brut cider (typical of the Percheron region, naturally fermented) will quench a passing thirst and liven up some family festivities. Poiré, apple juice, calvados and pommeau, cider and apple jellies are other highlights of the house. The company also likes to share its know-how at open-house events. In spring, for the "Bienvenue à la Ferme" operation, or at harvest time in November. So if you're passing by in autumn... Come and pick your own apples!

Pascal and Jocelyne Breton welcome you to their family farm, founded in 1930, in the heart of the Orne bocage. For three generations, this farm has combined milk production with cider-making. The farm's range of products is sold direct: pommeau, calvados, cider, perry, apple juice and cider vinegar. The entire estate is open to the public (reservations required), and events such as cooking workshops are organised on a regular basis. You'll also discover Normandy-bred animals.

Belonging to the domain of the Château de Miserai, this brewery is installed in a 17th century mill. Nearly 160 000 bottles can be produced annually. Near the pond, a "beer garden" where you can discover and consume the house wines. A restaurant offers a complete menu on weekends and pedal boats and kayaks are available to customers. Visits of the brewery (with tasting!) are possible on weekends upon reservation for groups (10 people minimum). An atypical place in a magical setting!

In the heart of the Perche Regional Natural Park, Nathalie and Dominique Plessis welcome you to the traditional Perche Cidrerie, where the commune of TRONAS LE THEIL (the Hermitière is their brand on the bottles) is located in the middle of green hills. Producers since 1990, they cultivate their 22 hectares of orchards using organic methods. A family affair, born of a conversion, which bears fruit with happiness, from the tree to the bottle. The methods are ancestral (natural foam), with more contemporary cibacoles. The 30-minute tour organised around a video film allows visitors to understand all stages of cider (and calvados) production, to explore the facilities before delving into the heart of the matter, tasting: raw cider, semi-dry cider (including the selected cuvée of the Perche), calvados, cider jelly, sorbet and apple juice, cider vinegar, with the highlight being "Trahant", the house aperitif based on calvados. A must-visit if you are passing through is the ‘Cider Day', organised every year on the last weekend of October (free entry, cider production, tasting of cibacarian products and farm produce, producers' market). The cider produced by Nathalie and Dominique Plessis, who have received a gold medal and a silver medal in the Saint-Jean des Cidres competition, also holds the approval of Orne Terroirs and Flavors of Normandy. The couple, who are part of the association of Farmers of the Perche, are diligently working on the ‘AOC Cidre du Perche' project. The visit is right, isn't it?

In this warm and friendly place, everyone gathers around a beer (you guessed it) or a glass of wine for a soccer match or a themed evening. As the name suggests, there's a wide choice of beers: blond, amber, Belgian, Breton, German and more. The atmosphere is excellent and often festive. There's also a catering service with burgers and croque-monsieur, for example. For your private events, the venue can be privatised.

If the cider of Le Perche, one of these days, has its controlled appellation of origin - AOC and PDO - it will have to be proud of Jean-François Leroux. For many years, this producer has been actively campaigning and defending with other producers the local production at the National Institute of Origin and Quality to win the precious sesame. In the meantime, our cidriculteur accumulates trophies and medals for its crude and semi-dry farmers of the Perche (Normand de la Saint-Jean des Ciders contest, national competition of the Goustes ciders in Nogent-le-Retrou in Eure-et-Loir). A visit is necessary for this extraordinary passion that built its orchard in its hands in the 1990 s, planting and supplying a lot of its trees. Moreover, INAO was interested IN its work recording some local varieties of apples saved by the same Jean-François in the specifications of the future AOC. At the same time as he will discover the treasures of his vintage, he will tell you, between two sips, of the link to the land, of the typical of its ciders, of the taking of natural foam, of the ancestral methods… of his aoc calvados, which opened his first productions in 1991 before he delivers his first brushes of cider, a little later, in 1996. Almost 20 years to get the best from the best of the emigration apple, which delivers exceptional aromas and flavours here.

On their farm in the country of Alençon, Emmanuel and Alexandra Gouello successfully combine dairy farming and artisanal cidricole production. In 1998, the brother and sister made the bold bet to revive the activity their parents had put in sleep and, after all, it is a matter that works well. Of the 3 000 bottles, they went to 15 000, all productions combined. Here you will find here, sweet, semi-dry and crude cider, apple juice and Perry, and especially the specialties that make the reputation of the house: " Le Fosséen ", aperitif-based aperitif (bronze medal at the general agricultural competition in Paris 2011) and - new 2014 -" The Fine Pit ", a brandy of cider for which you will give us news. We would also be a great success. Emmanuel and Alexandra, approved for the quality of their production by Orne Land, await you on foot for a healthy and gouleyante stage on the occasion of a journey in this beautiful country of Houses, north of Perche. A pole to which you will be guided, then to complement your cidricole culture.

Christine and Éric Bourget and Lucie Olivier, wine merchants, offer a fine selection of bottles. A great place to discover local products, including Calvados and Pommeau de Normandie.

A stone's throw from downtown fertois. Michel Breton markets his products in the finest tradition from apples and pears of his orchards: sweet and crude farmers, peirice, pepper, etc.

Created in 1907, the house is specialised in vintage calvados, whose jewels are named Calvados Morise (controlled name Calvados) and Calvados of the Ancestors (controlled name Auge country). Intoxicated by the smell of oak barrels in which the nectar is ageing and seduced by the cellar master who knows how to convey his passion, you can buy a wide range which ranges from Calvados to apple or pear liqueurs. Do not miss the chocolate in Calvados, whose recipe was drawn up in the 1960s with a pastry from L'Aigle: An exclusive delicacy that became a speciality of the region that you will find nowhere else. From one generation to the next, the desire to perpetuate tradition has been added to creation. The beautiful carafes (horse selection, sailing boat selection, Amphora selection…) or gift boxes (mignonettes box) will tempt you.

These producers are located in the countryside, in Saint-Denis-de-Villenette, a former commune today associated with Juvigny Val d'Andaine. At the end of a road, you find the Ferme de la Prémoudière, a typical farm with its meadows and its different buildings dedicated to the farm that combines two activities: milk and apples. Here are beautiful apples in their orchards and sturdy cows in their green pastures. Marie and Pascal Brunet started production in 1996 based on apple trees and high-stem pear trees, some of which were between 100 and 300 years old. Apples and pears, harvested 95% by hand, are pressed, processed, and fermented on-site. The products include sweet and dry ciders, pear juice and apple juice, Domfront poirée, farmer poirate, pear nature, apple nature, and calvados. You can stay in one of the guest rooms in the heart of this typical village of the Country of Andaine.

These Calvados cellars are stamped Count Louis de Lauriston. Created in 1962, they shelter casks and oak casks where Calvados slowly matures. The process will be explained to you, and you can taste before buying bottles more or less old, more or less expensive, but also cider, perry, pommel, and in common denominator, all are from fruit produced in Normandy. Some gourmet products from the region are also on sale.

In the heart of the Domfronain, Louisette and Jean-Claude Fourmond-Lemorton are faithful to the family tradition. Producers, they operate a dairy farm with a traditional berry orchard and high-stem apple trees. Fruit trees do not undergo chemical treatment, fruit is picked by hand, sorted carefully and pressed at maturity. The juice stored in the drums is subjected to natural fermentation. You can buy here in organic cider flasks, poached by Domfront AOC, Calvados domfront AOC, AOC pommee. If you go through there, a little call and you will be welcomed for a tasting visit.

Located right in the heart of the city, Le Bercail has brought a breath of originality and joy to Alençon evenings. A blend of wood, brick and metal, it produces its own beers (the most popular of which are called "l'Avant-Première" and "Planet of the Hops"). For an aperitif or an evening with friends, accompanied by pizzas or tapas, in a good atmosphere that vibrates to the sounds of concerts every week (with a predilection for jazz and rock sounds), the place is perfect!

Based on the principle that beer is a noble product in the same way as wine, the owners have built a castle for it... a little wooden castle for their organic microbrewery, so that they can brew and welcome their customers in the best possible conditions! Produced from organic cereals and several varieties of hops from England, Alsace, and the Czech Republic, Tortue and Dragon are available in blond, amber, and white. Want to start brewing your own beers? We offer training courses for amateurs and future brewers!