Relating to nice cheese, seafood, and wonderful meat, one area of France involves the thoughts of most French folks: The Normandy area.
Sure, about 2 hours drive north of Paris, nestled between the medieval metropolis of Rouen to its south, to the north the Flowered coast with its elegant homes and horse racetracks, and west, the Normandy D-Day Seashores and the Mont St Michel, Normandy, is The Foodie Area of France.
Most individuals have heard about Camembert cheese, however very, only a few, even amongst fellow Normands, know that it began with a village referred to as Camembert.
Right here’s the best way to plan the last word foodie itinerary for Normandy.
Right here is an summary:
Begin Your Foodie Itinerary for Normandy by Visiting Camembert, March to October (Morning go to)
Sure, round 1790, in accordance with the native tales, a younger bishop, bishop Bonvoust, leaving the furor of the French Revolution, arrived, exhausted and ravenous, within the small village of Camembert.
There he met a younger girl who had simply misplaced her husband accidentally. Perhaps to an offended bull, who is aware of?
Anyway, she supplied the bishop a secure refuge and step-by-step, they improved their cheese-making expertise. Again then, most girls made cheese, cream, and butter at house, and ministers used to have the privilege of ageing and refining mushy cheese.
Nearly a century later, their grandson, Victor Pesnel, upon the arrival of the Emperor of France, Napoleon III, on the close by city of Vimoutiers, gave the emperor a cheese as a present from the area. The emperor, delighted by its distinctive taste, requested the place it got here from. The reply got here as a burst from Victor Pesnel, Camembert!
There it was. The cheese had its identify.
Now, for individuals who wish to know extra concerning the iconic cheese of France, it is best to positively go to Camembert. Camembert is a beautiful village a few 1-hour drive from Caen or Bayeux. It’s a actually picturesque place.
There, you possibly can go to the Home of Camembert, a museum devoted to the historical past of the well-known cheese. You’ll study concerning the historical past and the significance of the Terroir or the place the place it’s made.
Camembert is now a product of a chosen origin or AOP product. The true Camembert must be made utilizing solely Normandy cows, the brown noticed ones with brown round their eyes.
We name these their goggles. Good cows.
Since 2021, in Camembert, you may also attend the manufacturing of the enduring cheese. A small farm was opened within the village, permitting guests to examine the entire manufacturing. The manufacturing unit works solely on week mornings. It’s a very small manufacturing unit with simply 4 staff, in order that they open solely within the morning.
For now, their annual manufacturing is ready at 25,000 cheeses per 12 months. They personal all their cattle and course of their uncooked milk on the spot. On Thursdays, in addition they do a scrumptious cream. The milk from these cows is so wealthy that the cream seems and tastes like a vanilla ice cream.
Then it is best to head to the small store by the museum, the place you’ll have a pleasant pattern of Camembert cheese to examine for your self the distinction between the true stuff, the uncooked milk model made completely with Normandy cows, and the usual model, much like the President, the one obtainable in all grocery store chains everywhere in the world.
Promise me, you received’t return to an everyday Camembert whenever you’ve tasted the true factor.
Lunch by the Watermill close to Lisieux
After Camembert, it is best to head for a singular lunch at Le Moulin du Fossard.
Since 2018, Katy and Benoit Villeneuve have taken over this restaurant close to Lisieux.
Beforehand, consider it or not, the constructing was a Camembert small manufacturing unit, and even earlier than, it was a chocolate manufacturing unit. The water mill was the engine of the place. It now serves as a wine cooler for the most effective bottles of the place.
This place isn’t in or wherever close to a vacationer spot but, alongside a small highway, nevertheless it has a severe, regular clientele of French Foodies who know what they’re in search of once they come right here. Every month, following the season, and the supply of native merchandise, chef, Benoit modifications the menu and takes an awesome pleasure in showcasing the essence of a beetroot, a spinach, a trout.
Benoit, who beforehand labored at Le Drakkar in Deauville, received bored with delicacies that needed to slice extra truffle, lobster, and caviar. Now, with easy but wonderful merchandise, he focuses on refined flavors for individuals who need an actual connoisseur lunch or dinner with no extra show-off.
With Katy, he met in Deauville at Le Normandy Resort, they fell in love with the place and now many locals are in love with this small restaurant. A real small jewel.
Calvados, the liquid gold of Normandy (Apple Brandy)
Normandy can also be very well-known for its distinctive liquor, the Calvados.
In response to the legend, its recipe was invented in 1553 by a gentleman farmer from the Cotentin, the Lord of Gouberville. But, apples have been, for hundreds of years, the fruit of the area.
Normands have drank cider for the reason that Romans, and William the Conqueror, grieved by sorrow after the demise of his spouse Mathilda in 1078, won’t have mentioned NO to some cider to neglect the ache.
There are numerous Calvados distilleries within the area. There may be even a vacationer highway referred to as the Street of the Cider, the place one can, identical to in Burgundy, cease nearly each 5 minutes to strive one other sort of distinctive spirit.
Calvados is a distilled model of cider. After distillation – within the Pays d’Auge, round Lisieux, Pont L’Evèque, we do a double distillation to get the most effective of the liquor – it has to age in oak barrels for at the least 5 years to be easy and nice.
It could actually age rather more than 5 years. The older, the higher, and the extra expensive.
If I can advocate at the least two distilleries within the area not too removed from the restaurant, Le Moulin du Fossard, then I’d advocate:
La Spiriterie Française at Le Breuil en Auge
In 2020, Mr Dussart purchased this distillery and expanded the vary of liquors produced in addition to he clearly improved the go to of the distillery.
This distillery is ready simply on the best way to the well-known Trouville Deauville, on the exit of the A13 from Paris, close to Pont L’Evèque.
It is usually a Renaissance Chateau. The Chateau is now a B&B and could be rented for the week or weekend. Simply ask the distillery, and so they’ll be comfortable to clarify to you the best way to lease the Chateau.
After all, after the distillery tour, you’ll strive a lot of the Calvados they produce. The bar the place you possibly can strive these clearly reminds you of a classy Parisian bar. Additionally they serve scrumptious cocktails with younger Calvados.
Calvados Expertise
One other distillery I extremely advocate close by is the Calvados Expertise in Pont l’Eveque.
This distillery, also called Le Pere Magloire belongs to a different French liquor group, Spirits of France.
Since 2020 as effectively, they created an immersive go to which takes you on a journey within the historical past and landscapes of Normandy area to indicate you why this product is absolutely the true spirit of the place.
After the tour, a really Manhattan-like bar will help you pattern all of the Calvados they produce and much more.
An Ice-Cream in Honfleur
In the summertime, in the event you nonetheless have a while, I’d counsel you end your day itinerary for Normandy with Honfleur.
Honfleur’s small docks of the beautiful little port city, untouched since 1500, at the moment are the proper place for a restaurant and an ice cream.
But, there are ice lotions and ice lotions.
Les Glaces de La Ferme du Bois Louvet
The one I all the time go to is Les Glaces de La Ferme du Bois Louvet.
It’s simply on the nook of the Metropolis Corridor of Honfleur, by an artwork gallery. Their ice lotions are made with 100% of the milk of this farm, which is used to make these scrumptious ice lotions.
No preservatives, no synthetic flavors.
And much more, they suggest flavors nobody else does any longer, just like the scrumptious old style Plombiere taste, made with almond extract, kirsch, and candied fruit.
There is no such thing as a higher option to finish this difficult day’s work.
Bon voyage!
Normandy Meals Tour
Expertise the culinary delights of Normandy in simply someday on this thrilling small-group meals tour from Caen.
Discover lesser-known elements of the area whereas having fun with breathtaking views of Trouville, Deauville and Honfleur. Meet native producers and study their craft as you pattern well-known Normandy delicacies resembling Camembert, Pont L’évèque cheese, cider and calvados. Bask in scrumptious meals at a few of Normandy’s best eating places, together with Michelin-starred institutions.
Your educated information will even present fascinating insights into the historical past of Normandy delicacies.
Get pleasure from handy resort pick-up and drop-off in Caen for a hassle-free expertise. With a small group dimension, you’ll obtain customized consideration all through your journey.
Value: from €700 per group (as much as 6)
Period: 9 hours
Free cancelation as much as 24 hours earlier than
Cell ticket
Tour in English, Italian, French or Spanish
What’s included:
- Tasting a number of scrumptious dishes
- Snug transportation by air-conditioned minibus
- Skilled steering by pleasant native guides
- Personal tour to make sure exclusivity
What to Count on in your Normandy Meals Tour
Start your day together with your information’s tour of Lisieux Cathedral earlier than having fun with lunch at a surprising 2-star Michelin restaurant on a picturesque river within the Pays d’Auge, an space recognized for its world-class racehorses. Afterward, indulge your palate with tastings at a cider and calvados distillery, the place you possibly can pattern these distinctive liqueurs recognized for his or her distinctive flavors.
Proceed to the Pays d’Auge itself to fulfill expert cheesemakers who produce the normal Pont L’évèque cheese and the creamy Douville en Auge cream cheese and acquire perception into their time-honored methods.
End your tour with a go to to Honfleur; a fascinating seaside village whose impressionist appeal impressed artists resembling Eugène Boudin and Erik Satie. Return to Caen round 6pm after an unforgettable day exploring Norman gastronomy.
