Normandy Traditions & Epicurean Delights
Easy Activity
Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.
Discover the charming villages, verdant pastures and fragrant apple orchards of Normandy's bucolic countryside when you board a comfortable motorcoach and enjoy a pleasant 30-minute drive into the heart of the Cotentin Peninsula.
Here, nestled within an area known as the "Bocage Normand," you'll find Théo Capelle, a traditional distillery specializing in ciders and Calvados, an apple brandy of the region. This traditional, family-run business makes these aromatic and flavorful spirits with the apples from their own orchards, which contain more than 6,500 trees of several local varieties chosen for their fruity flavors, including Little Bitter, Taurus, Marin Humphrey and Binet Red. As the orchards are located less than a mile from the cellars, you can imagine the freshness of the apple juice!
Your half-day tour begins with a visit to the distillery, where you will learn about the journey taken by an apple on its way from tree to glass. The fruit is picked and pressed into a juice that is fermented into a dry cider. It takes one ton of apples to produce 170 gallons of pure juice. It is then distilled into "eau de vie" before being aged for a minimum of two years in an oak cask. Only then can it be sold as Calvados. The longer it is aged, the smoother the drink becomes, and usually the maturation lasts for several years.
After learning about this fascinating process, you'll be invited to taste the fruits of their labors. Sample Calvados, Pommeau and cider with different flavors, some with a hint of bitterness and others sweet and refreshing.
Before departing this idyllic venue, browse the boutique, which displays a whole range of locally produced products.
Re-board the motor coach, and enjoy the scenic 40-minute drive to the village of Sortosville-en-Beaumont, where the popular La Maison du Biscuit is located.
La Maison du Biscuit is a family-run business, passed down through five generations of the Burnouf family. It started in 1903 with a small biscuit bakery that has only grown in popularity over the years due to the excellent quality of the products and the well-kept secrets of their recipes.
Today La Maison du Biscuit is a beloved attraction that welcomes you with old-fashion quaintness. The shop's facade has been designed as a replica of a traditional shop of yesteryear. Step inside and delight in the intoxicating fragrance of baking specialties. There is also an area, called "the cave," that sells fine Normandy Calvados and liquors. You'll have ample time to peruse the shelves, which brim with gourmet delights.
Satiated from this delicious day, relax on the return trip to Cherbourg, enjoying the picturesque Normandy countryside all the way back to port.
Schedule
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Easy Activity
Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.
Discover the charming villages, verdant pastures and fragrant apple orchards of Normandy's bucolic countryside when you board a comfortable motorcoach and enjoy a pleasant 30-minute drive into the heart of the Cotentin Peninsula.
Here, nestled within an area known as the "Bocage Normand," you'll find Théo Capelle, a traditional distillery specializing in ciders and Calvados, an apple brandy of the region. This traditional, family-run business makes these aromatic and flavorful spirits with the apples from their own orchards, which contain more than 6,500 trees of several local varieties chosen for their fruity flavors, including Little Bitter, Taurus, Marin Humphrey and Binet Red. As the orchards are located less than a mile from the cellars, you can imagine the freshness of the apple juice!
Your half-day tour begins with a visit to the distillery, where you will learn about the journey taken by an apple on its way from tree to glass. The fruit is picked and pressed into a juice that is fermented into a dry cider. It takes one ton of apples to produce 170 gallons of pure juice. It is then distilled into "eau de vie" before being aged for a minimum of two years in an oak cask. Only then can it be sold as Calvados. The longer it is aged, the smoother the drink becomes, and usually the maturation lasts for several years.
After learning about this fascinating process, you'll be invited to taste the fruits of their labors. Sample Calvados, Pommeau and cider with different flavors, some with a hint of bitterness and others sweet and refreshing.
Before departing this idyllic venue, browse the boutique, which displays a whole range of locally produced products.
Re-board the motor coach, and enjoy the scenic 40-minute drive to the village of Sortosville-en-Beaumont, where the popular La Maison du Biscuit is located.
La Maison du Biscuit is a family-run business, passed down through five generations of the Burnouf family. It started in 1903 with a small biscuit bakery that has only grown in popularity over the years due to the excellent quality of the products and the well-kept secrets of their recipes.
Today La Maison du Biscuit is a beloved attraction that welcomes you with old-fashion quaintness. The shop's facade has been designed as a replica of a traditional shop of yesteryear. Step inside and delight in the intoxicating fragrance of baking specialties. There is also an area, called "the cave," that sells fine Normandy Calvados and liquors. You'll have ample time to peruse the shelves, which brim with gourmet delights.
Satiated from this delicious day, relax on the return trip to Cherbourg, enjoying the picturesque Normandy countryside all the way back to port.