The crêpe | Brittany tourism

There’s no need to wait for Candlemas to come round in order to enjoy them… At your local crepery, on the go when the market’s packed up for the day, fluffy or crunchy version – the crepe is a holiday in Brittany’s essential little gourmet pleasure. Treat yourself!

At a glance

Crepe or galette?

A simple, age-old recipe that reveals Brittany’s whole identity. But be careful not to confuse crepe and galette! On the very tip of Brittany, crepes are either made from wheat or buckwheat. In the east, however, the savoury buckwheat crepe…becomes a galette! Afterwards, it’s all a question of batter thickness, flour mixture, knowhow and well-kept secrets… To each their own little recipe. The main thing is to be convinced you’ve got the best one!

©
Saint-malo - Menu crêperie Ty Nevez
|
Noémie Lefèvre

What goes best with crepes?

We all agree: in order to test the batter’s quality, nothing beats the iconic butter-and-sugar. The old butter-sugar duo – fans know you well! But topped with a spoonful of salted butter caramel, jam or fried apples, crepes are a gourmet’s delight. And you won’t want to skip the Gavotte, a light, delicate variant created by accident in Quimper in 1886 due to a cooking error, on a billig that had been heated a bit too much… This well-cooked speciality rolled around the spatula 8 times is still the Loc Maria biscuit factory’s flagship product.

Did you know?

Every year in late August, Sainte-Anne d’Auray hosts the Galettes du Monde solidarity festival, a musical celebration of the galette and its cousins: msemen, tortilla, blinis, crumpets and more…
And every last weekend in July, Gourin holds the the world’s largest crepe competition!

Click. Inspire. Go…
Receive the Brittany newsletter!

To receive 4 times a year a summary of the best things to do in Brittany by e-mail head this way.

What are a master crepe-maker’s tools?

Specialised terminology for a specialised field! You don’t mess around with the equipment. A short basic lexicon:

Billig: The cast-iron griddle that crepes are made on. The best of the best. No edges, the right distribution of heat – guarantee of a thin, regular batter.
Rozell: a round-section T-shaped rake for spreading out the batter. Have a few goes to get the hang of it and dazzle the crowd!
Spanell: a wooden or metal spatula used to flip the crepe. It length depends on the size of the billig.

Just like pizzaiolos, master crepe-makers now have their own school to acquire the necessary knowhow and promote the profession.

©
Restaurant Monsieur Arthur
|
Tourisme Bretagne

What’s the recipe for crepe batter?

Eggs, flour, milk: leave to rest, a bit of skill, and you’re done! Just for you, a recipe and tips from a professional at the Ecole Maître Crêpier & Cuisinier in Rennes.

Where can I enjoy the best crepes in Brittany?

Keep an eye out for the first official label: Crêperies Gourmandes. You’re sure to arrive at a crepe and galette specialist’s establishment where there’s real knowhow on tap, along with locally sourced products and top service! Crêperies Gourmandes are regularly visited by “mystery customers” and commit to being open at least 8 months a year.

Where can I learn how to make crepes in Brittany?

You enjoy crepes at other people’s places, so why not make some yourself? In Brittany, a number of institutions hold training courses for “pros” and are also happy to accept people off the street. Such is the case with the Ecole Maître Crêpier & Cuisinier in Rennes and the Atelier de la Crêpe in Saint-Malo, which holds discovery workshops for Mr and Mrs Everybody.