Breton Cider & Apple Juice | Brittany tourism

There are more than 600 varieties of apples in Brittany – just fancy! Made from these beautiful fruits, Breton farmhouse cider is the local drink par excellence. Without losing its authenticity (far from it!), it has enjoyed a remarkable revival over the past few years thanks to producers committed to a qualitative approach. Its refreshing qualities, aromatic complexity, low alcohol content and health benefits (antioxidants, vitamins, trace elements and mineral salts) make it a beverage well suited to today’s tastes. So absolutely don’t hesitate to pay a visit to Armorica’s cideries to find out more about the cider-making world… And sample a few cuvees! In moderation of course!

In the blink of an eye

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Rennes - Marché des lices - Marchand de pommes
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Noémie Lefèvre

How is cider made?

The manual or mechanical harvesting of cider apples (not to be confused with dessert apples) is carried out in the orchards between September and December. Once picked, the fruit is sorted, washed and crushed. The pulp so obtained can be left to macerate for a few hours before it’s pressed in order to extract the precious juice, known as must. Fermentation in vats (or barrels) lasts from a few weeks to several months, turning some of the sugars into alcohol. Once fermentation has taken place, “assemblage” (blending) of the various batches enables obtainment of a cider with the desired characteristics, which can then be bottled. And how is the sparkle obtained? Either by adding CO2 (gasification) or by refermentation in the bottle (natural carbonation), a technique that requires considerable expertise. After a few weeks or months in the cellar, the cider will be ready to drink.

What different sorts of ciders are there?

It’s not always easy to distinguish the “types” of cider and understand the information on the labels… Directions for use!

Traditional cider : It’s made exclusively with cider apples rather than dessert apples. A real classic!
Craft cider : The producer makes their cider on their farm but the apples can come from elsewhere. The cider is “pure juice” (see below).
Farmhouse cider : It’s made on a cider farm with apples harvested in its own orchards. It must be “pure juice”. Farmhouse ciders are true expressions of their terroir’s identity!
“Pure juice” cider : This information tells you that the cider was elaborated without concentrated must or rectified concentrated must. Recommended!
Natural sparkle or natural carbonation : Means that the sparkle is exclusively due to alcoholic fermentation, without addition of exogenous gas or gas resulting from fermentation during bottling.
Rosé cider : Very much a minority, rosé cider is at least partially the result of short maceration and pressing red-fleshed apples.
Ice cider : Originating in Canada, it’s produced by pressing frozen apples. The juice has a high sugar content and produces a sweet, still cider. A false friend!
Cider : Not much apple juice, concentrated musts and a lot of additives, including glucose syrup, water and flavourings. Nothing at all to do with an authentic cider

Other information differentiates ciders by their residual sugar content (i.e. sugars not turned into alcohol) and alcohol by volume :

Sweet cider (over 35 g/L of residual sugars and less than 3° alcohol) goes well with crepes and desserts.
Semi-dry cider… quite unusual, “halfway between” sweet and dry, it contains between 28 and 35 grams of sugar per litre, with an alcohol content greater than 3 %/vol.
Dry cider (less than 28 g/L of residual sugars and between 3.5 and 5° alcohol) generally accompanies buckwheat galettes.
Extra-dry cider is less sugary, so it’s the driest! At mealtimes, it pairs perfectly with seafood for example. Over 5%/vol.

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Arradon - Cidrerie du golfe
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Noémie Lefèvre

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Arradon - Cidrerie du golfe - Verres et bouteille de cidre
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Noémie Lefèvre

Where is cider produced?

At the root of numerous local productions of apple juice and ciders, orchards “flourish” pretty well everywhere in Brittany… But even more than anywhere else around Lannion, Guingamp and Lamballe, in the Rennes and Vitré areas, around the Rance Valley and in the Vannes and Fouesnant regions. In southern Finistère, Cornouaille’s Cider Route takes you through AOP Cornouaille Cider country, crisscrossing the orchards and inviting you to meet producers and taste their products. The itinerary also enables you to acquaint yourself with two other emblematic drinks: Pommeau de Bretagne AOC and cider eau-de-vie, also called lambig or Fine Bretagne.

Map of cider production in Brittany

Did you know?

In bygone days in the Breton countryside, crockery was mostly made of terracotta. So people drank their drinks, cider or whatever, from these famous little bowls commonly known as “bolées”. However, in order to appreciate all of a cider’s aromatic subtleties, we advise you to drink it from a stemmed glass, like wine.

Abuse of alcohol is dangerous for your health. Drink responsibly.

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Where can I enjoy cider in Brittany ?

Le comptoir Breizh Café : A crepery and cider bar, the Comptoir Breizh Café in Saint-Malo serves over 60 listings from Brittany as well as from all four corners of the globe. Cider sommelier Carine Bigot also suggests unusual food and cider pairings
Beurre Sukr : Located in Penmarc’h in Pays Bigouden, this cosy establishment serves amazing crepes and galettes, drizzled with craft ciders selected from first-rate producers by its young couple of owners.

Where can I learn to enjoy cider to the full?

Virginie Thomas, sommelier (or “pommelier”!), trainer and eminent cider specialist, is very active in promoting the emblematic Breton drink. Among other things, she organises workshops designed for pros and amateurs alike. Rendezvous on www.bousculetessens.com. She also takes part in the Salon CiderPunk fair devoted to the new cider-making scene, held in March at Ateliers du Vent in Rennes.

Bouscule Tes Sens

What are the best cideries to visit?

Brest Terres Océanes

Cidrerie de Rozavern
Crozon – Organic farming
Ferme de Kermarzin – Maison du cidre
Argol – Production of organic ciders

Côte de Granit rose – Baie de Morlaix

Cidrerie du Léguer
Lannion – Organic ciders, free visits and tastings
Cidrerie de Cozmezou
Plouégat-Guérand – Craft ciders and apple juice

Quimper Cornouaille

Cidrerie Manoir de Kinkiz
Quimper – AOP Cornouaille craft cider
Cidrerie de Menez Brug
Fouesnant – Traditional Fouesnant cider and apple juice
Cidrerie Melenig
Elliant – Certified AOP organic Cornouaille
Cidrerie Paul Coic
Plonéis – Gold medal at the 2025 General Agricultural Competition
Cidrerie Kerné
Pouldreuzic – Excellence Award at the 2023 General Agricultural Competition
L’Apothicaire
Clohars-Carnoët – Ciders, cider vinegars, spirits.
Des bouteilles à l’amère
Clohars-Carnoët – Craft micro-cidery since 2015.

Cap Fréhel – Saint-Malo – Baie du Mont Saint-Michel

Cidrerie Sorre
Plerguer – Wide range of ciders including organics cuvees.
Cidrerie Prié – Musée du cidre
Pleudihen-sur-Rance – Organic farmhouse ciders

Baie de Saint-Brieuc -Paimpol- Les Caps

Cidrerie de la Baie
Planguenoual – Organic farming since 2000

Bretagne Sud – Golfe du Morbihan

Distillerie du Gorvello
Sulniac – Organic production, numerous awards at the Brittany Regional Competition (cider, perry, pommeau, etc.).

The Apple Festival

Les Mordus de la Pomme is an association that documents the many regional heirloom varieties, encourages replanting of orchards and organises the annual Apple Festival, held in Quévert on the 1st weekend in November.

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Alice Bertrand / Le Studio des 2 Prairies

Are there any truly outstanding Breton ciders?

From choice of apple varieties to the various stages involved in making cider, Breton cider-makers’ extraordinary knowhow finds its full expression. Like wine, cider also has its vintages.

Cornouaille Cider AOP, the only cider with an AOP in Brittany
In 1996, Cornouaille cider was Brittany’s first product to obtain an “Appellation d’Origine Protégée” (AOP / PDO – Protected Designation of Origin). It comes from a terroir covering 38 municipalities around Quimper and benefits from the traditional knowhow of six producer-processors and a score of apple producers. Cornouaille is a 100% pure juice semi-dry cider with bottle fermentation. It’s characterised by its golden hue, tannic attack, assertive structure, very fine, lively yet subtle bubbles and fruity, even spicy, finish.
Royal Guillevic, France’s only “Label Rouge” cider
At the gateway to the Rhuys peninsula, the Cidrerie Nicol, founded in 1928, elaborates a cider that’s on offer at some of the land’s finest restaurants. Lauded by gourmets as the “Breton champagne” due to its finesse, it’s elaborated from a single apple variety, Guillevic.
The Prestige Carpe Diem cuvee: the Elysée Palace’s cider
The Cidrerie du Domaine de Kervéguen has been supplying its Prestige Carpe Diem cider to the Elysée Palace since 1997. Elaborated in the same way as straw wines (once they’ve been picked, the apples continue to ripen indoors for several weeks), this cuvee is an outstanding old-fashioned cider resulting from organic farming and aged in oak barrels.

Are food and cider pairings a known thing?

There’s nothing new about opening a bottle of cider to accompany galettes and crepes! But, depending on their temperaments, ciders also make excellent companions to a whole host of other products and recipes, including seafood, charcuterie, fish, white meats (poultry and pork), such cheeses as camembert and fruit tarts in general (not just apple tart!)..