A “behind the scene” tour of “Made in Brittany” products
A “behind the scene” tour of “Made in Brittany” products
Whether they manufacture biscuits or preserves, are involved in salt mining or ship building, the local industries and craftsmen of Brittany open their doors to share their manufacturing secrets with you.
The Breton tradition of biscuit-making, its history, the values of a company anchored in the local economy are all celebrated during the visit to the Biscuiterie de Saint-Brieuc, offered by the Tourism Office of the Baie of Saint-Brieuc. Over 60 recipes have been put together according to a traditional crafted method. Butter and Guérande salt are the basic ingredients of the Breton “palet” biscuits and cakes; among them the well-known kouign amann. Caramel specialities and other Confibreizh (Breton preserves) are also manufactured there. A moment of pure delight!
You cannot mention Guérande without a reference to salt! This flagship product of the French gastronomy owes its fame to the salt workers’ know-how. Following a tradition dating back centuries, these artisans harvest, sort and sieve, by hand, this precious mineral, fruit of the ocean and the wind across 2,000 hectares of marshland. Let’s head for Terre de sel, a subsidiary of the “Salines de Guérande” cooperative for a guided tour at the heart of the salt marshes.
Do you know that the region around Roscoff has got the highest concentration of algae in the whole of Europe? It counts more than 800 species out of which 12 have been deemed fit for human consumption. A gold mine for the Algoplus company, founded in 1993 by Monique Poulet and Michel Perzinsky; two individuals passionate about the sea who are convinced of the gustatory merits of algae. Today, they can be found in rillettes (a coarse pâté), soups and a range of mustards. Why not use the guided tour of the artisanal sea canning factory to learn more about the transformation of algae and the job of the goémonier (seaweed harvester). A tasting session will evidently feature on the menu!
The canning factory of Belle Iloise opened its doors in Quiberon in 1932, ready to transform the fish freshly landed on its neighbouring shores. Today, according to the season, sardines, tunas and mackerels are still worked by hand according to traditional craftsmanship. It is the best method to preserve the taste of fish. You can watch the workers of the sardine canning factory hard at work during a guided tour of the current factory workshops. The visit will end with a tasting of its products, which are distributed across a network of 80 shops.
Mythical creatures such as the Normandie and the France, collossal beasts like the Queen Mary 2 and the Harmony of the sea; all these ocean liners were “made in Saint-Nazaire ». When you visit the “Chantier de l’Atlantique” shipyard, you will be able to see, in action, the gigantic gantry cranes which are capable of lifting vessel parts as high as tower blocks. Impressed! Another giant of the sea manufacturer in the city harbour is the wind turbine! At the beginning of 2022, the offshore park of Saint-Nazaire, which will count 80 units, will be the first of its kind to be operated in France. Since Feburary 2019, a wind power discovery centre enables the public to better understand this technology. The permanent and interactive facility provides opportunities for visitors to have fun, take part in scientific experiments as well as experience wonder.
