Page 246 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

244  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

SHOPS AND MARKETS

From the stalls laid out on a Saturday in cheeses, cider and charcuterie – is to be
Vitré to the great covered market in found. There are also many fascinating
Plouescat, Brittany’s weekly food markets shops to be explored, offering other Breton
are key events in the region’s gastronomic goods, among the most distinctive being
life. It is here that the best and freshest striped sailors’ sweaters, Quimper faience
local produce – crisp young veg etables, and craft items, such as ship models, with
glistening seafood, farm-produced a marine theme.

the 1980s. The Cornouaille Château de Belon. Fish and
region produces an excellent seafood can also be bought
cider, which has an AOP from wholesalers and from
classification. Robust and with fish farms (viviers), such as
an orange hue, it goes very those in Audierne, Camaret
well with seafood. and Roscoff. Although
Some producers, such as wholesale prices fluctuate,
Fisselier and Dassonville, they are always sure to be
also offer a wide range of lower than retail prices.
liqueurs made from strawberries The best kinds of oysters
and other suitable kinds of are Nacre des Abers and
fruit, as well as coffee liqueurs Morlaix­Penzé, which have a
made with cider brandy, sweet taste; Aven­Belon,
chouchenn, a mead made which are crisp and sweet;
with cider and honey, Cancale, firm with a nutty
pommeaux (sparkling aftertaste; Paimpolaise,
Artichokes, sold in every market apple wines) and Breton salty with a flavour of
in Brittany whisky. There is also the sea; and the plump
lambig, made by distilling Ria d’Étel.
Markets
cider brandy and ideal Easier to take home
The regular weekly markets for lobster flambé. are sardines, mackerel
are the major outlet for local There were once 75 fillets, slices of tuna
pro duce and local, or even breweries in Brittany, and, and traditionally cured
family, specialities. But they following a decline, there sprats, which are
are not the only choice. To has been a resur gence of canned in factories,
promote their own produce, small independent such as Gonidec, on
certain growers have set up breweries since 1985. The the south coast of
small farmers’ markets on their beers that they produce Brittany. Guérande salt,
own farm premises, where – such as Coreff, a pale Coreff beer jars of samphire and
they sell goat’s cheese, ale, Blanche Hermine and seaweed products are
buttermilk and other produce Telenn Du, a wheat beer – easily also good buys. With 800
from local farms. equal more famous brands. different varieties, the coast
There are farmers’ markets in of Finistère is one of the largest
Ploubazlanec, Plestin les Grèves, Produce of the Sea seaweed­growing areas in the
Lannion and St Brieuc. Circuits world. The benefits of seaweed
gourmands (gastronomic tours) Fresh fish auctions are held in are many and varied. Thalado,
are organized by local produ­ many harbours all along the for example, makes seaweed
cers in an initiative to promote coast of Brittany. If the bath salts, soap, tonic lotions
local delicacies. Organic food idea of attending one and nutritional supplements.
markets are also becoming does not appeal, there The boutique Mer et
popular. A list of all these are alternatives. Oysters Saveurs in Le Guilvinec
markets and the addresses of can be bought at specializes in fresh
the relevant producers are oyster farms, such edible seaweeds
available from tourist offices. as that at the grown locally.

Local Drinks
Thanks to a small group of
cider­makers, such as Éric
Baron, who use traditional
methods, cider has undergone
a revival in popularity since Oysters on a stall in Vivier-sur-Mer

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