Passing through the region?
Discover our local specialties…
Renowned for its gastronomy, Normandy knows how to stand out from other French regions. Brighten up your taste buds thanks to the know-how of our producers.
The products of the land
There are many products on offer throughout the year on the territory of the Alabaster Coast. From watercress to flax, including cider, cheese, or ice cream made on the farm, these products can be consumed at any time of the day …
In our valleys
The rich alluvium has favored the establishment of market gardening, where salads, leeks and other vegetables line the bottom of the valleys in regular rows. Present on local markets, some market gardeners also sell their products directly to the farm. At the sources of Durdent and Veules, watercress groves produce this tasty salad with many virtues. Watercress can be enjoyed in different recipes, from soup to a simple salad with cream. Sale of watercress and watercress soup in markets or in watercress beds.
In our lands
The Cauchois agricultural system is mainly based on the breeding and cultivation of cereals which provide good yields on the rich silty soils. In addition to these two pillars, there are other cultures which vary according to the economic situation (rise or fall in prices), the diversity of which offers you a patchwork of plots with colors that change according to the seasons. Industrial crops include rapeseed, flax, potato and sugar beet.
Norman breed meat
The Norman cow is the flagship breed of the territory. This breed of cow is the result of a crossing of three ancient breeds: Cotentine, Augeronne and Cauchoise. At the bend of our roads, you will easily recognize her by her dark “glasses” and her tricolor dress (“quail“, “blond” or “brindle“). It is renowned the world over both for its meat (tasty and marbled) and for its milk with butter and cheese qualities.
As an anecdote: in 1992, the juries of Gault Millau placed the Normande at the top of the best meats.
With a score of 9.1 / 10 and for general opinion:
“We dream of eating it like this more often. Very beautiful almost purple color. Very ripe meat, finely marbled. Good juiciness. Lots of softness and silkiness. Butter with a little nutty taste. Melting meat, extraordinary flavor. “
Many farms offer tasty dairy products (butter, cream, fromage blanc, faisselle) and beef from producer to consumer.
A chewable fruit
As you will have understood, the star fruit of the Normandy region is the apple. It has the particularity of being found in a multitude of varieties. From the Reine de Reinette to the Melrose, the apple is a fruit that can appeal to everyone. The orchards illuminate the Normandy landscapes from spring until autumn, thanks to their pretty white flowers and fruits.
The apple comes in different recipes, such as:
- In compote
- In pie
- In apple juice
- In cider
- In pommel
- In Calvados
- …
Find our local producers to taste our apple-based specialties.
Seafood
Normandy products are not just about products linked to the land. All year round, you can find freshly caught products on the Alabaster Coast on the stalls: sole, plaice, mackerel, herring …
Small-scale coastal fishing
The only port on the Alabaster Coast, Saint-Valery-en-Caux is home to a flotilla of fishing boats (liners-caseyers, trawlers, dories) which, depending on the tides, leave or return to the outer harbor. In Veulettes-sur-Mer, Veules-les-Roses and Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, the fishermen use a smaller boat, the dory, a direct heir to that used by the cod fishermen on the banks of Newfoundland. Its flat bottom allows it to run aground on the beach before being pulled up onto the dike using tractors. Once made of wood, the dories are now made of aluminum, which is stronger and requires less maintenance. The sailors set off in two or three, the time of a tide, to set or raise nets and pots. They are only blocked “on land” in high winds, when the rough seas become too dangerous, but also during high tides because currents that are too strong cause the damage or even loss of the nets. All year round, these boats work and bring you exceptionally fresh fish.
Throughout the seasons
- Soles, squares, dabs, turbots and catfish from March to October.
- Cod, also called cod, from October to March.
- Bass can be fished all year round
- Mackerel in spring,
- The cuttlefish from late April to June,
- Herring in November.
- Meal is caught year round, while lobsters and spiders are more common in spring and summer.
The oyster of Veules-les-Roses
“La Veulaise” is the first oyster from Seine-Maritime raised in the open sea on the foreshore of Veules.
Find it at restaurants, markets or on the beach of Veules-les-Roses to savor its little nutty taste.
Find all these seafood products on the fishermen’s stalls; do not hesitate to ask them for advice on preparation, method and cooking time.
