In Livarot, cheese and life
A little far from the sea, from Deauville, Trouville and Cabourg,
Livarot
is discreet.
Yet the small town of Calvados conceals many treasures.
The first is Life, a watercourse that bears its name well: recently renaturalized, it is now home to many aquatic species and crosses the village.
So you just have to follow Life to discover Livarot.
Known first for its round cheese with a soft paste and a washed orange rind, Livarot is home to the Graindorge cheese factory.
This regional institution offers tours to learn about the manufacturing stages of Norman cheeses, from milk to packaging.
For a more rustic encounter with the “colonel”, the nickname given to the livarot for the three strips that surround its crust, a trip to a nearby farm is a must.
But before hitting the road again, the village steam engine is worth a visit.
Just ask for the keys at the adjoining media library to discover this impressive machine, retired since the sixties.
Still maintained today, it produced the energy for making poplar cheese boxes for more than half a century.
Stroll and nice table
The table d'hôtes at Ferme Balder offers cuisine in the image of Normandy, authentic, generous, giving pride of place to taste.
Balder Farm
After a stroll in the woods around Livarot, where you can, along a path, come across the
rotating
stone, a Norman menhir more than two meters high, head to the Balder Farm for the night.
This brand new guest house and lodgings, about fifteen minutes from Livarot, relies on calm with breathtaking views of the Auge Valley.
Normans of origin, Caroline and Émilie, worked in finance before returning to put their bags in Calvados.
No question of leaving, the two young women decided to renovate the farm with an ecological and local bias.
This is evidenced by the heat pump, manufactured in the Channel, which supplies the premises by reducing energy consumption by five.
From the farm, several hiking trails allow up to three hours of stroll in the hilly Norman grove.
On the way back, nothing better than to sit at the
table d'hôtes
.
The cuisine is simmered using vegetables from the nearby market gardeners, when they are not growing in the property's vegetable garden, and meat prepared by Stéphane Ruffier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France butcher in Argentan.
On the menu: traditional which gives pride of place to plants.
After an Orbec mushroom velouté and a Vallée d'Auge chicken, save a place for the Norman cheese platter: livarot, pont l'Évêque, camembert and Neufchâtel… In “farmhouse” version, these savory sweets are far from the standards of the dairy industry.
Cambremer, its gardens and its gourmet addresses
A serene night's sleep later and without forgetting to say hello to the farm animals, departure for
Cambremer
.
The Pays d'Auge gardens are an institution that deserves a detour before its annual winter closure.
On more than three hectares, Armelle and Jacques Note, a couple of passionate nurserymen, have fashioned lush gardens instead of fields.
An exceptional work over decades which today allows everyone a meditative and joyful walk, constantly punctuated by floral surprises.
Garden of scents, purple garden, boxwood garden, herb garden or water garden ... If some areas deserve to be visited in spring or summer, the whole is really worth the detour in the fall, when many flowers are still present to see nature scorching.
In Cambremer, two thirds of the grocery store comes from a cellar of cider products from the Pays d'Auge and wines.
The Cambremer grocery store
At the exit of the gardens, a beautiful cellar, that of Pierre Huet Calvados, can be visited.
Then direction the center of Cambremer, a small preserved Norman village.
Opposite the church, residents line up at the new grocery store.
Renovated in a vintage style, it houses all the treasures of the area: farm livarot from the Saint Hippolyte estate, perry and cider from Antoine Marois, pinot noir from Argentan, Norman tome, farm fresh eggs, raw milk cream ... no stop for soft caramels to offer or, why not, loose legumes and Norman sausage.
In the evening, all you have to do is knock on the door of the adjoining kitchen laboratory to order a burger with camembert or homemade barbecue sauce.
The bread comes from the village bakery and the meat from the butcher… ultra-short circuit and comforting result, perfect for an autumn evening.
From Lisieux to Pont-l'Évêque
For a city night in the middle of this Norman weekend, head to the Manoir de l'Évêché, a new address in
Lisieux
.
In a former private mansion, studios for rent per night offer a simple and modern decoration.
We love the cozy lounge in the center of the property, its magnificent fireplace and its club armchairs which stretch out their arms.
In the adjoining wing, a 14-meter swimming pool allows you to relax.
On the top floor, is the restaurant, cozy decor and brasserie menu right in its boots for a simple and pleasantly served meal, with a view of the city gardens.
On the menu: salmon tataki, sweet potato cream and coconut milk, fried flank steak, sea bass with the catch of the day and mashed potatoes… simple well done.
Here too, Norman cheeses are in the spotlight.
Without forgetting the douillon, of the soil as a dessert: an apple baked in the oven and caramelized in its paste.
Norman cheese, quite an art!
Jean-Patrick Gratien / Calvados Attractiveness
The next day, for an exceptional Bishop's Bridge, meet at Jérôme Spruytte's farm, opposite the church of
Saint-Philbert-des-Champs
.
This artisan of taste produces only this cheese, the only one that is square among the Normans and above all the most fragile of all.
To become the benchmark for Saint Nectaire, Jérôme Spruytte has always bet on the best.
The milk comes from his cows (from Normandy of course) raised without silage.
The farmer processes it still raw, immediately after milking, without cooling it.
The result is a Pont l'Évêque farmer AOP made from raw milk with a perfect balance, sold even in Terroirs d'Avenir stores in Paris, where many chefs are supplied.
1/17 - Livarot, the discreet one.
Perfect starting point for a weekend exploring the surrounding countryside.
Livarot
To stay in the region, the Pont l'Évêque from the Spruytte farm is sold on the market in the eponymous village on Monday morning.
The other days of the week, the Annabelle cheese dairy in the village also offers great Norman discoveries.
After passing through the adjoining wine cellar, think about the sweets and try the 100% chocolate version of Pont l'Évêque at the Mérimée chocolate factory.
To end the walk in this small town at the confluence of three rivers in the region, lose yourself in time at the Legrand drugstore.
As indicated on the storefront "The Legrand drugstore ... it's amazing!", You will find a quality selection of essential products at home ... Something to certainly bring back a gift worthy of your
home sweet home
after a few nights away from him.
Read also: On the Norman lands of the Pays d'Auge, walk in the land of Camembert
Two good addresses
AT TABLE
Inn of the two barrels
A key address in the region, this quality inn near Pont L'Évêque is known for its breathtaking view of the Normandy countryside, its thatched roof and its cozy room with a comforting fireplace.
Perfect table for an autumn meal, here we eat well-dressed dishes: artisan black pudding and apple puree, steak with Camembert, house fries, teurgoule and granita with calvados.
Auberge des deux tonneaux, Le Bourg, 14130 Pierrefitte-en-Auge.
Phone.
: 02 31 64 09 31.
The Little Gourmand
A new quality bistro address with fresh local produce, here is finally the table that was lacking in Livarot.
Andouille millefeuille, apple and Pont l'Évêque, Auge valley poultry, pepper sauce tab and apple crumble… The slate bends with the season and the decoration is in tune with the times.
Le Petit Gourmand, 12 rue du Maréchal Foch, 14140 Livarot.
Phone.
: 02 31 31 43 36.
OR SLEEP
The Enchanted Rooster
Le Coq Enchanté is a haven of rest with a chic contemporary countryside decor, perfect for a family weekend.
Enchanted Rooster
With its contemporary lodgings halfway, towards Cambremer, which can accommodate from 2 to 8 people, the estate is a real haven of rest with a chic contemporary countryside decor, perfect for a family weekend.
In addition to the houses, guests can take advantage of the sauna in the middle of the fields and a catering service for fresh, local meals.
Imagined by Anne-Sophie Batteur, the Coq Enchanté continues to evolve and should soon transform one of its lodgings into high-end guest rooms.
Another new feature to come: the estate's restaurant, until now only open in summer, will open year-round from 2021.
250 euros per night for a cottage for 4 people.
Le Coq Enchanté, Impasse du Lavoir, 14340 Cambremer.
Phone.
: 02 31 31 9 037.