Gourmet Mayenne

Morning

<1/ Start of the day at the market in Château-Gontier or Craon 

With its wealth of local produce, the Mayenne region's gastronomic delights are waiting to be discovered at the departmental markets (see list below). Farmhouse beef and cheeses, home-made jams and beers, fresh fruit and vegetables, organic breads and much more. Discover the delicious products of Mayenne producers who are proud of their land and proud to share a certain art of living with you. Short circuits, respect for the environment and local produce are values rooted at the heart of the Mayenne!

2/ Choc' visit to the Réauté 

Madeleine and Roland RÉAUTÉ founded a bakery-pâtisserie in 1954, which was then taken over by their children in 1989, who specialised in chocolate. And so the magic began. In 1998, the first shop was opened, which was to be the starting point for the 60-store expansion that is now underway in France. Taken over by the BUTON family group in 2015, the traditions and values of the RÉAUTÉ family continue to exist.  

A 4-stage tour has been created to allow you to enter and discover the world of chocolate:

               ◊ Travel from cacao to chocolate
                    > Décover the journey of transforming cocoa beans into chocolate à through a film.

                ◊ Test your senses
                    > Gourmet and sensory experience

               ◊ Appréciez le savoir-faire
                    > Découvrir les différentes façons de travailler le chocolat

                ◊ Witness the expertise of our biscuit makers
                    > Go behind the scenes at the biscuit-making workshop

Practical information :

                √ Visits are free of charge during opening hours;shop opening hours Monday to Saturday
                √ Guided tour;e is on réservation for a group of minimum 8 people from Monday to Friday from 9:30 à 11h or from 14h à 17h 
              √ The visit is accessible to people à mobilité réduite 

Déjeuner

• Picnic and tasting of local produce freshly bought on the market in the morning (picnic tables at the Cider Museum)

Après-Midi

<1/ Découvrez l'histoire du travail de la pomme au musée du cidre à Lassay-les-Châteaux

Recently renovated, this museum invites you to discover the Domaine de la Duretiere. From production to bottling, a new tour route and videos give you an insider's view of how apples are made. The estate also has a cider house, a still and an ageing cellar. Respectful of nature, all the orchards and meadows are farmed organically by their ewes. The museum is located where the fruit is produced and processed (apples, cider and pears).

Practical information :

√ A shop with the cidery's boutiques, local products and souvenirs is present on site to make all your purchases 

Prices :

• Adult : 5€
• Child 6-17 years : 3€
• Family pass (2 à 5 children): 15€

2/ Short stop at V'n'B 

Eager to’go for a drink ? There are 5 V’n’B in Mayenne !

The V’n’B was founded in 2001 as part of the afterwork trend. Enjoy a drink at the onsite côté bar after your day, or take away the product of your choice. The head office in Château-Gontier boasts a warm and friendly shop: 350 beers, 300 wines, 200 whiskies and 100 rums from around the world.

Dîner 

Dîner à your Gîtes de France® Mayenne accommodation or at the restaurant :

• L’Eveil des Sens à Mayenne : this gourmet restaurant welcomes you in a pure and warm setting to offer simple and inventive cuisine made from local seasonal produce, favouring short circuits. Nicolas NOBIS, a chef with 40 years' experience, makes the most of local produce and has listed the producers he works with in his restaurant. The producers' products come directly from the market or from the farm.