Apples and Pears Festival

Apples and Pears Festival: a day at the heart of Norman fruit heritage

Every autumn, the Musée du Poiré in Barenton opens its doors for an exceptional day dedicated to the celebration of apples and pears. Established in 1983 in a former Norman farmhouse at La Logeraie, the museum houses a remarkable conservatory orchard with a hundred varieties of pears and apples, witnesses to the fruit richness of the Manche bocage.

A unique pomological exhibition

The highlight of this day is the pomological exhibition, which features dozens of carefully identified and labeled apple and pear varieties. Visitors are invited to bring their own fruits to have them identified by pomology experts, thus perpetuating a precious know-how that helps preserve local fruit biodiversity. This expertise is particularly valued by owners of old orchards who wish to know the varieties of their trees.

Workshops and tastings

Juice pressing workshops allow visitors to discover the traditional techniques of making cider and perry. Participants can witness the crushing and pressing of fruits, and taste the freshly extracted juice. These demonstrations recall the historical importance of cider and perry production in the south of Manche, a region where poiré Domfront has had an appellation d'origine contrôlée since 2002.

An event rooted in the territory

Pommes et Poires en Fête is organized with the support of the Parc naturel régional Normandie-Maine, which manages the Musée du Poiré. The event is part of an initiative to promote the natural and cultural heritage of the Norman bocage, raising public awareness about the preservation of old fruit varieties and the high-stemmed orchard landscapes that characterize the Barenton region. The day is completely free, allowing everyone to enjoy this autumnal celebration of Norman terroir.