Fête du Cidre de Saint-Pierre-des-Nids

The Fête du Cidre: Living heritage at the gates of Normandy

Nestled in northeastern Mayenne, on the borders of Maine and Normandy, the commune of Saint-Pierre-des-Nids perpetuates a centuries-old tradition every autumn: traditional cider making. The Fête du Cidre is a popular gathering that brings together locals and visitors around this ancestral art, in a friendly and warm atmosphere.

Traditional Cider Making

The heart of the festival is the cider-making demonstration using old methods, in two stages:

Crushing with the Gadage

The first stage involves crushing the apples in a gadage, a circular stone press around which a horse turns. This traditional device, used in Mayenne and Norman farms for centuries, grinds the fruit into a thick pulp called marc. The sight of the horse patiently turning around the millstone is one of the most popular moments of the festival.

Traditional Pressing

In a second step, the apple marc is placed in a traditional wooden and metal press. Under progressive pressure, the juice slowly flows to become the must which, after fermentation, will yield cider. Visitors can follow each step of the process and ask questions to the passionate volunteers who lead the demonstrations.

A Remarkable Cider Region

Saint-Pierre-des-Nids is located in a prime cider-producing region, on the border between Mayenne and Orne. The surrounding hedgerow landscape still hosts many cider apple orchards, testament to an agricultural tradition that long made cider the daily drink of the West of France. The Fête du Cidre helps to promote and value this pomological heritage.

Activities and Tastings

Alongside the making demonstrations, the festival offers additional activities:

• Tasting of cider and fresh apple juice
• Presentation by local beekeepers
• Stands from the Croqueurs de Pommes d'Argentan association
• Sale of local products: apples, honey, jams
• Educational activities on cider apple varieties

Transmission and Camaraderie

The Fête du Cidre is above all a moment of transmission. The elders share with the younger generations a know-how that was in danger of being lost, while visitors discover a little-known aspect of the rural heritage of Mayenne. The event helps to keep alive the memory of the farming world and its artisanal skills.