La Ferme des Martellières

From orchards to the press

When we arrive at the place called Sept Forges, we easily find Les Martellière, a typical Norman farm from the beginning of the 20th century. It has a large sloping roof and thick exposed stone walls highlighted by elegant geraniums.

At the entrance to the cellars, Louise welcomes us with a big smile.

As the weather is fine, we are lucky enough to start the visit with a tour of the orchard.

There are several varieties of pear and apple trees whose fruit is harvested between September and October and then pressed to collect the juice.

Then, Louise leads us inside the building where the press and vats are located. Once the fruit has been sorted, washed and dried, it is crushed with the skin and seeds. The flesh is then pressed to extract the juice which will be stored in the vats and left to ferment. The production of Normandy cider or perry follows the same process.