The History of the Musée du Cidre
Jean-Yves Prié (1948-2021) and wife Janine founded the Musée du Cidre (The Cider Museum) in 1987 on a farm and orchard dating back to 1850. The family is now the 5th generation of makers on the farm, only recently they began selling it commercially when the museum opened. In 2018 the Musée was updated and expanded to now overlook the cider production. Upon arrival the entrance is flanked by apples trees. There is a large circular cider mill where at one time a horse would have been hitched up to the long wooden arm to whirl about a heavy circular stone that crushed the apples.
To the left is a bottle shop and tasting room where Cider, Pommeau and Calvados can be purchased. In this same area is a spacious gift shop. I spent a bit of time just gazing upwards at the architecture of the old wooden ceiling.
Inside the Musée du Cidré
The museum entrance is across from the bottle shop and definitely worth a visit! The first room has an assortment of collections both on apples and photos of cidermaking in the region. I thought that was enough but was then lead into the new addition with high ceilings and a collection of historical cidermaking equipment.
Son Philippe Prié has taken over the cidermaking duties and his wife Karine the museum and store. Today is it a show piece that has breathtaking views and of course excellent cider!
At Cidre Prié
- 44 different apple varieties
- At the entrance is a conservancy for the apples in the area to keep the really old varieties
- 3 full time employees
- A working farm with milk cows and orchards
Contact for Musée du Cidre and Cidre Prié
- Website: https://www.museeducidre.fr/
Mentions in this Cider Chat
- French Cider Tour | Normandy and Brittany September 18th-24th, 2022
