The maritime influence and the secret and wild character of the Breton countryside come together in this charmed region. The river meanders along with its sandy or rocky coves, natural ports, and islets where gorse bushes grow. The enchantment reaches its peak in the spring, when the valley gives off the suave scent of apple trees in flower in their orchards. Despite the mild climate, the Rance region has, for the past several centuries, specialised in top-quality ciders rather than early-season apples.

These ciders impressed Louis XIV, who often relied on the well-informed advice of his gardener Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie. Ripening in the orchards are varieties such as Chaperonnais, Jeanne-Renards, Marie-Ménards from the Côtes-d'Armor, Doux-Evêques and Irish apples. Some of these varieties, which appeared at the height of the Middle Ages, come with legends that the cider-growers are happy to relate, with a sparkling eye, over a bowl of chilled cider. The Doux-Evêque, which has a golden-yellow colour reminiscent of the fruit of the mythical garden of Hesperides, owes its name to the visit of a bishop during the evangelisation of the Rance valley. Travelling by river, the prelate took refuge on its banks when the water level suddenly rose due to the tide. He sought shelter under an apple tree, tasted the apples upon his awakening, found them exquisite and decided to introduce them elsewhere. As for the Marin-Onfroy, it landed in Normandy in 1655 thanks to a Spanish sailor, then colonised Brittany!

Gently placed in the hollow of a small wicker basket, these eating apples perfume the rooms of Rimains and Richeux, while ciders have their place on my menu. The key to cider-making is in the mix of sweet, bitter-sweet and bitter apples. While about 40 per cent of the apples used for cider are bitter, acidic apples brighten the flavour, giving it freshness and bite.

In the Rance region, cider is traditionally used as a welcome. Not long ago, country dwellers would show respect by inviting you to the cellar and offering you a bowl of cider before leading you to their house, allowing guests to appreciate the quality of their cider. A competitive spirit reigned among the cider producers - each tried to make cider which was as good, or better, than the neighbour's. Their reputation was at stake. A daunting task, as cider rarely has a shelf life of more than a year... In the "Entrepot", Bertrand offers you the best Breton ciders which allow us to discover flavours that vary greatly according to the land, the varieties and the taste desired by the cider producers themselves.

At any time of day, you can soak up the atmosphere over a "bolée".