Breizh

Taste Breton specialties

Written by Charlotte
18 nov. 2024
Taste Breton specialties

Discovering specialties in Brittany

Pancakes, galettes, seafood, cider, salted butter caramel, big ha farz, lobster, scallops, cookies, fleur de sel... set out to conquer the sweet and savoury Breton specialities!

Top 10 Breton specialities

Would you like to immerse yourself in the Finistère region before you arrive at your campsite in North Finistère?
Discover our selection of Breton specialities to prepare and enjoy at home:

  • Crêpes and galettes: Sweet or savoury, this essential dish from Brittany is known throughout France and the world. So much so, in fact, that it has its own festival (Chandeleur) and places to enjoy it, the traditional crêperies. A distinction is made between wheat crepes (cream-colored, generally sweet) and buckwheat crepes (darker, larger, generally salty). Sugar, jam, butter, spread, banana, strawberries and chocolate are the most common fillings on wheat pancakes. Buckwheat pancakes or galettes bretonnes can contain a multitude of ingredients: cheese, eggs, vegetables, meat, spices...
  • Galette saucisse: A popular Breton specialty, often found in refreshment bars during sporting events and local festivals, especially fest-noz. Take a large pork sausage, wrap it in a buckwheat pancake and you're done. Mustard is often added to the Breton hot dog.
  • Oysters: Like all regions with a vast seafront, Brittany is a land of quality seafood. Cancale oysters are particularly coveted, and are best enjoyed on a terrace overlooking the sea.
  • Andouille de Guéméné: Some 40 km north of Lorient, the Morbihan village of Guémené is famous for its andouille sausage. Its powerful taste and strong aroma give it a special character, which charcuterie enthusiasts owe it to themselves to discover.
  • Butter: Yes, but salty! Almost all Bretons will tell you so. This product is used to cook food and make cakes, and is spread on toast at every meal.
  • Far Breton: Take some butter, eggs, sugar, milk and flour and head for the oven to make your first Far Breton! Some patisseries offer fars with prunes, which are simply exquisite!
  • Kouign-amann: Another Breton dessert from Douarnenez, very high in calories but so delicious! Its name means "butter cake" in Breton, and it's said to have been invented in the mid-19th century.
  • Breton cake: This buttery pastry, originally from Lorient in the Morbihan region of Brittany, is distinguished by its sandy, crumbly dough. To vary the pleasures, some artisans add prunes, raspberries, rum and orange blossom.
  • Chouchen: If a Breton invites you to drink a "petit coup de chouchen", it's best to find out what it's all about before making friends. Chouchen is an alcoholic beverage made from honey fermented in water. This honey wine, similar to mead, is best consumed in moderation.
  • Cidre: A bowl of cidre with a galette, a perfect combination in a crêperie for a culinary journey to the heart of Brittany.