Normandy & Provence
Orchards and pick your own farms in France
June to November
France splits neatly into two orchard seasons. Provence ripens figs, cherries and stone fruit from June, while Normandy's cider apples come down in October and November, when the pressing barns open for tastings and the calvados stills run.
Cider apples in France
Violette figs in France
Visiting farms in France
- • Most French farms close for a long lunch — arrive before noon or after 2pm.
- • Cider farms sell by the bottle at the gate; take a box if you plan to bring some home.
- • Figs bruise instantly. Pick into a single shallow layer.
Questions people ask
- When is the Normandy cider harvest?
- October and November. Many pommeraies run tasting visits through both months, and pressing days are usually late October.