In France, on average 5.4 litres of cider are drunk per year and per household. Brittany produces 40% of the French cider. Since the 8th of July, 2014, the cider is officially part of the French heritage.
The French cider market
In France, 1.6 million hectolitres of cider are packed and sold each year, which generates a 185 million euro global turnover. The 10 most important cider-makers produce 85% of the production.
What’s more, 90% of the production is sold in the country and the 10% remaining is exported. 70% of the cider is sold through the volume retailing and 30% through the extra-domestic consumption (restaurants, creperies, bakeries…)
The French cider is mainly produced in Brittany and Normandy, but also in a part of the Pays de la Loire and of the Nord-Picardie regions. Finally, it is also produced in Pays d’Othe, Savoie and French Basque Country.
The different French ciders
The French cider is available in many varieties; here are the most common ones:
- Cidre Doux: it is a sweet cider up to 3% alcohol,
- Demi-sec: semy-dry cider that contains between 3% and 4% alcohol,
- Cidre brut: dry bitter cider of about 4% alcohol.
- Cidre traditionnel: it is characterised by a more intense savour, a lightly cloudy natural residual with more than 4% alcohol content.
