Saint-Malo Local Customs

Kersac cider produced by the Guillet Family uses the finest Breton's finest apples. The apples are harvested and left ripen in September for 3 weeks, then stored in low temperature (8-10 degrees). Its a dry taste. Some may find not sweet enough and some love it. Try!!

Cider is very popular in the Province of Brittany. In St. Malo they serve it in every eatery. There are different kinds (just like beer).

The "cidre de table", everyday cider bottled in any container (this is what we drank).

The "cidre bouché", of higher quality that has to be bottled in a Champagne bottle and corked. The "cidre fermier" is produced only with the fruits of the producer.

The "cidre nouveau" is the first made in the year and is available from the 1st of October to the 1st of March.

The "poiré" is a hard cider made with pears instead of apples (now this one could be interesting).

We saw this man playing his homemade guitar as we walked along the rampart walls. Although it was a very rustic looking instrument, he made beautiful music. He didn't really notice the people as they walked by, he was so deeply involved in his playing. Note he did have a tip box.

I thought it was interesting that the Breton language is the only Celtic language spoken on the continent. It was spoken by more than a million people at the beginning of the 20th century. Recent surveys show that 250,000 people speak the language daily and 600,000 people are capable of understanding it. A large majority of the Breton speakers are old and it is estimated that 15,000 of them disappear every year.

However, the Breton language is beginning to show its presence in institutional life. The Côtes d'Armor and Finistère departments now provide bilingual signposts on all major department roads. A number of towns do the same thing in their area. The language is even being used in advertising and shop sign-posting.

And this town is in France...

We saw these fellows playing a game that looked like bocce ball, actually it's the French version.

P?tanque, pronounced "pay-tonk", one of Europe's most popular outdoor games, is a distant cousin of horseshoes and a close relative of bocce. The game originated in the Provence in the early 1900's. The aim is to toss, or roll a number of steel balls as close as possible to a small wooden aim ball, called "but" or "cochonnet" (meaning "piglet" in French).

Players take turns, and whoever ends up closest to the aim ball when all balls are played, wins. Unlike horseshoes, where the aim stake is fixed, petanques' aim ball may be hit at any time, which can completely turn around the score at the last second. And whereas the official bocce rules call for a prepared court, with markers and sideboards, petanque can be played on most outdoor surfaces, anytime you feel like. No special skill is required, and a game lasts as long as you want it to. The French usually add wine or pasti!