Top 7 culinary specialities in Le Havre

Le Havre doesn’t have a real gastronomy of its own like the Basque Country or Brittany. On the other hand, its geographical position and proximity to La Manche opens the door to fish lovers, who will be delighted to eat the catch of the day at lunchtime. That said, some of Normandy’s specialities are found all over the world, making it a great gastronomic region.

1- Scallops

Like an institution in French gastronomy, the best scallops come straight from Normandy, and more specifically from Calvados. There is a wide variety of scallops in France, but only one has the Label Rouge quality mark: the Normandy scallop. You can eat these delicious molluscs in a variety of ways. Plain, with garlic butter or in a casserole, there’s sure to be a way to cook them that suits you. Scallops are the star of the festive season and go wonderfully well with a glass of dry white wine.

2- Normandy apple tart

Let’s go from one flavour to another. The Normandy apple tart is an essential part of French sweet cuisine. The real apples used for this tart come from Calvados, where Le Havre is the county town. There’s nothing simpler than this dessert. It’s made from puff pastry filled with chopped Calvados apples. To give the tart an extra flavour, we add half a glass of calvados liqueur, a powerful local alcohol that I’ll tell you about next. Once the tart is ready, you’re free to enjoy it hot or cold.

3- Calvados cream

As mentioned above, crème de calvados is an eau-de-vie made from 2-year-old raw calvados. It is then blended with a cream liqueur, sugar and caramel to give a sweet taste. The preparation is similar to whisky cream. The taste is very pronounced. The first taste is very sweet, that of caramel, followed by apple and then a touch of vanilla. It is usually drunk either as an aperitif, or with a dessert such as vanilla ice cream or a Norman apple tart.

4- Camembert

It’s no longer in the limelight, so famous is it in the four corners of the globe. Camembert is not universally acclaimed. Many people are afraid to taste this cheese with its very pungent smell. However, as the saying goes, “the more it stinks, the better it tastes! Camembert de Normandie is a cheese made from the raw milk of Normandy cows. Norman know-how has been rewarded with an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) and an Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) . Ideal for an aperitif with small slices of bread, ideal for a dish when baked in the oven, ideal for a fresh salad, Camembert cheese goes everywhere.

5- Teurgoule

Teurgoule is not a very common dessert in France. However, in the town of Le Havre, this dessert is a veritable emblem. It’s a kind of sweet rice pudding, flavoured with cinnamon. Two special features make this dessert unique. Firstly, the dessert is cooked in a terrine specially designed for the occasion. These terrines are mainly made by family-run potteries. Secondly, the cooking time is relatively long. Teurgoule is cooked over a very low heat for around five hours. To accompany this dessert, it is customary to eat it with fallue, a Norman brioche and cider.

6- Norman sole

Normandy sole is one of the region’s must-try dishes. You’ll have the chance to eat freshly caught sole the same day. Normandy sole is prepared in a delicious sauce made with butter, mushrooms and cider. It is then served with melting potatoes.

7- Cider

Let me warn you straight away, I’m not here to make enemies. I love Bretons as much as Normans. As with Mont Saint-Michel, the debate continues as to whether cider is Breton or Norman. Let’s just say that each has its own speciality. Normandy cider is made by fermenting apple juice. Renowned the world over, Normandy cider has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). It is best enjoyed with a good dessert, such as a Norman apple tart, or crêpes for our Breton friends.