The best addresses in Ardèche Hermitage to buy local and organic products
Rhône valley fruits, truffles from the Drôme des Collines, Ardèche chestnuts… so many local productions that provide further evidence of our terroir of excellence. Here, fruits and vegetables are enjoyed accordingly to the seasons, short supply circuits are promoted and the will to reduce our ecological footprint is strong. Following, some of our good addresses of organic producers in Ardèche Hermitage region.
Organic fruits and vegetables through the seasons
From the Rhone valley to the Ardèche Verte Mountains through the Drôme des collines, fruit trees culture shape the landscapes. During the spring, orchards covered in flowers offer a wonderful spectacle. Cherries, apricots, peaches, raspberries… From May to October, harvests follow one another and fruits are enjoyed. The Domaine Breyton in Beaumont-Monteux produces numerous organic fresh fruits: its cherries, apricots, peaches, apples and pears are only buyable directly on the farm.
Good fruits but also good vegetables, our market gardeners treat us all year long. "L'Abeille et la Blette" in Saint Félicien is one of the organic producers from Ardèche Hermitage. They manifest the same will to respect the nature rhythm, to pick up ripe fruits and vegetables, to support biodiversity and produce healthy products: beyond a commitment, a true conviction. You can meet them on the Saint Felicien market on Sunday mornings.
A nice cheese platter
Mmmm ! A nice and creamy Saint Félicien, well no! Even if its name comes from the eponym village, today there is not any producer of Saint Félicien cheese in Saint Félicien. Why make it simple when we can make it complicated, as says a French proverb? Nevertheless, we still find some delicious and organic goat cheeses: The Fromagerie du Roule, located in Colombier-le-Vieux is a family own farm, which diversified its production at each generation. Today they produce all organic goat and cow cheeses, and even mixes of both.
Organic producers from Ardèche Hermitage and their sweets
Jams, fruit juices, syrups, nougat, honey, some bits of terroir and softness to enjoy without moderation, and always organic certified. Ardèche Hermitage Organic producers will treat you through organic gourmet and simple products like strawberry and raspberry juices syrups, and fruit jellies from Entre 2 champs. In 2018, Maryne Caillet buys a small fruits producing farm (strawberries and raspberries) on Eclassan. In 2019, her food-processing laboratory is created in Tournon-sur-Rhône, and today she produces delicious treats made from her fruits, a 100% local and organic production! This young producer sells her creations in numerous shops in Ardèche : like a little pieces of terroir that we can take with us.
On another savory note, Jonathan produces excellent organic chestnuts, apples and small fruits (strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants…) that he transforms in fruit juices and jams. All of his products are organic, a true committed approach. Jonathan sells today his products in several organic shops, but also in the famous market of Saint Félicien, taking place every Friday.
A young generation of producers, in love with good products and sharing their passion for the terroir.
In Ardèche Verte, you will also find a nougat producer : an organic nougat producer on top of that! He describes himself as a farmer confectioner. He chose to work with organic methods since the creation of his business. A true will to work with a 100% local production explain the absence of pistachio in his nougat, but it doesn’t lose its wonderful taste!
You would have guessed it, impossible to produce all these good local fruits without pollinating insects, and especially bees. The hives are settle on Pailahrés, in a 9-hectare site located at an altitude of 850 meters, where bees enjoy the biodiversity in our mountains of Ardèche region. A quality and organic certified honey to enjoy!
Organic wine pairing!
Our winegrowers are also committed towards more environmental friendly practices to preserve our soils and landscapes. Biodynamic culture, organic wines, natural wines… We sometime get lost among all these denominations. Yet we notice a shared will to preserve biodiversity and to produce good wines while reducing as much as possible the impact on the natural environment. The designation organic wine only appeared in 2012 following the European regulation, which previously mentioned “wine from organic viticulture”.
Today, the designation Crozes-Hermitage, whose vineyard is the largest of the Côte du Rhône nord, has 20% of its surface area organically grown. A true conversion lead since about ten years by winemakers caring about the protection of their land and their cépage.
Michel Chapoutier is among the first ones in the nineties to pay a particular attention to his soils and landscapes. Most of his vineyard is organic. His engagement for biodynamic agriculture is noticeable through the obtaining of the label Demeter, whose strict technical specifications show a true will to protect a living terroir.
Fourteen winemakers of the territory offer today a wide assortment of organic wines. Since 10 years, the Cooperative winery of Tain makes their adherents aware of sustainable development by promoting engaged initiatives. It offers today a nice assortment of organic wines with affordable costs.
The domaine de la Ville Rouge, Laurent Habrard, Clairmont, the Domaine Beyton, the Domaine des Collines, Gilles Robin, François Tardy, as many independent winemakers making high quality wine certified organic. It’s up to you to choose between all the organic producers of Ardèche Hermitage, and between our three beautiful designations: Hermitage, Saint Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.
Prepare your next gourmet stay in Drôme and Ardèche region! Local markets, producers visits, wineyards discovery, food tastings, gourmet workshops : as many opportunity to meet Ardèche Hermitage organic producers!