Gourmet Trail: The Ardennes’ Larder

The French Ardennes is rightly proud of its local produce, and the tourist board manages the ‘Ardennes de France’ collective label, promoting more than 200 products from 60 members. The brand – which covers everything from fine salt meats, beer, ewe’s milk cheese, red turkeys, saffron, macaroons and chocolates to food-related tourism products – is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2017 with a planned series of special events.

(Sometimes it’s possible for visitors to visit the Ardennes de France showcase–with an exhibition of local products in the French Ardennes Tourist Board building in the Place Ducale in the regional capital of Charleville-Mézières. Similar exhibitions also take place at the Woinic shop at the A34 motorway services ‘Aire des Ardennes’ (exit 14) near Faissault; and at the Val d’Ardenne Tourist Office in Vireux-Wallerand.)

Naturally, the region’s restaurants are keen to promote their use of local produce in the pursuit of fine dining and the Cercle des Restaurateurs Ardennais has laid out a gourmet trail from Rethel to the north of the Ardennes.

For more on the Ardennes de France brand and the gourmet trail, visit www.ardennes-de-france.com and www.restaurateursdardennes.fr.

From France Today magazine