Celebrating Normandy – All Things Camembert 🧀🇫🇷
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First published: October 2025
Last updated: November 2025
Explore more about local customs, traditional festivals, and the heart of Normandy countryside life.
Camembert isn’t just a cheese — it’s a symbol of Normandy’s rich culinary identity and rustic charm. Whether baked over an open fire or served with crusty baguette and Normandy cider, Camembert is one of the region’s best-known gourmet treasures. And its history is just as flavourful as the cheese itself.
📜 The Story of Camembert
The legend of Camembert cheese begins in 1791, when a farmer in the village of Camembert (Orne) named Marie Harel first produced it. Over the next century, Camembert gained popularity across France, becoming a favourite of none other than Napoleon Bonaparte.
According to local lore, Napoleon insisted that Camembert be available wherever he travelled. But in order for it to stay fresh, a solution was needed. The famous white bloomy rind was developed — a natural protective skin that allows Camembert to mature while retaining moisture, aroma, and creamy flavour. This innovation made Camembert easier to transport and preserve.
If you want to understand Camembert beyond the cheese counter, head to the village de Camembert in the Orne. This tiny rural hamlet — often simply called the village camembert — sits among green pastures and traditional dairy farms, the landscape that gave birth to what we now know as Camembert Orne. Visitors can explore the small museum, learn about Marie Harel’s original recipe, and soak up the quiet, authentic atmosphere that still shapes cheesemaking in this part of Normandy.
🐄 Gavray Camembert – From Farm to Fork
When staying at our gîte, don’t miss the opportunity to try Gavray Camembert, produced just 15 minutes’ drive from the gîte at the Fromagerie Val-de-Sienne in the village of Gavray. It’s one of the last dairies in Normandy that uses raw milk from local herds and traditional hand-ladling methods — meaning the Norman cows live beside the cheese dairy where the milk is collected daily.
The Val-de-Sienne dairy is the smallest producer within the AOP Camembert de Normandie designation. Every day, Pierre Marty and his team make around 1,700 Camemberts, each one hand-moulded with five ladles spaced 45 minutes apart. Maturation lasts a minimum of 21 days, allowing the signature earthy aromas to develop fully. The richness of the surrounding pastures gives this Camembert its complex and full-bodied flavour.
This is one of the last producers of farmhouse Camemberts using traditional ladling. If you're looking for an authentic Normandy food experience — this is it! Gavray Camembert is not mass-produced, so it's only available in local supermarkets in and around Coutances and Gavray.
The cheese is certified AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée), and is vegetarian-friendly — made from raw milk, and hand-moulded to retain its deep, creamy flavour. Pair it with local cider or Calvados (or Calva for a truly authentic Normandy farm experience), and you’ll understand why Normandy cuisine is treasured worldwide.
🔥 How to Bake Camembert Like a Norman Farmer
Want to enjoy baked Camembert cheese the Normandy way? Forget fancy kitchen tools — all you need is a good quality cheese, a splash of Calvados, and some heat. This is a great way to enjoy Gavray Camembert when you visit, especially during a countryside picnic, barbecue, or cosy evening by the fire at the gîte.
🧀 Normandy Recipe: Farmer Style Camembert with Calvados
This indulgent twist on baked Camembert captures the rustic, creamy essence of Normandy with a splash of Calvados. This is how Normandy farmers do it — with fire, spirit (literally), and lots of bread.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole Camembert (in a wooden box, such as Gavray Camembert)
- 2–3 tbsp Calvados or Calva (Normandy apple brandy)
- Fresh crusty baguette (tradition) or rustic bread
Method:
- Remove Camembert from its wrapping and place it back into the wooden box.
- Farmer style: Use a horse hypodermic needle filled with Calva and inject straight into the cheese.
- For normal people: Score the top in a criss-cross and pour Calvados generously over it.
- Place the box directly onto an open fire and leave until the box begins to blacken.
- Alternatively: Put on a barbecue and leave until it blackens.
- Or for indoor cooks: Place the box on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C for about 15–20 minutes.
- Remove carefully and serve immediately with warm, fresh crusty baguette for dipping.
Tip: For a truly authentic Normandy experience, pair with chilled local cider or a small glass of Calva.
🧳 Bringing Camembert Home from Normandy
If you're planning your Normandy holiday, don’t miss a stop at a local fromagerie or market. You’ll find Camembert de Normandie in various maturations — from soft and mild to strong and oozy. Ask for help at the cheese counter if you're unsure which to choose.
And yes — you can bring Camembert home to the UK! (Just keep it chilled and double-wrapped.)
📍 Visit Fromagerie Val-de-Sienne
📌 Fromagerie Val-de-Sienne – Gavray-sur-Sienne
Smallest dairy in the AOP designation
Produces approx. 35,000 Camemberts per year
Collects raw milk daily from four local farms
Website: Fromagerie du Val de Sienne
🍽️ Why Normandy is a Cheese Lover’s Paradise
Normandy cheeses include Camembert, Pont-l'Évêque, Livarot, and Neufchâtel — all famous in their own right. You’ll find them at local food markets in Normandy alongside cider, butter, and Calvados.
It’s one of the many reasons people book self catering accommodation in Normandy France — to enjoy authentic cooking experiences using the finest local produce.
Planning your own trip? Check our Availability and book direct to experience the best of Norman cuisine right from the comfort of your own gîte.