A Sweet Stop in Normandy: La Maison du Biscuit – Tradition, Family & French Charm
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First published: November 2025
Explore more about local customs, traditional festivals, and the heart of Normandy countryside life.
For anyone exploring La Manche or staying near Coutances, there's one name that brings a smile and a sweet craving: La Maison du Biscuit. A true Normandy biscuit shop, it embodies everything you’d expect from an authentic biscuit of Normandy. Nestled in the peaceful village of Sortosville-en-Beaumont, about an hour northwest of Coutances, it’s a gourmet paradise, a step back in time, and a truly local experience.
A Family Story Baked in Tradition
La Maison du Biscuit is a proudly Norman institution created by the Burnouf family, whose baking history dates back to 1903. The current generation – brothers Frédéric, Cédric and Sébastien – inherited both the recipes and the passion from their great-grandfather. Today, they carry on that legacy in a setting that feels more like a storybook village than a shop.
Rebuilt in the 1990s to evoke the charm of old Normandy streets, the façade of La Maison du Biscuit is lined with stone shopfronts, lace-curtained windows and weathered signs that look plucked straight from a film set. Inside, the scent of butter, sugar and almonds fills the air as trays of fresh biscuits are prepared daily – traditional sablés, financiers, madeleines, cakes and mirlitons – all made with local ingredients and a stubborn refusal to compromise on quality.
The Charm of the Tearoom and Boutique
Beyond the biscuit counters lies one of the most atmospheric tea rooms in Normandy. Visitors can enjoy coffee, tea, or Normandy’s famous hot chocolate served thick and velvety, alongside cakes and pastries straight from the kitchen. The tearoom feels like stepping back to a 19th-century salon, complete with chandeliers, vintage portraits and cosy armchairs. It’s a favourite stop for locals on rainy afternoons and a must for travellers touring the Manche.
The shop itself is part épicerie fine, part treasure trove. Shelves are packed with local and regional specialities: Normandy caramels, Calvados, cider, honey, jams, teas, chocolates and beautiful gift tins of biscuits. Every detail has been designed to make you linger – and you will. Many visitors joke that “five minutes” at La Maison du Biscuit becomes a whole afternoon.
A Perfect Day Trip from Coutances or Nicorps
If you’re staying in the Mer & Bocage area near Coutances – especially in Nicorps – La Maison du Biscuit makes an easy and rewarding day trip. The drive north towards the Cotentin Peninsula is peaceful and scenic, winding past farms, apple orchards and coastal villages. Combine your visit with a walk along the nearby wild beaches at Portbail or Barneville-Carteret, or stop at one of the local markets for seafood and cider.
It’s also one of the best family attractions in Normandy. Children love the fairytale-like architecture, the smell of baking and the chance to sample biscuits straight from the tin. For adults, it’s a gentle indulgence – a place that captures Normandy’s love of tradition and authenticity.
What to Buy: Normandy Gifts & Gourmet Souvenirs
If you can’t resist taking a little Normandy home with you, here are some local favourites worth adding to your basket:
- 🧈 Butter biscuits – crumbly, rich and perfectly golden. The classic gift from La Maison du Biscuit.
- 🍰 Madeleines and financiers – soft almond cakes, ideal with tea or coffee.
- 🍯 Normandy honey and jams – from small regional producers, perfect for breakfast in your gîte.
- 🍫 Artisan chocolates and caramels au beurre salé – a taste of pure indulgence.
- 🍎 Calvados and cider – the perfect souvenir of Normandy’s apple heritage.
- 🎁 Gift tins and hampers – beautifully packaged, perfect for bringing a piece of Normandy home or sharing with family.
La Maison du Biscuit: A Taste of Real Normandy
La Maison du Biscuit is more than a shop – it’s a celebration of everything Normandy stands for: craftsmanship, generosity, and family pride. Much like the small farms and markets around Coutances and Nicorps, it’s built on traditions that have endured through generations. The same butter and apples that define the region’s Mer & Bocage landscape also flavour the biscuits, jams and cakes made here. Visiting ties together the coastal and countryside spirit that defines this part of the Manche.
Practical Information
- 📍 Address: La Maison du Biscuit, 1 Lieu-dit Le Village, 50270 Sortosville-en-Beaumont, Normandy, France.
- 🕓 Opening hours: Usually open daily (closed on certain Mondays in winter). Always check maisondubiscuit.fr before visiting.
- ☕ Tearoom: Open throughout the day – serving cakes, pastries, teas, and hot chocolate.
- 🚗 Parking: Free on-site car park and easy access for families.
- 🎁 Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible on ground floor; assistance available on request.
Connecting Back to the Gîte in Nicorps
One of the best parts of a stay at Nicorps in the Coutances Mer & Bocage area is how easily you can reach authentic Normandy destinations like this. From your holiday gîte in the Coutances area, La Maison du Biscuit is a scenic 60-minute drive north – an effortless day out filled with local flavour. Bring a basket, an appetite, and perhaps a few extra napkins for the drive home.
Final Thoughts
Few places capture the heart of Normandy as sweetly as La Maison du Biscuit. It’s family, heritage, craftsmanship and pure French indulgence all under one charming roof. Whether you come for the biscuits, the tearoom, or simply the nostalgia, you’ll leave smiling – and probably carrying a few extra bags of buttery souvenirs back to your gîte in Coutances.