The Palais Bénédictine of Fécamp ,part I !!!

Posted in Europe, Food and Wine, France

Again on my road warrior mode, we set out to new territories ! Well not per se but this time we were in town and saw many things which will share over the coming posts in my blog, We first came to Fécamp, and it was a blast !! We will be back for more for sure, eventually, As you know there is so much to see in my belle France, We parked by the Quai Berigny to walked to the hugely beautiful palace, a must to visit, Therefore, let me tell you about the complex of the Palais Bénédictine of Fécamp, part I !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Fecamp palais benedictine distellerie vats central alley aug23

Fécamp is located in the Seine-Maritime department 76 in the Normandy region of my belle France. You know its me … The Palais Bénédictine palace is a building mixing neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance styles, built at the end of the 19C in Fécamp for Alexandre-Prosper Le Grand, a spirits merchant and who made his fortune by re-inventing and marketing Benedictine liqueur. The palace houses the distillery, still in operation, and its cellars, as well as a museum presenting various collections (worked ivories, coins, locks, old religious paintings, etc.).

Fecamp palais benedictine distellerie vats left side aug23

A true architectural masterpiece, the Palais Bénédictine is the world’s only distillery for Benedictine liquor.  Penetrate the Plants & Spices Room to discover and smell some of the 27 ingredients that make up Benedictine. According to the original recipe, the 27 plants & spices are divided into 4 different preparations in order to obtain 4 spirits. You’ll be able to admire the magnificent hammered copper stills, in which the magic happens… These spirits, or alcoholates, will then be blended together before aging within the Palace’s cellars, in oak tuns.

Fecamp palais benedictine distellerie vats basement aug23

Below this room are the distillery and the cellars, where the Bénédictine is produced and then stored, but bottling no longer takes place within these walls but in Beaucaire, the Gard on a plant of Bacardi-Martini a private company of Cuban origins which is now the owner. Next door, a bar and its veranda as well as a shop allow you to taste the products.

Fecamp palais benedictine distellerie vats non visited room alcohols volatile aug23

The digestive is thus made up of 27 plants and spices, coming from the Caux plateaus including lemon balm, thyme, honey, orange peel, but also from distant lands such as cinnamon, saffron, cardamom, tea or nutmeg again. The distillery where impressive stills and original copper vats are installed and still in operation. Anneke explains to us that the spices and plants are divided into 4 different preparations according to the original recipe, then mixed afterwards. I imagine the preparation infused in the large central still, the addition of the lemon peel, the vanilla, the smoke escaping. It must be spectacular!, The finished liqueur is then stored in the cellars of the palace. It is dark and cool there. The different mixtures and alcoholates age and rest in oak barrels.

To fight against counterfeits, Alexandre Le Grand affixed to each of the caps of his bottles, the inscription: “Veritable Bénédictine”, and the abbreviation D.O.M. (Deo Optimo Maximo, Latin for: “To God, the best, the greatest”), as well as a large lead ligature around the neck of the bottles with the inscription: “True † Bénédictine”. Buy only these,,,

After a tour of the museum spaces ,we returned to the surface for the visual and olfactory discovery workshop of the alcoholates making up Bénédictine at 8 different stages of production. Contemplate the aging cellars, before tasting 3 unique Benedictine Expressions accompanied by your guide. The B ,Single Cask, and 1888 bottles.

Fecamp palais benedictine tasting room tables aug23

The cocktail bar La Vérriére to be able to taste it. This is a space that has just been completely redone and where nothing is left to chance. The central bar in marble and walnut wood is reminiscent of Norman half-timbering. It is topped by a sun-shaped chandelier covered in gold leaf. The green wall in front brings a touch of well-being Here we tried the crêpe Bénédictine with a shot of the US export B&B.delicious!!!

Fecamp palais benedictine La Verriere resto aug23

I ended my visit by passing through the boutique shop to bring back a bottle of this elixir with such a subtle and delicious taste. Which we did the B and B&B after tasting it in La Vérriére bar bottles !!!

The official Palais Bénédictine distillerie and bar: https://www.benedictinedom.com/flamboyant-palais/cocktailbar/

The Seine Maritime dept 76 on la Vérriére of the Palais Bénédictine : https://www.seine-maritime-tourisme.com/diffusio/en/i-choose/an-attraction/museums/fecamp/la-verriere-tea-room-palais-benedictine_TFORESNOR076V51PASY.php

The City of Fécamp on the Benedictine palace:  https://en.fecamptourisme.com/experiences/our-must-haves/the-benedictine-palace/

There you go folks, a hugely must to visit in Fécamp , We moved our car closer to the Quai Berigny to walk about 200 meters to the Palais Bénédictine. Again, hope you enjoy the post  on the Palais Bénédictine of Fécamp ,part I !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

 

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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