DISCOVER THE FINE FOOD SHOPS OF BRITTANY
Of the 9,800 fine food shops listed in France in 2024 according to the Yellow Pages, many are members of the Fédération des Épicier de France. The latter offers its members training in the grocery trade, practical information, personalised assistance and a legal database to help them improve their management, as well as special offers with partners.
Above all, however, the Federation promotes the exceptional network of fine food shops throughout France. Through the Tour of France of Grocery Stores, the Fédération des Epiciers de France and Gourmet Selection highlight the participants and winners of the Best French Fine Food retailer contest. This week, we focus on a region whose gastronomic reputation is well established: Brittany.
Au Petit Marché, place du Caporal Joseph Pécro, 35350 La Gouesnière (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Coming from a family of grocers, Valérie Auffret has enabled La Gouesnière to regain a local shop. A building was even specially constructed to house her grocery store, ‘Au Petit Marché’.
It offers a comprehensive range of everyday products (including bread), local produce, fresh produce and a wide range of services for local residents. On weekends, artisans set up shop in front of the grocery store to sell their products.
Tamout, L'Epicerie de Bâzouj, 12 place du Monument, 35560 Bazouges-la-Pérouse (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Bazouges-la-Pérouse, which has been awarded the 'Petite Cité de Caractère' label, affirms its identity through its heritage and its grocery store. Founded in November 2024, ‘Tamout’ offers a carefully selected range of products combining artisanal quality and, more unusually, nutritional expertise. With a focus on local produce, its founders work tirelessly to source each product, even going so far as to choose a specific producer for each item.
The grocery store ‘Au Temps des Cerises’ was awarded a prize in the 2019 The Best French Fine Food Retailer contest (formerly the Quintessences competition). Located in the Cour des Artistes in Châteaubourg near Rennes, ‘Au temps des Cerises’ combines a fine food shop and a tea room. With its bright interior and white walls accented with light wood, the grocery store aims to be a local ‘gastronomic embassy’.
For Emilie Hautbois, who co-manages the grocery store with Vianney Hautbois, the establishment not only promotes local producers, but also organic and farm-fresh products, artisanal goods and bulk items.
Epicerie du Porche, 11 place de la Mairie, 35690 Acigne (Ille-et-Vilaine)
‘L’épicerie du Porche’ was born out of a career change. Stéphanie, a bank employee since 1989, took an unexpected turn in her professional life in 2012 when she opened this shop, which she ran alone for five years before being joined by her husband. The range has now been expanded with a fruit and vegetable section and an original delivery service by tricycle.
The grocery store also has a friendly terrace, which hosts events and offers customers free herbs, as well as an insect hotel. It's an original touch that shows a commitment to biodiversity.
