France’s Apple and Cider Festivities in October 2026

Normandy and Brittany take their apples seriously, and October is when that shows. Both regions run a string of harvest festivals built around cider pressing, tastings, and the kind of rural, family-friendly atmosphere that’s genuinely hard to find once you’re back in a city.

Normandy: the heartland of French cider

Normandy’s orchards have shaped the region’s landscape and cooking for centuries, and its October calendar reflects that.

The standout event is the Fête de la Pomme, du Cidre et du Fromage in Conches-en-Ouche, held every year on the last Sunday of October, in 2026 that’s Sunday, October 25, in the town’s arboretum. Over 100 producers and artisans set up around the historic center, with centuries-old cider presses running live so you can watch (and smell) apples turning into juice on the spot, alongside regional cheese, cider, and Calvados tastings, folk dancing, and a traditional wood-fired bread oven turning out brioches and apple turnovers. Each year the festival also spotlights a different farm animal as its mascot, past editions have featured horses, hens, and even a donkey, so it’s worth checking what’s chosen for 2026 if that kind of detail matters to you. Entry is free.

Other Norman apple festivals worth knowing about, though exact 2026 dates weren’t yet confirmed at the time of writing and are worth checking closer to your trip:

• Criel-sur-Mer Apple Festival: typically held in early October.
• Auppergard and Lyons-la-Forêt Apple Festivals: usually run the same October weekend, mid-month.
• Fête de la Pomme in Vimoutiers: typically late October, with concerts, a funfair, and agricultural competitions.
• Fête de la Pomme in Ducey-Les Chéris: usually held in château gardens toward the end of October, with artisan stalls and apple-themed art.

Brittany: a lighter, sweeter cider tradition

Brittany’s cider heritage runs just as deep as Normandy’s, with its own distinct character. Villages like Locronan and Dol de Bretagne hold annual cider festivals featuring pressing demonstrations unique to Breton tradition, and tastings that lean noticeably sweeter and lighter than their Norman counterparts, including the PDO-protected Cornouaille cider. The Fête de la Pomme in Fouesnant, usually held toward the end of October at the heritage orchard of Penfoulig, is a particularly charming version of the format if you’re in the region.

What to expect at any of these

Regardless of which festival you catch, a few things are consistent: live cider-pressing demonstrations, generous tastings (cider, Calvados, and Pommeau if you’re in Normandy), farmers’ markets stacked with apple tarts, jams, and sauces, and folk music and dancing running through the day. Conches-en-Ouche even includes a vintage cider-press parade, and Vimoutiers regularly features live performances with dancers and musicians. These are designed as family events, expect apple-picking, hands-on juice pressing, apple-themed crafts, and games for kids alongside the tastings for adults.

Whether you follow Normandy’s “Cider Route” through the Pays d’Auge or head into Brittany’s cider country, these festivals offer a genuinely rural, unhurried side of France that’s easy to miss if you stick to the cities. If you’re building a trip around it, Exoticca’s France tours can help you plan the route.