Discover Southern Europe | France’s top beers and breweries
English ale, French Pyrenees Putting the Anglo-French rivalry to bed once and for all, the Brasserie du PaysToy in the Hautes-Pyrenees region combines fresh, local produce with a love for proper English ale. Cyclists, beer enthusiasts, and lovers of the outdoors unite – to enjoy a pint near to some of the Tour de France’s most breathtaking climbs. TEXT: KATE HARVEY | PHOTOS: BRASSERIE DU PAYS TOY
When the Dixons moved to Sassis in 2009, they discovered that with all the gastronomy on offer, there was still a need for real, quality ale. “Coming from Newcastleupon-Tyne, classics such as the Newcastle Brown Ale were hard to come by in southwest France,” explains owner, Paul Dixon. “But there are so many wonderful ingredients here, and the mountain spring water is optimum for creating fantastic ale.” Taking matters into their own hands, they began to brew award-winning English ales in the Pyrenean peaks. For a pitstop near to one of the legendary routes of the Tour de France, also known as the ‘cols mythiques’, the Pays
Toy brewery is a fantastic place for sipping a cold one. They also have a bespoke beer selection for cyclists after they’ve got off the saddle; each of which is inspired by a nearby mountain pass. “We’re incredibly inspired by our surroundings,” says Loïc Lassalle, who assists with production. Lassalle explains their passion for local produce: “We give our craft beer to a nearby butcher; their speciality is in fact sausages cooked slowly in Pays Toy brown ale.” The brewery invites visitors to join them and discover the world of malt, hops and casks with one of their nine beer varieties. brasserie-paystoy.com
A grain-to-glass family affair Championing the local food movement in the Val d’Oise area of the Paris region, the Brasserie d’Orville is a brewery committed to producing awardwinning craft beers. They carry out the entire process themselves – from growing the barley, right through to bottling. The family farm in Louvres has been cultivating crops for more than a century, but a little over a year ago, brothers Julien and Thibaut Baron decided to brew artisanal beer using their own produce. “It gives more meaning to farming; we know exactly what goes into the bottle as everything is grown in our fields,” says Thibaut, one half of the brother duo. Even the barley for malting is produced on-site – a rarity in the craft beer universe.
36 | Issue 8 | September 2019
Their efforts have come to fruition for their ‘Hoppy Pony’ IPA, which received a Gold Medal at the 2019 ‘Concours Générale Agricole’ in Paris. Striving for quality has certainly paid off, with a set of six beers that has collectively won nine medals. The siblings continue to push boundaries in the craft beer realm, as Thibaut reveals: “Some exciting products in the pipeline include a stronger bar-
TEXT: KATE HARVEY | PHOTOS: BRASSERIE D’ORVILLE
ley wine, and beer finished in Cognac, Bourbon and Jamaican rum casks.” As of September 2019, the Brasserie will open a shop and convivial bar with a terrace overlooking the estate – a wonderful spot to enjoy a cold glass. “Here, visitors can learn all about production; this fosters a deeper connection to our beers, which they can then go on to enjoy at the bar,” explains Thibaut. Empowering other local businesses, you can find their products in smaller shops throughout Paris. www.brasseriedorville.com