Cider, a constant in Lorient

Cider remains present at the Lorient Interceltic Festival despite 2024 restrictions.

This year, the Lorient Interceltic Festival has seen a significant reduction in its duration and programming due to the limitations imposed by the organization of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This adjustment has not only impacted the musical offering, but also the gastronomic offering, affecting the presence of typical products from the eight Celtic nations that usually participate in the event.

Traditionally, each country had its own tent and bar, where emblematic specialties such as Asturian cider, Galician octopus and Irish beer were offered. However, this year, attendees only have a generic bar that sells a varied selection of products, thus limiting the availability of these traditional delicacies.

Despite these restrictions, cider, an essential element of Celtic culture, remains a constant at the festival, although to a lesser extent than in previous editions. Asturian cider, for example, is still present at the stand of the Principality of Asturias, where information is provided on cider with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and the Foods of Paradise campaign. In addition, visitors can enjoy tastings of the renowned Val de Boides cider, which allows the Asturian cider tradition to continue to be part of the festival, albeit with less visibility.

In addition to Asturian cider, festival-goers can find other varieties of cider from Brittany and Normandy at the stands for sale to the public. Among these options is the traditional Breton chouchenn, a cider-mead that enjoys great popularity in the country. It is worth noting that many of the Breton and Norman cider mills present in Lorient have previously participated in the International Hall of Gala Ciders (SISGA), an event held annually in Gijón on the last weekend of September that brings together the best sparkling ciders in the world.

In short, although the restrictions imposed by the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have reduced the programming and gastronomic offering of the Lorient Interceltic Festival, cider remains a key element of the experience. Both Asturian cider and Breton and Norman varieties are present, allowing attendees to enjoy one of the most representative products of Celtic culture, although in a more limited format than in previous years, which we hope will soon return to its “cidery normality”.