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"Founded in 1919 by George Anée, who trusted
in the "apple treasure" and its transformation, the Enterprise started with two
horses and a traditional apple press.
In 1930, it employs about a hundred people and produces ciders and calvados/apple
jack made with apples from Vimoutiers and Pays d'Auge around.
The war momentarily stops the calvados
production but not the cider production. Settled in the very center of
Vimoutiers, the factory is
bombed out in 1944 and 22 employees are
killed.
Rebuilt, modernized and automated, it then produces 60
hectolitres of alcohol bought by the Government Administration ... but from 1960
, the Government stops producing its alcohol and many
apple trees are uprooted in order to limit the production. Nevertheless, it
does not stop the production of the enterprise which grows up by buying another
cider manufactory in Mesnil Mauger. In those days, the whole town would smell of apple in
automn.
Investments constraints due to new pollution
regulations and so on, become too important and thus, the manufactory is
sold in 1989, then definitely closed in 1995.
More figures :
Up to 12 silos for a daily delivery of 400 tons of
apples
35.000l/day of cider distilled, ie 32% of the
worldwide production
Capacity : 9 to 10 millions bottles per year
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Apples "jam" ! |
Stocking apples |
The hydraulic press replacing the
traditional apple press
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The "chais/cuves"
for cider fermentation |
The "foudres"
for Calvados |
Calvados des Capucins |
Aparté : By the same times, some
people used to make their home-made cider and have apples pressed directly in
the back streets of Vimoutiers.
Regarding the calvados/apple jack, there
were a few famous
bouilleurs de cru ...
Traditional cider making in Pays d'Auge,
Normandie
*Source
: Extraits de la Revue Le Pays d'Auge 06-2007,
"d'après un entretien avec Michel Anée"
Pictures : collection @webmaster
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