I Found The Best Delicatessen in Gavray

The Andouillerie de la Baleine is a delicatessen in Gavray making a local speciality of andouille. It’s a sausage made of diced stomach and intestines seasoned in pepper and salt for a week. Perhaps not for the faint-hearted! The savoury mixture is then placed in individual intestines, smoked over beech wood and cooked for 6 hours at 95 degrees. The smoking process takes 3 weeks during which time the flavour and colour of the sausage develops. You can see the andouille hanging up over the counter in the photo below. It is eaten in thin slices (a bit like that great French delicacy of saucisson).

The premises are located on a small trading estate on the Coutances road just before you arrive in Gavray. Originally the business was based in the village of La Baleine just a few miles from Gavray and a black and white photo of La Baleine is displayed on the outside of the new building.

The shop sells andouille as well as other smoked meats including ham, sausages, charcuterie and cuts of pork. Other local products are also stocked including honey, caramels, biscuits, cider and Gavray camembert. 

If you’re looking for a present from Normandy, it’s ideal. You can also have a gift basket made up and can choose the products you’d like included.  During July and August it’s open every day except Sunday afternoon. The rest of the year it’s open Tuesday through to Saturday. The shop closes over lunch so do check the website for opening times. The details are below.

Guided tours are also possible to see how the andouille is made and you’ll get to taste the andouille too (if you’re brave enough). There’s more information on their facebook page Andouillerie de la Baleine or on their website www.andouillerie.fr

The video below shows how andouille is prepared at the delicatessen in Gavray.