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Limousin apple

The Limousin Golden Delicious is the only apple in France with a PDO, so it's hardly surprising... It's a 100% "gaillarde" apple!

Apples and Jacques Chirac

Eat apples! said Jacques Chirac during his presidential campaign in 1995. Did he owe his victory to this round fruit and especially to the Guignols de l'info, who made this phrase the candidate's humorous slogan? This question persists despite the years. In any case, Jacques Chirac was referring to the tasty apples of the Limousin!

The history of the Golden Apple

And yes, it's not just duck and goose that we eat. We're lucky enough to have a number of fruit crops in our region, including apples, which are firmly rooted in our land.
Indeed, its presence in the Limousin dates back to antiquity, when the Romans first introduced apple plants from the Middle East. Climate change hasn't had too much of an impact on these apple orchards... Quite the contrary!
The proof is in the pudding, which grew from strength to strength, culminating in the appearance of the first Golden in the 1950s.

View of Golden PDO apples

Characteristics of Limousin apples

Located at high altitude (300 to 500 m), apples thrive in well-drained soils that are ideal for their development. They are found in the departments of Corrèze, Creuse, Dordogne and Haute-Vienne.

The specific characteristics of our soils produce an apple that is crisp, juicy and subtly balanced between sugar and acidity. Its taste qualities have been recognised by the palates of many consumers and associations, so much so that our beloved Golden Limousin apple was awarded PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certification in 2005. This designation propels it directly into a European dimension.

The Limousin Golden Apple is enjoyed by 4 départements, 100 communes, cooperatives (including Meylim, Limdor, Perlim and Pom'Padour) and 280 apple growers. Not forgetting the consumers who enjoy our tasty apples every day.

How do you eat Limousin apples?

Gourmets beware! The Limousin apple is just as good raw as it is cooked, giving us a multitude of ways to eat it. For example, you can prepare a delicious duck breast with roasted apples, and why not try a traditional apple tart for dessert?

See our apple recipes:

To taste our AOC Limousin apples, visit early produce shops, markets and cooperatives (Perlim, Meylim, Pom'padour and Limdor...). Better still, buy them direct from our partner producers:

  • Lou Père Benoit (Objat and shop at La Halle Gaillarde) produces old apples in conversion to organic farming.
  • La Cidrerie Janty (Condat-sur-Ganaveix): this cider house produces apple-based products (ciders, apple juice, sparkling wine, jelly, cider vinegar).
  • Le Pressoir du Manoir Saint-Bazile (St-Bazile-de-Meyssac). You can buy your organic apple juice on site or bring your own apples for processing.
  • Famille Teulet organic shop (St-Yrieix-La-perche). Buy your organic golden apples as well as by-products (compotes, fruit juices, ciders, etc.) and other organic crops (pears, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, etc.).

Apple events

We're so passionate about apples that we've organised a number of events around them in our region:

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