Écomusée du pays de la cerise, Ecomuseum in Fougerolles-Saint-Valbert, France
This ecomuseum uses a former distillery building with copper stills and wooden structures to show how cherry spirits are made. The fruit garden next to the building contains forty different cherry varieties that visitors can see while walking around.
The building started as a cherry spirit distillery built in 1829 and operated as one for many years. The museum itself opened in 1986 to keep this craft tradition alive and open it to visitors.
The place shows how cherries are grown and turned into spirits, with the work visible from harvest to bottling. Visitors can see how this craft has shaped life in the region for generations.
The museum is housed in a former factory building and you can walk through all areas on foot. The best time to visit is from February to November when opening hours are at their longest.
A fruit garden was started in 1991 specifically to save rare regional cherry varieties from dying out. This collection shows visitors real varieties that had almost been forgotten and awakens interest in the old diversity.
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