Local speciality: Le Mans rillettes

In some ways an ancient precursor to the now omnipresent ‘pulled pork’ (but cooked in fat), rillettes is the original slow-cooked, heavily salted and shredded belly or shoulder meat spread. Le Mans in Sarthe is the dish’s spiritual home, popularised there in the 19th century.

The rival Tours version of rillettes is less fatty.

Serve on bread or crackers with gherkins.