Meet the producers: chestnuts

The Grange family have been producing chestnuts on their farm, near Lamastre in Ardèche, for seven generations. Some of their trees are 400 years old.

“It’s a family passion for the land, for the way of life,” says Martine, who currently runs the farm with her husband Michel and their son Aurelien. “I wouldn’t do anything else.”

They have around 62 acres of chestnut trees, another 10 acres of mixed fruit orchards, and work the entire farm themselves.

“We also hand-make a variety of chestnut products; chestnut purée, different flavours of chestnut crème which can be used to make all sorts of desserts, jams of course, chestnut flour, chestnut soup, marrons glacés, chestnut liqueur and a range of pâtisserie.”

The majority of their produce is sold through their own shop, and the rest is sold via other local producers.

Martine’s favourite product is crème de châtaignes. “I eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon! But you can spread it on bread or with yoghurt or fromage frais.”

They work in partnership with other local producers, stocking each other’s products in their shops. “The Ardèche is the main producer of chestnuts in France so visitors naturally want to buy chestnuts during their holidays.”

In some areas of France the trees are called arbres à pain because bread can be made with chestnut flour, and in others, they are called arbres à saucisses because pigs adore them. In the Cévennes, peasant farmers also traditionally made a thick vegetable soup containing chestnuts.

The farm is open for visits during which people can explore the orchards, and the kitchens. They can taste everything, or enjoy a mid-afternoon snack.

“It makes it personal. They aren’t buying products from a factory, they can meet us, see the trees, understand all the techniques we use.”

The farm and the shop are open from April to the end of October, but during the winter they also open by appointment for their regular customers.

Their website is www.ferme-du-chataignier.com