Diana Laskaris

Do you love Veuve Clicquot champagne? Are you always on the hunt for that distinctive yellow label? Well, if you do, you might be interested to know that one of the best-selling brands in the world became that way because of a ballsy widow, forced to make her way in the world after the death of her hubby when she was only 27 years old left her with a failing business.

Indeed, the “Widow Clicquot,” Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, took some huge risks to build a business during the most tumultuous political and financial times. In 1814 during the war, she risked humiliation and utter financial ruin by shipping her exquisite 1811 vintage champagne to Russia – having to pass through a military blockade to do it. Fortune favors the bold, however, and her shipment arrived and her champagne ruled the Russian market for decades.

She also innovated the process of making Veuve Clicquot champagne, developing with her colleagues, a method of clarifying, known as “riddling,” which allows the sediment to gather in the bottleneck so it can be easily removed, leaving nothing but clear and sparkling bubbly.

Portrait of Madame Clicquot and her great-granddaughter Anne de Rochechouart-Mortemart by Léon Cogniet.

The Grand Dame of Champagne was also responsible for some of the greatest marketing innovations in the industry, some of which still hold fast today. Perhaps you’ve seen the bright yellow label standing out on the shelf? The reason it stands out so well is that when considering how to make it so, Madame Clicquot was eating an egg for breakfast and noticed the deep yellow yolk of the egg as it contrasted starkly with the egg white. She loved that yellow yolk color and adopted it for her label, and the Veuve Clicquot brand can be readily seen from across any room because of it!

Learning to Succeed

Madame Clicquot’s example provides so many lessons. Be brave, be bold, believe in yourself and take action. And it never hurts to have good taste. The one belief that has never changed through the years of marketing one of the world’s finest champagnes came from Madame Clicquot herself. “Only one quality, the finest.”

With that kind of vision, tenacity, and good taste, it’s clear (not from riddling!) that Veuve Clicquot remains the Champagne Queen. The next time you see the Veuve Cliquot Yellow label think of the wonderful lady who started it all.

If you’d like to learn more about Madame Clicquot you can read all about it in the book The Widow Clicquot: The Story of A Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It. It’s a real page-turner.

THE QUICK BITE: From a young widow on the edge of bankruptcy, gutsy Madame Clicquot created an empire and became the Champagne Queen.

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The cuisine of France is world-renowned for its sophistication, precision, and elegance. But there’s one item that we find more hearty and rustic than refined. And we love that! It’s the galette, a large thin pancake-like pastry that most often appears in the Brittany region of France. The galette could be considered a country cousin to the crepe. While crepes are known for their thin delicateness, galettes are often made a little heavier, often with buckwheat flour, lending a more rustic bite. Galettes may be filled with savory or sweet fillings.

Accompanying galettes in Brittany or Normandy is a traditional drink that comes from the plentiful apple trees grown there – cider (spelled cidre in the area). But it’s not the cider you would normally think of, sweet and smooth. This cider has a kick and is slightly bubbly with a tinge of alcohol content. It’s definitely a different taste, perhaps one that takes a little time to acquire. But it complements both sweet and savory galettes perfectly.

Food Travelist Galettes Galore Mont St Michel

A couple of recommendations for authentic galettes if you’re visiting Brittany or Normandy:

If you’re lucky enough to visit the stunning Mont St. Michel (and we highly recommend you do!) you’ll find yourself strolling among the shops, bakeries, bars, and restaurants lining the streets of the tiny town. But if you want to try a galette, here are a couple of places you will want to check out.

Food Travelist Galettes Galore Mont St Michel Bakeries

La Ferme St Michel has a great “snacks menu” that includes savory galettes filled with butter, cheese, egg, ham, and/or sausage.

Creperie La Cloche has savory galettes, “super” galettes with a tasty bunch of stuff inside and dessert galettes – something for everyone. They also have cidre.

Food Travelist Galettes Galore Le Moulin De La Galette View

If you’re in Normandy, then you’re likely to visit Bayeaux to see the amazing “tapestry,” the embroidery that shows the entire history of events leading up to the Norman conquest of England in one long piece. When you finish viewing this incredible artifact, you’ll likely be looking for some sustenance. We highly recommend you pay a visit to the picturesque and serene Le Moulin De La Galette. Sitting on the terrace alongside the river will keep you enchanted. Meanwhile, the hearty cidre and huge galettes will fill you completely. We experienced the ultimate indulgence – a savory galette filled with ham and cheese, followed by a dessert galette drizzled with rich, dark, sweet chocolate. Need we say more?

Food Travelist Galettes Galore Dessert Galette

Food Travelist Galettes Galore Savory Galette

Remember too that Calvados in the lower Normandy region is well known for its apple brandy of the same name. If you have a chance to explore Brittany and Normandy, you will find galettes galore and we suggest you taste a whole lot of them before determining which you like best.

THE QUICK BITE: For a tasty local treat when traveling in the Brittany and Normandy regions of France, get your hands on a galette and you’ll be happy you did.