The taste of good quality for over 20 years
Gargouil is a family-run business. As such, respect for the land, the wildlife and the waterways that surround it are central to our business philosophy.
Discover below what we produce, how we produce it, where and when you can buy it, plus find out how to use our facilities to transform your own apples and pears.
Stewardship is vitally important to Gargouil. We want to leave our orchards, the land and the waterways around them in the best condition possible for future generations.
Hence, we pursue sustainable orchard practices. These include but aren’t limited to: harvesting by hand, regular measurement and sampling, treatment based on ‘known issues’, targeted treatments rather than whole crop spraying, strategies to promote ‘beneficial’ insects.
If you would like to read more about our production methods and our participation in the ‘Vergers Ecoresponsable’ (Eco-responsible Orchards) scheme, please click here (in French). We received the ‘Vergers écoresponsables’ label in 2011.
Gargouil also participates in a number of related schemes, such as ‘Bienvenue à la Ferme’ (Welcome to the Farm) and the Association Nationale Pommes Poires (National Association for Apples & Pears).
“I grew up in the orchards, I watched my grandfather and my father cut the trees, fear the frost, check on flowering, harvest the fruit of their labour … recurring actions that fascinated me and … shaped me.”
Eric Gargouil manages Gargouil today, following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps.
Our production site and farm shop is situated approximately 2km outside Charroux, Vienne. There’s plenty of visitor parking and some nice local walks, so why not visit for the day and discover this area’s natural attractions.
Among the items in our shop you’ll find:
Any products that aren’t produced in-house are supplied from – mostly very local – producers, who share our social and environmental values. By buying direct from local producers, you are supporting local farming and limiting ‘food miles,’ benefitting both the surrounding area and the wider environment.
We welcome the chance to exchange thoughts and ideas with customers, so please don’t hesitate to contact if you have questions and/or comments (though please be aware that we may respond in less-than-perfect English!).
You can also buy Gargouil products elsewhere. Please see here for a list of outlets.
From the fruit to the end product, everything is produced on site. Before becoming juice, jam or puree, our fruit is harvested by hand and washed. The fruit is brushed and dried before being weighed and immediately placed in cold-storage.
Misshapen or small fruit are sent to the transformation lab. After washing and grading, our apples are sent to the press. The pressed fruit is then placed in racks out of which the juice flows. This is then pasteurised, after which it is left for a few hours to decant. A second pasteurisation step guarantees conservation, without added sugar or colouring.
Our jams and jellies are created on-site, exclusively from our apples, pears and quince. Produced from fruits picked at maturity and pressed by us, we add just enough sugar to balance the fruit’s acidity.
Our production methods can be summed up in one phrase: ‘Respect for taste and for Nature.’
Bring your apples or pears to us and leave with your juice! We can provide pressing, bottling and labelling services, regardless of whether you are an individual with several hundred kilograms of fruit, or a professional with several tons.
For professionals, transformation is available for a minimum of three tons of fruit. For individuals /associations, a minimum of 300 kg of fruit is required if you would like juice made exclusively from your own apples and pears. If you have less than 300 kg of fruit, we can often source apples of the same variety to complement your production. Call us for details.
For all information relating to transformation, including terms and charges, please call us on 05 49 87 50 23 or email us at sarl-gargouil86@orange.fr. Please be advised that for transformation services, you will need to book an appointment.
In 2014, 2016 and 2018, Gargouil has won numerous gold medals at the Salon International de l’Agriculture (International Agricultural Exhibition), a prestigious event that is taken very seriously in France. Our 100% pure apple juice and quince jelly were awarded gold. Read more about our awards here » (in French).
