4, Place de la Tour
78550 HOUDAN
01 30 59 53 86
contact@tourismepayshoudanais.fr
A little tour of the Houdan strawberry grove
Who says spring says strawberry season! And as its name suggests, the Fraiseraie de Houdan is in the starting blocks every year to offer you the different varieties of strawberries that grow on the farm! While waiting to taste them, let us introduce you to the Vanhalst family's operation.
A true star of spring, the sweet scent and inimitable taste of strawberries would almost make us blush with pleasure! With or without sugar, transformed into cake, tart or ice cream, one thing is certain, strawberries are a real delight for our taste buds! Stéphanie and Damien Vanhalst understood this well and decided to make it one of their trademarks.
The couple of cereal farmers add a string to their bow by producing strawberries using sustainable cultivation on supports. Their goal: to obtain fruit that is as good as it is beautiful, while limiting the impact on the environment and facilitating working conditions in the strawberry orchard. Within the greenhouse, several species coexist. Auxiliary insects, bees and chickens have very specific roles: avoid chemicals as much as possible, dislodge harmful insects and increase pollination in order to guarantee a good harvest!
From the summer, from May to June, you can come and test the different varieties on offer: Dream, Ciflorette, Joly, Magnum, Darselect... And why not also leave with a jar of strawberry jam! Be careful, the trays leave very quickly! There may not be something for everyone!
Once the strawberries have finished producing, they are quickly replaced by tomato plants to be operational at the start of the school year. Moreover, good summer vegetables replace strawberries on the farm stall for colorful and seasonal shopping. On the menu: beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and even blueberries!
Spring for producers at the Fraiseraie de Houdan!
For several years, La Fraiseraie has participated in the national event “Producers’ Spring”. At this time, you will be able to meet other local producers while shopping at the farm and perhaps leave with a bottle of wine, macaroons, asparagus, cheese... Find the program right here to pique your curiosity.