At Mont-Saint-Michel, Auberge La Mère Poulard has a story dating back to 1888, when Annette Poulard established her inn. Her soufflé omelette, devised to feed travellers and pilgrims arriving after crossing the bay, is still prepared according to the founder's traditional recipe.
Why choose this restaurant?
La Mère Poulard brings together almost every distinctive feature visitors might look for: a cook who became a historical figure, a recipe unchanged since 1888, cooking over a wood fire and a restaurant closely associated with travellers to Mont-Saint-Michel. This is more than a famous speciality: the dish arose from the inn's original purpose and is still made using techniques handed down through generations.
The story of Annette Poulard
In 1888, Annette and Victor Poulard opened an inn to welcome visitors to Mont-Saint-Michel. Annette noticed that travellers often arrived hungry after crossing the bay, and developed a generously sized soufflé omelette that could be prepared quickly over a wood fire. Its reputation soon spread beyond the ramparts.
The speciality to try
The authentic La Mère Poulard omelette is still made according to Annette's traditional recipe. The eggs come from a farm that has supplied the restaurant for five generations, and cooking still takes place over a wood fire, using Isigny Sainte-Mère PDO salted butter.
An extra detail worth knowing
The omelette-makers continue a whisking technique that has become inseparable from Mont-Saint-Michel. Few places in France offer such a direct connection between a dish served today and the person who created it almost 140 years ago.
