ANNECY
Craft beers are a surprisingly good match for Annecy's rich mountain fare. It's even more fitting that they're brewed with the lake's pure water, known to be the cleanest in Europe.
• Brasserie ArtMalté is a tiny brewery, bar, and cellar that also organizes workshops and tastings.
• Sold in a few local restaurants, Brasserie Bombardos brews a white and a blond beer, which they call "explosive."
• Brasserie du baigneur uses traditional methods to brew beers with fresh water from the lake.
• Microbrasserie La Démarrante is a creative pico-brewery that produces beer, fresh bread, and ideas.
NANCY
Nancy is famous for having a sweet tooth, with patisseries and chocolatiers galore. But it also has many local meaty dishes, and charcuteries, which pair extremely well with beer.
• La Fabrique de Bière à Nancy is a convivial bistro-brewery that serves its own beers and an excellent flammekueche, or savory tarte.
• Established in 2011 and growing its own hops since 2015, Microbrasserie Grenaille is an eco-friendly microbrewery in nearby Jarville-la-Malgrange.
• Brasserie Hoppy Road microbrewery in Maxéville loves experimenting with aromas.
SAINT-ETIENNE
With its avant-garde design, a dozen compelling museums and astounding natural surroundings, Saint Etienne offers a great deal to talk about over l'apéro.
• Located on the site where the Mosser family started brewing beer in 1860, Brasserie Stéphanoise is now the association of two local microbreweries: Copains-Chopines and La Glütte.
DIJON
Dijon's culinary specialties include garlic escargots and wild boar ragout, both of which go undeniably well with a Burgundy wine, and beer of course.
• Run by a third-generation grain farmer, Brasserie Sully in Saint Apollinaire brews naturally bubbly beers.
• In nearby Couternon, Brasserie Elixkir is also a taproom that brews and serves its large range of original beers.
CLERMONT-FERRAND
Clermont-Ferrand is a city bursting with creativity in the arts, music, and more. Many locals are also experimenting with beer.
• Since 2012, Bières le Plan B has been brewing eco-friendly beers in the heart of the city.
• Microbrasserie le Grizzly brews award-winning beers inspired by America.
• Les Bières d’Arvernys are produced by a passionate father-and-son team.
• Microbrasserie Balm in nearby Cournon focuses on ingredients grown in France.
• La Corentaise by Bières de Corent pico-brewery produces Abbey-style brown and amber beers in their tiny winemaking village.
• Chez le Brasseur in Aubière is also a restaurant, where the brew master puts on a live show on Tuesdays.
See Clermont-Ferrand at a glance
TOURS
As Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie, Tours knows how to celebrate food. Try a slice of rillettes, or pâté, with a glass of cold beer.
• Microbrasserie de Tours brews a broad range of artistic craft beers in La Riche.
• From their brewery in Notre Dame d'Oé, La P’tite Maiz’ plays with their favorite tastes from around the world to brew new types of beer each month.
ORLEANS
Orléans, situated on the Loire River, celebrates jazz, Jeanne d'Arc, and in 2018, the 300th anniversary of New Orleans.
• In Cercottes, just north of Orléans, Big Bang Beers uses a carbon neutral production method to brew organic, cosmic beers.
• Brasserie des Ecluses based in Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Mesmin is available in select local venues, as well as from its beer truck, which tours around and offers their natural brews on tap.
• Brewed with local malt in Chaingy, Brasserie Octopus beers are now also available at the OctoPub and boutique, recently opened in Cap Saran.
About Top French Cities – www.francepresskit.com
Top French Cities is an association of 29 cities, from regional capitals like Bordeaux to important towns like Avignon and Versailles. They are perfect for young travelers, families and anyone else looking for fun and authentic French experiences that will fit their budget. Most of these cities are university towns with a youthful atmosphere, but all of them reflect the heritage and distinctive flavors of the regions to which they belong. Many are forward-looking too, with historic buildings repurposed to house contemporary art and activity centers like Les Docks in Marseille. Many have created or integrated new, modern museums to contrast with their classical, architectural heritage, like in Nimes, where the cutting-edge Museum of Roman Civilization (Musée de la Romanité) is located across from the historic Roman amphitheater, or in Nantes, where whimsical mechanical creatures are being created, or in the UNESCO World Heritage Site concrete city of Le Havre.