The ice creams of the Bois Louvet

From cow to cone, or “when the milk becomes ice cream”: the Farmhouse Ice Cream adventure

“In 2008, we were like many fellow dairy farmers: working tirelessly for a milk price that no longer allowed us to look to the future with confidence. We didn’t just want to produce more, we wanted to produce better and regain control of our profession.”

Everything changed in 2008 when we discovered the “Farmhouse Ice Cream” concept through an advertisement in a magazine. It wasn’t just a machine, it was a working method, a turnkey formula and long-term support.

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From the milking parlor to the laboratory, a major transformation:

Between September 2008 and March 2009, we officially transformed my parents’ former milking parlor into a production laboratory. It was a powerful symbol: where raw material was once collected, we now created pleasure.

It is undoubtedly our greatest material achievement. Converting a milking space into a laboratory was a major challenge. We completely renovated the old milking parlor to meet European sanitary standards.

We invested in professional equipment specific to the Farmhouse Ice Cream concept, received training from Farmhouse Ice Cream, and launched our ice cream business in March 2009.

Then word of mouth did its work. In June 2009, we opened our shop in Honfleur to meet customers directly. Today, we offer more than 80 flavors.

In 2015, it was an emotional moment to see our name, Cocagne, appear in the Top 10 of the best ice cream makers in France on TripAdvisor. An incredible recognition of all the work accomplished by the entire team.

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Our philosophy: real taste, no fluff

What attracted us to working with “Farmhouse Ice Cream” is the respect for the product, unlike industrial ice cream which is filled with air (overrun).

“When you buy a 500 ml tub from us, it weighs up to 400 grams. You pay for cream, milk and fruit, not for air.”

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The next generation: passing it on

The Ferme du Bois Louvet is a family story that spans three generations. My parents were already here, and today our children are getting involved as well. The succession is now ensured by our son Julien, who will take over the business.

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Our team

While we are at the heart of the project, we are also the largest employer in our small village of Saint-Jean-de-la-Léqueraye. We work closely with employees who have become almost like family, helping us produce 90,000 liters of ice cream each year.

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Our daily life: exciting days

The terroir: everything started in our cowshed until the end of 2023, and now in our neighbor’s barn. This fresh milk is immediately transferred to the laboratory. It doesn’t get any shorter than that.

Creation: Isabelle and the team prepare the mixtures in the morning (milk, cream, sugar, flavorings), and the fruit is prepared. This is when the farm turns into a gourmet kitchen.

Then comes the sales phase. Between the farm shop and the shop in Honfleur, we spend a lot of time interacting with private customers, restaurant clients and short supply chain partners during deliveries.

Festive evenings: during the Christmas period, the pace intensifies. The whole team gathers to decorate ice cream logs and prepare hundreds of ice cream pastries.

It is an intense life, shaped by the seasons and our customers’ desires, but what a joy it is to see Norman milk now traveling in cones held by tourists from all over the world.