It’s three things in one: a historical landmark, architectural oddity and factory. The Palais Bénédictine is an institution in Fécamp. A tour of the distillery (which makes a million litres of the famous liqueur every year) and its museum is top of the list for any visitor to the area.
Appearances can be deceiving. Despite the Palais Bénédictine’s Gothic-meets-Renaissance architecture, it’s a factory first and foremost. The awe-inspiring building nestled Fécamp, in Seine-Maritime, is still home to the distillery that made Alexandre Le Grand a fortune and brought the town world-renown. They still make Bénédictine using copper stills, some of which date back to when the Palais was built in the 19th century.
A unique factory
The world-famous liqueur’s herbal recipe is true to its roots. The process of making the liqueur and its different guises (Bénédictine 1888, Bénédictine Single Cask and B&B) is one of a kind. “Depending on the product, the honey and herb blend is distilled once or twice, infused or cold-infused and aged for varying lengths of time. The honey and saffron are added before it goes back into the cellar to finish ageing. It’s a fairly complex process and we love to share it with people, especially businesses,” says Kelly Bevan, associate director at the Palais Bénédictine.
A million litres of Bénédictine are made every year in Fécamp by eight brand distillers before being bottled in Beaucaire in the Gard region. It may be a “niche” product for the Bacardi group that’s owned the brand since 1986, but it puts the liqueur on the world stage. Over 95% of its output is exported and Bénédictine has a unique appeal overseas. For example, the Fécamp liqueur is a go-to gift in America and Asia.
A major visitor attraction in Normandy
The Palais Bénédictine is a slice of Fécamp history surrounded by legend that has become a popular tourist attraction. As well as the distillery, the site has a museum exploring the history of Bénédictine and its manufacture, plus a collection of religious and ancient art. Forty guides and employees take care of visitors. With 120,000 visitors every year (including 80,000 for the museum), the Palais Bénédictine has become the second most-visited business in Normandy (after Maison Pèlerin, near Mont-Saint-Michel in Manche*).
Visitors come from Normandy, Paris (the French capital is only a 2 hour drive away after all) and overseas, with cruises stopping in Le Havre for a port of call in Étretat. The Palais Bénédictine keeps them coming back for more with unique events (costume balls, evening tours) and exciting activities for family and friends (escape game and cocktail classes).
You have to stay in tune with the times. More and more visitors want to be involved and part of the experience
Palais Bénédictine, protecting a legacy
The Palais Bénédictine knows that image matters. The site had a full makeover in 2023 to celebrate the 160th anniversary of it opening to the public. Inside, the paintings, murals and stained-glass windows (some of which date back to the 13th and 14th century) have been restored and the wiring for the chandeliers has been updated. Outside, some of the roof has been renovated, both the bronze statue of Alexandre Le Grand and the bronze replica of Rouen Cathedral’s spire have been restored, as have the mosaic tiles on the floor.
The major renovation campaign ended in autumn 2024. “The entire visitor area has been redesigned without losing the central theme of spirits tourism. Because visitors sometimes forget that the Palais Bénédictine is a factory. This is where we make Bénédictine,”, underlines the deputy director. The reception area is due for an upgrade next year with digital ticket machines. Despite its age, the Palais Bénédictine is always on the cutting edge.
Thematics
