Credit Elisabeth Blanchet Burgot“I had a restaurant in Paris, but in an office district. I wanted a friendlier place, on a human scale”, says Bénédicte with a smile.
Seduced by the gentle pace of life in Granville, Pascal and Bénédicte settled in and opened a place in their own image: warm, cheerful and a touch mischievous. The name of the restaurant, Le Bistrot d’Iggy, is a tribute to their dog Iggy, but also to their taste for sharing and simplicity.
Credit Photo Elisabeth Blanchet Burgot4From the outset, Bénédicte has opted for short routes and local produce. Vegetables from Ferme OVR, bread from Champs Libres, meat from Chaiseronne, cream and butter from Ferme Cara-meuh: everything comes from producers located just a few kilometres away. ” Even before I found the location for the restaurant, I went to meet the producers to taste their products,” she confides.
Credit Photo Elisabeth Blanchet Burgot3Here, we’re not talking about “vegetarian cuisine” or “trends”, but about a real change in the way we look at food.
“In my cooking, the vegetable is at the centre, and the animal protein just enhances it”, explains the chef.
Each dish is designed to reduce the carbon footprint, while making the most of the riches of Normandy’s terroir. The menus change with the seasons: carrots, chard, squash, apples, herbs from the garden, fish from the fish market… The result? Colourful, inventive cuisine that’s deeply rooted in its environment. This low-carbon approach is now recognised: Iggy’s Bistrot is one of the region’s committed restaurants, identified by the Granville Terre et Mer Tourist Office for their sustainable and responsible approach.
Bénédicte’s commitment can also be seen in the details:
Credit Photo Elisabeth Blanchet Burgot2
20251107 123130Najib Moret, a waiter at Iggy’s bistro, has created the latest highlight: a 100% Norman cocktail, designed for the Manche drinks competition, for which he won 1st prize.
“We wanted a cocktail without imported sugar or lemon, so we replaced the sugar with honey and the lemon with cider vinegar, with pink apple juice from the Granville market. “
The result is a refreshing drink in keeping with the philosophy of the place, which goes by the name of ‘ Miss Cat ‘.
At Bistrot d’Iggy, you can eat well, laugh and chat – but you can also gently reflect on a different way of consuming. With her low-carbon approach, short supply chains and sense of sharing, Bénédicte Graber is reinventing Norman conviviality.
“Cooking is about taking care of yourself, others and the planet,” she concludes.
Photo credits: Elisabeth Blanchet Burgot // Benoit Galleteau
Credit Photo Elisabeth Blanchet Burgot
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