Apéritifs & Ciders

Bottle of Pommeau de Normandie labeled Claque-Pépin, 17% ABV.

Apéritifs

Glass bottle of Poirinella, labeled as organic French aperitif, 16% alcohol, by Benoît Louvet, Claque-Pépin.
Two bottles of Floc de Gascogne grape dessert wine, one red and one white, with Delord branding.
Two bottles of Kiki Vendéen aperitif; one with dark liquid labeled "Épines Noires" featuring blackthorn berries, the other with light liquid labeled "Poires de Vendée Épines Noires" featuring pears and blackthorn berries.
La Troussepinete red dessert wine bottle with vintage-style label and red cap.
Two bottles of Pineau des Charentes, one with a golden liquid and the other with a dark red liquid, both with labels featuring the Normandin-Mercier crest and logo.

Pineau des Charentes

Two bottles of Guerin Pineau des Charentes Tradition, one white and one red, with gold caps and labels.
Two bottles of Vieux Pineau des Charentes Blanc and Rosé from Jean Fillioux.
Two bottles of French cider, one labeled "Cidre bouché" and the other Organic "Poiré." Both have green glass bottles, cork tops, and wire cages.

Ciders

The French Tradition of the Apéritif

French sign reading 'Place de l'Apéro' on blue background.

An apéritif is is an alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. Common choices for an apéritif are vermouth, champagne, fine, Pastis, Absinthe, Dubonnet, Bonal, Suze, Lillet and La Troussepinete.

'Apéritif' may also refer to a snack that precedes a meal. This includes an amuse-bouche, such as crackers, cheese, pâté or olives. "Apéritif" is a French word derived from the Latin verb aperire, which means 'to open.'" - Wikipedia

In France, common apéritifs also include Pineau des Charentes and Floc de Gascogne, the former is only produced in the Charentes region of France, while the latter is only made in Gascony.  

Great article by Chris Redman for FRANCE TODAY: Lillet: License to Chill

“Happy hour may be an American invention, but credit for the civilized ritual of downing a pre-dinner drink or two must go to the French, who came up with the notion of l’heure de l’apéro—aperitif hour—long before the first modern cocktail was shaken or stirred.” - Chris Redman

Van Gogh painting of a full absinthe glass and carafe on a table near a window