A severe drought has significantly affected cider production in Guidel, a town in the Morbihan region of France. Apple orchards, which are essential for cider-making, have produced far fewer apples this year, and the fruit that has grown is much smaller than usual. This has led to challenges for local cider producers, who rely on a steady supply of high-quality apples to make their products. To address the shortage, cider producers have launched an appeal, asking individuals in the area to supply apples. This has sparked a wave of community solidarity, with locals stepping forward to help despite their own reduced harvests. The Kermabo cider mill in Guidel is currently in full operation during the apple pressing season. Here, apples are washed, sorted by hand, and then crushed and pressed into large tanks. However, this year’s apples have been affected by the drought, leading to more sorting and greater losses than in previous years. Maud le Guerroué, a local cider grower, explained that the extreme heat has accelerated rot in the apples and caused them to fall from the trees earlier than normal. This has resulted in a dramatic drop in yield, from an average of 300 tonnes to just 60 tonnes in 2026. Another grower, Sébastien le Romancer, noted that the orchard has produced far fewer apples and that the ones collected are smaller than usual. “The size is not there,” he said, adding that the apples should be much larger. In response to the crisis, the cider mill has encouraged people in the area with apple trees to donate their harvest, offering payment or trade for bottles of cider. Brigitte, a local customer, responded to the call, bringing her apples even though she had only a small harvest this year. Maud le Guerroué said the appeal for solidarity has touched many people, resulting in numerous messages and support. Although the 2025 season was much better, allowing Sébastien and Maud to build up some stock, they still need about forty tonnes of apples to produce their 2026 batch. They plan to create a local batch of cider to promote the region’s apples and potentially encourage people to replant apple trees in the future.