Creme de Citron
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
  • LIFESTYLE
  • TRAVEL
    • AMERICA
    • ASIA
    • EUROPE
    • OCEANIA
  • FOOD
    • EAT >
      • SAVOURY
      • SWEET
    • DRINK
  • SHOP
    • PRINTS

Visiting France: salt marshes of Bonne Pogne in Noirmoutier

24/9/2013

0 Comments

 
Visiting France - Salt Marsh on the Island of Noirmoutier
For the last installment of my little trip to France, I continue the day trip in Noirmoutier and show you the salt marshes of Bonne Pogne.
After having eaten our galettes and crêpes and as we were making our way back towards the continent, we stopped at one of the many salt marshes as I wanted to bring back some coarse sea salt and fleur de sel. And what a better place to do that than in Noirmoutier!
The salt marshes where we stopped are called Marais Salants de Bonne Pogne and owned by the family Petitgas. We were only going to stop for a few minutes to buy some salt but were told we could get a visit of the salt marshes too. Learning more about an ingredient I use everyday was definitely a great thing.
We walked towards the end of the salt marshes among the oeillets (salt pans) and stood there so we could listen to our guide and saunier (salt worker) Dylan. While he was pulling some coarse sea salt from the bottom of a salt pan with a wood rake, he told us about the production of salt in Marais de Bonne Pogne.
The salt pans are covered with clay and whenever the sea water has evaporated, the coarse sea salt is pushed and pulled from the bottom, then left to dry in a small pile. The clay residues go through the salt like a sieve leaving a pile of clean salt grains. It takes about two days for a salt pan to refill and each time, about 90 kilos of coarse sea salt are collected (depending on the season and the weather). The salt is then added to a bigger pile so it can be stored and dried for later consumption.
Dylan then showed us how the fleur de sel is harvested. For this process, he used a different kind of rake to pull the fleur de sel from the surface of the water where it sits. Before drying, it has a light pink colour because of a little algae found in the water (the same that is eaten by pink flamingos). Like the coarse sea salt, the fleur de sel is then left in separate small piles to dry and whiten with the process. We got to taste the fleur de sel just out of the water and it was... well, salty! But also very delicate, no wonder why you do not cook with it but just use it to season.
The Marais de Bonne Pogne produce between 15 and 250 tons of coarse sea salt every year (the weather plays a big part in the variation of the production). The fleur de sel amount represents 10% of the year tonnage production. It is then sold on the spot, but also in France and Canada.

All in all, Dylan gave us an excellent visit. We all learned a lot about sea salt that day and now that I have a big bag of coarse sea salt and a smaller one of fleur de sel, I will really appreciate remembering where it comes from every time I use them.

Do you often cook with coarse sea salt or season with fleur de sel? And do you know where the salt you use come from?
Visiting France - Salt Marsh on the Island of Noirmoutier
Visiting France - Salt Marsh on the Island of Noirmoutier
Visiting France - Salt Marsh on the Island of Noirmoutier
Visiting France - Fleur de Sel on the Island of Noirmoutier
Tourism in France - Fleur de Sel on the Island of Noirmoutier

If you ever find yourself visiting Noirmoutier, stop at the Marais Salants de Bonne Pogne for a lovely visit and a few bags of wonderful sea salt. It is well worth it!
Those salt marshes are located on route de la Guérinière on the island.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Hello! I’m Yolene, a French blogger based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
    Welcome to my blog Crème de Citron. This is where I share lifestyle, travel and food stories.

    Copyright © Yolene Dabreteau, unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved.
    Content and images cannot be used without my permission.



    CATEGORIES

    All
    America
    Asia
    Autumn
    Beverage
    Christmas
    Dessert
    Europe
    It's Saturday!
    Lifestyle
    Oceania
    Recipe
    Savoury
    Sweet
    Travel
    Winter

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

Content, text and photography are protected by Copyright © Yolène Dabreteau - All rights reserved.