Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2021/C 132/09)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within 3 months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Sel de Camargue’/‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’

EU No: PGI-FR-02443 – 5.12.2018

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name

‘Sel de Camargue’/‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 2.6. Salt

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ are marine salts, which are obtained from the natural evaporation of seawater and crystallise only when exposed to sunlight and wind.

‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ contain more than 97 % of NaCl (in dry matter); they are white because of the very low insoluble content.

‘Sel de Camargue’ comes in the following forms:

— ‘Fine’, in which 90 % of the crystals have a grain size of 0,9 mm or less, and which has an insolubles content of 500 ppm or less and a moisture content of 0,05 % or less,

— ‘Coarse’, in which 90 % of the crystals have a grain size of 0,9 mm or more, and which has an insolubles content of 500 ppm or less and a moisture content of 0,05 % or less,

— ‘Drained coarse’, in which 90 % of the crystals have a grain size of 0,4 mm or more, and which has an insolubles content of 500 ppm or less and a moisture content of 2,8 % or less,

— ‘Crude’, in which 90 % of the crystals have a grain size of 0,9 mm or more, and which has an insolubles content of 700 ppm or less and a moisture content of 5 % or less,

— no treatment (other than drying) is allowed.

‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ has the following characteristics:

— a grain size of 5 mm or less,

— an insolubles content of 600 ppm or less,

— an absence of extraneous matter larger than 3 mm,

— a moisture content less than 4 %,

— a bulk (untapped) salt density of 0,90 or less,

— no treatment (other than drying) is allowed.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The following operations must take place in the geographical area:

— pumping at sea,

— circulating the water pumped in the evaporating basins,

— supplying the crystallisers with water,

— harvesting,

— primary storage (in salt piles or bulk bags).

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

—

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

—

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area of ‘Sel de Camargue’/‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ is defined on the basis of pedoclimatic, climatic and historical criteria.

This geographical area covers

— three municipalities in the department of Gard: Aigues-Mortes, Le-Grau-du-Roi and Saint-Laurent-d’Aigouze,

— one municipality in the department of Bouches du Rhône: Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.

The boundaries of the area are physical or natural boundaries such as canals and the Mediterranean Sea.

5. Link with the geographical area

The link with the geographical area of ‘Sel de Camargue’/‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ is based on its reputation and its specific quality.

‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ come exclusively from the geographical area in Petite Camargue. The salt pan covers 8 500 ha of wild land of the total geographical area of 18 000 ha, where the salt workers circulate the seawater in the evaporating basins.

Thanks to its very hot summers and northerly and north-westerly winds, the geographical area’s Mediterranean climate is conducive to the crystallisation of salt and to specific harvesting methods (formation of salt cakes and annual harvests). Production takes place by gradual concentration of the sea water through natural evaporation, brought about by the sun and wind, across various pools until the salt precipitates on the crystallisers.

Climate and soil characteristics play a key role in production and the harvesting methods.

Located in a Mediterranean climate, the geographical area enjoys long hours of sunshine and high summer temperatures, which promote abundant and more regular salt production than on the Atlantic coast. Moreover, ‘Sel de Camargue’ is produced on the loose, sandy soils, which naturally cover crystallisers. The nature of the sandy soils on which the sea water circulates and the frequent renewal of these waters produce brine with a very low insolubles content, which accounts for the white colour of Camargue salt and salt blossom. The white colour is a characteristic of these products.

In this area – the salt marsh of Aigues-Mortes, called originally Salin de Peccais (after the Roman ‘engineer’ responsible for organising the production of salt) and then Salin du Roi – the production of ‘Sel de Camargue’ dates back to the Middle Ages.

The intense white colour of ‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ guarantees their specificity. ‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ are also known for being rich in NaCl (> 97 %) owing to the speed of evaporation in the crystallisers and to a low insolubles content, related to the geographical environment. These characteristics are the result of the intense heat and sandy soils of the crystallisers.

Crystallisation of the salt in large crystals (up to 1-2 cm in diameter) allows for the formation of a salt layer at least 4-5 cm thick. This layer of salt can then be collected.

Production benefits from the long hours of sunshine and the wind. High summer temperatures induce evaporation and intense concentration, as a result of which production levels are high. The characteristics of the natural environment also determine the harvesting methods. Camargue crystallisers are large, so wind action is crucial for the smooth harvesting of ‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’. Production therefore varies according to the year and the climatic conditions.

‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ is produced in summer, when the wind stops blowing and millions of salt crystals form on the surface of the water. The difference in temperature between daytime and night-time triggers the process of crystallisation on the brine.

Subsequently, the northerly Mistral wind strikes the large surface areas of the crystallisers, forcing the salt blossom crystallised on the surface towards the edge where it builds up and forms the original brine. Still in its saturated initial brine, the salt blossom is not dissolved, and the very hard and thick ‘salt bed’ layer prevents it from coming into contact with the sandy soil, ensuring its purity.

‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ is very fine, because the rapid rate of evaporation caused by weather conditions helps the formation of small crystals.

‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ are widely known. Their physical and chemical characteristics are specific.

The reputation of ‘Sel de Camargue’ dates back to the 17th century, when the Ambassador to Sardinia procured salt from the region, and since 1753 the Roquefort cheese cellars have been using ‘Sel de Camargue’ for salting. It has retained its reputation ever since. Since 1995 restaurateurs, in particular, have highlighted the value of ‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’.

Renowned chefs such as the Pourcel brothers, Roger Merlin and Michel Kayser have developed a terroir cuisine, creating recipes based on recognised regional products, in particular ‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ (particular sources including Cuisine en Duo [Cooking in duo], 1999 by the Pourcel brothers; Saveurs salées de la Méditerranée [Salty flavours of the Mediterranean], Éditions Gallimard).

Since the 1990s, food books and tourist guides have promoted ‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ to the general public. This has attracted tourists to Aigues-Mortes, which offers activities such as visits to the salt marsh (over 100 000 visitors a year). This is reflected in publications such as Éditions Gallimard’s 1999 Camargue, fleur de sel, the magazine France Aéro, which in 2001 devoted an entire article to Camargue salt production, and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’ more particularly, and the weekly la semaine de Nîmes, which in 2001 wrote that ‘in cuisine, Camargue salt blossom works wonders in salt-crusted dishes. However, its finesse will impart a touch of nobility to a simple fried egg or raw vegetable. [...] It has the capacity of transforming the dishes it accompanies into the sublime.’

Articles in the regional and national press (Midi-Libre, L’Alsace, La Marseillaise, La Gazette, La Provence, Le Figaro, Le Point, Les Echos) and broadcast on television (France Télévision, TF1, Arte, BFM), which have continued to be published and broadcast since the 1990s, attest to the interest in ‘Sel de Camargue’ and ‘Fleur de Sel de Camargue’.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of the Regulation)

https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDC-SelFdsCamargVNov2020.pdf

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.