FLEUR DE SEL - TRANSLATES TO THE "FLOWER OF THE SALT"- THE TREASURE PRODUCED FROM THE CELTIC SEA SALT MARSHES OF THE GUERANDE - PURE PLEASURE FOR YOUR PALATE

This precious flower of salt from the salt marshes of the Guerande region of Brittany, is naturally white, rare and of exceptional quality. Unwashed and uncrushed, its crystals preserve their natural richness. The incomparable flavour of Le Guerande Fleur de Sel is particularly popular with gourmets and chefs.

Where does the Guérande fleur de sel come from?

Guérande fleur de sel comes from the ancient artisanal salt marshes of the Guérande peninsula, harvested from the waters of the mighty Atlantic in a region known as the Celtic Sea coast. The agricultural harvest of salt in this region has been practiced since around 400 BC.

The salt marshes of Guerande have remained small family, artisanal farms that are today grouped together in cooperatives where the salt workers themselves manage the marketing of their products. We purchase from this co-op. The harvest of grey sea salt and Fleur de Sel is always done by hand, using traditional methods and tools known to not damage the flavour or quality of the salt. No metals are used as it can react with the salt.

Great chefs have called the Fleur de Sel 'white gold" because of the way it can reveal the taste of the ingredients in your recipes. Fleur de Sel is featured on the menu of many "starred" restaurants to the delight of gourmets.

How is Guérande Fleur de Sel produced?

This is where the magic happens. From October to February, the salt workers prepare and repair the ground of the salt marshes. These large areas are made up of small basins separated by clay bridges. A beautiful landscape mosaic when viewed from the air. 

At the beginning of spring, Celtic Sea water (loaded with 35g of salt per litre) is channelled into the "carnations" - the name given to crystallisation ponds locally.

Purely under the effect of nature: the sun, heat and the wind, sea water passes through the channels and lagoons, gradually it evaporates and the salt concentration in the water increases: the water turns into brine. This brine, or mother liquor, is in fact the name given to water that is highly concentrated in natural salt after evaporation.

When the water is transformed into mother liquor, the salt crystallisation can take place. As soon as the sunny days arrive the harvest begins, and continues, as long as the weather conditions allow, until the beginning of autumn.

Coarse Grey Sea Salt and Fleur de Sel do not form the same way.

The crystallisation of the coarse grey salt takes place on the clay base of the salt pans where it is loaded up with trace elements. This is what gives it its characteristic grey colour.

The fleur de sel, however, appears on the surface of the lagoons in the form of a thin opalescent film. It is the result of several natural factors: dry and sunny weather swept by an easterly wind which causes the formation of inverted pyramidal crystals which float on the surface of the water.

A true treasure of the salt marshes, fleur de sel is very fragile. Its harvest depends largely on the weather: if it rains while it is forming or just after, the fleur de sel disappears. It is a rare commodity, a precious gift from nature.

How do you collect Guérande Fleur de Sel?

Collecting the fleur de sel takes place using a specially developed tool called the lousse, a tool that could be compared to a skimmer attached to a long handle that allows the salt worker to collect the salt from the edge of the basins. The skilled salt worker, called a Paludier, slides the lousse across the surface of the water with a confident gesture, because the slightest jerk would be fatal to the harvest of a whole "carnation".

What is special about the Fleur de Sel from the Le Guérandais cooperative?

Ancestral knowledge is followed. The salt is made purely by hand at the end of the afternoon, as the sun is dropping in the sky, according to a know-how passed down from generation to generation over several thousand years.

Guérande fleur de sel is a 100% natural salt, without anything added and it is completely unprocessed. After harvest, it is drained/naturally dried for 2 to 3 years before being offered for sale.

Since 1989, the Le Guerandais cooperative has joined the Nature & Progress Federation, which advocates the practice of traditional peasant agriculture, sharing an economy on a human scale with total respect for the environment. It is the equivalent to an "organic standard" for a completely natural product directly from nature.

By choosing Le Guérande Fleur de Sel, you are choosing to support an agricultural practice that respects the natural balance in the environment, emits very little CO2 and supports a traditional way of living that has sustained family life in the region for thousands of years.

What is the difference between the salt we offer: coarse grey salt and fleur de sel from the Guérande Celtic Sea region?

• Coarse salt forms on the bottom of the clay lined lagoons. As it evaporated it becomes loaded with trace elements - all the minerals etc that occur in the ocean - which is what gives it its characteristic grey colour. The salt workers collect much more coarse salt than fleur de sel, because it is a more dense, robust salt that is less sensitive to weather hazards compared to the delicate Fleur de Sel. Coarse salt can be used for everything in your kitchen from general cooking, to salting the water for cooking pasta, rice or vegetables, for cooking in crusts and adding to your food as it cooks. It can also be used at the table to salt your meal.
• These salts contain a full complement of all natural, organic minerals that are present in the sea (the source of all life on earth).
• Ground sea salt is actually the coarse salt, but ground - maybe something is lost at this stage? Perhaps gases? who know?
• It is only Fleur de Sel and coarse grey salt that are sold fully in their natural state.
• Fleur de Sel is a natural salt with a finer and more delicate structure than the coarse salt. It arises from the crystallisation of the salt on the surface of the water, under the effect of the wind and the sun. Fragile, it is more difficult to harvest and requires special attention. It is generally used sparingly at the end of cooking at the table, to enhance a dish.

Fleur de sel is used for seasoning after cooking. It is a delicate table salt that subtly enhances everyday dishes as well as your festive meals. A wonderful natural flavour enhancer, fleur de sel goes well with all savoury dishes and brings depth to caramel or chocolate-based pastries.

How to store Guérande Fleur de Sel?

Fleur de sel is a non-perishable product. Ideally, it should be stored in a stoneware or terracotta pot so that it retains all its taste properties. Why not store yours in a beautiful Miron glass jar? In all cases, it is preferable to keep the fleur de sel away from humidity because it does not contain any additives and therefore risks trapping ambient humidity.