Beurre Charentes-Poitou

Butter produced in the Charentes and Poitou region of western France, registered as a PDO under three protected names. The specification requires cream to undergo biological maturation for at least twelve hours after pasteurisation, and prohibits the addition of colouring agents, preservatives, and acidity regulators. The designation covers pale-coloured butter with a firm texture.

About this designation

Beurre Charentes-Poitou, Beurre des Charentes, and Beurre des Deux-Sèvres are three co-registered protected names for butter produced in the Loire and Poitou districts, a region with established livestock-breeding and wine-growing traditions. The phylloxera crisis of 1880 accelerated the development of the local dairy herd and the growth of butter production. The Central Association of cooperative dairies of Charentes and Poitou was created in 1893, and the Dairy Association of Charentes-Poitou, representing cooperatives and private enterprises since 1930, applied for the Appellation d'Origine in 1977; it was granted in 1979. The specification requires that cream undergo biological maturation for at least twelve hours after pasteurisation. The addition of colouring agents, preservatives, or acidity regulators is prohibited. Packaging must bear a label carrying the words Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée together with the applicable designation name, either affixed to or reproduced on the packaging. Control is exercised by the I.N.A.O. The designation was registered as a PDO at EU level on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-FR-0137, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000012920. The applicant group at the time of registration was the Association des Laiteries Charentes-Poitou, based in Surgères.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-FR-0137, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000012920.
• Three names are protected under a single registration: Beurre Charentes-Poitou, Beurre des Charentes, and Beurre des Deux-Sèvres.
• The specification requires cream to undergo biological maturation for at least twelve hours after pasteurisation.
• The addition of colouring agents, preservatives, and acidity regulators is prohibited by the specification.

Tasting notes

Charente-Poitou cow's milk butter (the "Le Beurre" of French gastronomy — premier French butter region). Bright pale-yellow color, exceptionally smooth creamy texture, delicate sweet-buttery flavor with floral notes — among France's most prized butters, lower-water-content cooking butter favored by pâtissiers.

HoReCa use

Premium pastry butter used in croissant, mille-feuille, kouign-amann, and brioche feuilletée; also used in beurre blanc and butter sauces, and as a finishing butter.

Packaging

• plaquette-250g
• plaquette-500g
• professional-bulk-1kg
• professional-bulk-5kg
• professional-bulk-25kg
• beurre-de-tourage-pastry-2kg