Coco de Paimpol

Coco de Paimpol is a dwarf seed bean of the Phaseolus vulgaris L. species, harvested at the semi-dry stage and sold in its pod as a fresh product. The seeds are monochromatic white to ivory, oval-shaped, mildly to moderately veined, with a very thin skin. The pods are pale yellow, possibly with violet marbling, and contain at least three seeds.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO under file number PDO-FR-0062, with EU protection dating from 22 April 1998, Coco de Paimpol is a dwarf seed bean of the Phaseolus vulgaris L. species produced within a defined area of 85 municipalities in the north of the Côtes d'Armor department of Brittany. The geographical area is identified in the specification by the full list of those municipalities, centred on the Paimpol peninsula. The dry matter content of the seeds at the time of packaging must be between 40 and 60 %, defining the semi-dry stage at which the product is harvested and marketed. Pods must contain at least three seeds, with a maximum tolerance of 5 % at the packaging stage. The product is shipped and marketed in packages with a maximum capacity of 10 kg; containers may contain up to 10 % more than the nominal indicated content to account for drying. Sowing, harvesting, sorting, and packaging must all take place within the defined geographical area. Harvest is carried out manually. Labelling must display the name 'Coco de Paimpol' in characters larger in both height and width than any other words on the label, together with the European Union PDO symbol in the same field of vision. The label must also identify the packaging station, the producer, and the date of packaging. The applicant body is the Syndicat de défense de l'AOC 'Coco de Paimpol', based in Paimpol.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 22 April 1998 under file number PDO-FR-0062; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013279.
• The dry matter content of the seeds at packaging must be between 40 and 60 %, confirming harvest at the semi-dry stage.
• Pods must contain at least three seeds; a maximum tolerance of 5 % applies at the packaging stage.
• Sowing, harvesting, sorting, and packaging must all take place within the 85 named municipalities of the Côtes d'Armor department.

Tasting notes

Brittany shell-bean (haricot demi-sec) AOP from Paimpol coast. White small bean with thin skin, creamy delicate texture when cooked, mild sweet-savory flavor.

HoReCa use

Foundation Breton cuisine — coco de Paimpol with shellfish (especially scallops Saint-Jacques), in salads, with sausage or duck.

Packaging

• fresh-shell-fresh-1kg
• fresh-shell-fresh-2kg
• dried-vacuum-pack-500g
• vacuum-pack-cooked-300g

Seasonality