Farine de blé noir de Bretagne

Farine de blé noir de Bretagne is a buckwheat flour ground from seeds of Fagopyrum esculentum cultivated within historic Brittany. The specification restricts the permitted varieties to la Harpe and/or Tetra Harpe and requires that all stages from cultivation through processing take place within the defined geographical area. The flour is distinguished by a stronger colour than buckwheat flour produced elsewhere in France or from imported seed.

About this designation

Registered as a PGI on 26 September 2006 under file number PGI-FR-0555 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013902), Farine de blé noir de Bretagne — also registered under the Breton-language form Farine de blé noir de Bretagne — Gwinizh du Breizh — is a flour obtained by grinding seeds of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). The specification permits only two varieties: la Harpe and/or Tetra Harpe. The flour colour, measured on a scale of 0 to 100, must be 75 or higher; the lower the L value, the stronger the colour. The acidity of the flour must have a pH of more than 6, and the moisture level of the stored finished product must be kept at 14,5 % or less. The geographical area corresponds to historic Brittany, comprising the departments of Côtes d'Armor, Finistère, Ille et Vilaine, Morbihan and Loire Atlantique, together with the districts of Pouancé and Candé in Maine et Loire and Saint-Aignan sur Roë in Mayenne. Cultivation, drying, sorting, storing and processing of the buckwheat must all be performed within this area. The flour may be sold loose or packaged in bags of 0,5 to 25 kg. Packaging must bear the words 'Protected Geographical Indication' and/or the Community logo. The specification attributes the flour's stronger colour to the comparatively thin seed coat of Breton buckwheat, which measures between 0,10 and 0,15 mm, against 0,15 to 0,23 mm for seeds from other production areas.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 26 September 2006 under file number PGI-FR-0555, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013902.
• Only two varieties are permitted: la Harpe and/or Tetra Harpe; no other variety is authorised by the specification.
• Flour colour must measure 75 or higher on a scale of 0 to 100, and moisture of the stored finished product must not exceed 14,5 %.
• The geographical area encompasses five departments of historic Brittany plus specific districts in Maine et Loire and Mayenne.

Tasting notes

Brittany buckwheat flour IGP, distinctive grey-flecked dark flour, characteristic earthy-nutty buckwheat flavor.

HoReCa use

The specification states that Farine de blé noir de Bretagne is intended to be eaten in crêpes (thin, generally sweet pancakes) and galettes (thicker, mainly savoury pancakes), and notes a long-established tradition of consuming galette-saucisse, a thick pancake wrapped around a sausage.

Packaging

• paper-bag-500g
• paper-bag-1kg
• professional-bulk-5kg
• professional-bulk-25kg