Pré-salé du Mont-Saint-Michel

Prés-salés du Mont-Saint-Michel is a PDO covering fresh lamb meat from animals that graze on the salt marshes of the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay and the western Cotentin estuaries. The maritime pasture period must equal at least half of each animal's lifetime, and carcasses must meet defined minimum weight, conformation and fat-cover standards on the EUROP grading scale.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO under file number PDO-FR-0813, with EU protection dating from 25 June 2010, Prés-salés du Mont-Saint-Michel covers fresh lamb meat produced within a defined geographical area in France encompassing the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel and the salt-marsh estuaries of the western Cotentin region. A standard amendment approved on 27 February 2023 extended the geographical area to include four additional municipalities in the department of Manche: Montsenelle, Baupte, Auvers and Méautis. The lambs must be up to 12 months old and must spend at least half of their lifetime on maritime pasture, including grazing in retreat zones on days when the salt marsh is covered by spring tides. Permitted sire breeds are Suffolk, Roussin, Rouge de l'Ouest, Vendéen, Cotentin, Avranchin and Charollais, or rams born of mothers reared by breeders entitled to use salt marshes as pasturage. Carcasses must weigh a minimum of 14 kg, fall within classes U, R or O on the EUROP conformation scale, and carry fat cover of class 2 or 3 on the EUROP fat scale. The external and internal fat must be firm and white to creamy-white, spread evenly. The meat is sold chilled only; sale in a thawed-and-chilled state is prohibited. All forage must come from the geographical area, and the distribution of maize silage has been forbidden since 1 June 2013. Slaughter takes place within the geographical area.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 28, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 25 June 2010 under file number PDO-FR-0813 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014290).
• The maritime pasture period, including grazing in retreat zones during spring tides, must equal at least half of each lamb's lifetime.
• Carcasses must reach a minimum weight of 14 kg and conform to classes U, R or O on the EUROP grading scale.
• The distribution of maize silage has been forbidden since 1 June 2013, and all forage must originate from the geographical area.

Tasting notes

Normandy salt-marsh lamb AOP from Mont-Saint-Michel bay. Lean dark-pink meat, distinctively salty-iodized flavor from grazing on salt-marsh halophyte plants (sea-purslane, glasswort), firmer texture than standard lamb. Limited production, premium positioning.

HoReCa use

**Premium Norman/Atlantic restaurant centerpiece** — gigot pré-salé as Norman seasonal specialty; pairs with cidre fermier and Pommard.

Packaging

• whole-half-lamb-vacuum-5-7kg
• gigot-1.5-2.5kg
• côtes-rack-600-800g
• épaule-1-1.5kg

Seasonality