Riz de Camargue

Riz de Camargue is rice grown, harvested, dried, and stored within a defined area of the Rhône delta in southern France. Authorised varieties belong to the Japonica and Indica families and encompass round, medium, A-type long, and B-type long grains, available as wholegrain, white, or parboiled rice. The specification sets strict limits on breakage, impurities, and grain uniformity.

About this designation

Registered as a PGI on 16 September 1999 under file number PGI-FR-0073 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013289), Riz de Camargue covers rice produced within a precisely delimited territory of the Rhône delta. The geographical area spans municipalities in two departments: in Bouches-du-Rhône, Arles, Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, Tarascon, and Fontvieille; in Gard, Saint-Gilles, Vauvert, Aigues-Mortes, Beaucaire, Fourques, Saint-Laurent d'Aigouze, Le Cailar, Le Grau-du-Roi, Aimargues, and Bellegarde. All cultivation, harvesting, drying, and stocking of paddy rice must take place within this area. Authorised varieties belong to the Japonica and Indica families; the list of permitted varieties is reviewed and updated annually by the managing organisation on the basis of agronomic criteria. The specification permits four grain types — round, medium, A-type long, and B-type long — and three states of preparation: wholegrain or brown rice, white rice, and parboiled rice. Quality thresholds are precisely defined: the level of breakages may not exceed 5%; the percentage of grains of the same type must be equal to or higher than 97%; moisture content for white and parboiled rice must be equal to or lower than 15%; inorganic impurities must not exceed 0,01% and organic impurities must not exceed 0,05%. All marketed rice must carry the name Riz de Camargue on its label together with the European PGI logo.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 16 September 1999 under file number PGI-FR-0073, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013289.
• All cultivation, harvesting, drying, and stocking of paddy rice must take place within the defined Camargue geographical area; no step may be performed outside it.
• The specification sets a maximum breakage level of 5% and requires that at least 97% of grains belong to the same grain type.
• The list of authorised Japonica and Indica varieties is updated annually by the PGI Defence and Management Body on the basis of agronomic criteria.

Tasting notes

Camargue (Bouches-du-Rhône-Gard) rice IGP, multiple varieties (long-grain, round, red, black). Characteristic Camargue terroir flavor, firm chewy texture (especially red and black varieties), distinct from Italian risotto rice.

HoReCa use

Riz de Camargue is used in Provençal and Camargue cuisine, including riz au safran provençal, paella variants, and rice salads; red rice varieties are used in salads and the black rice as a visual centrepiece for fish dishes.

Packaging

• vacuum-pack-500g
• vacuum-pack-1kg
• gift-pack-500g
• professional-bulk-5kg