Sel de Guérande

Sel de Guérande and Fleur de sel de Guérande are hand-harvested, unrefined, unwashed, additive-free sea salts produced exclusively in the salt marshes of the Guérande peninsula. Sel de Guérande is a grey salt harvested from the clay base of the salt pan; Fleur de sel de Guérande consists of white crystals skimmed by hand from the surface of the brine under favourable wind and sun conditions.

About this designation

Registered as a PGI on 22 February 2011 under file number PGI-FR-0861 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013797), the designation covers two distinct products: Sel de Guérande and Fleur de sel de Guérande. The defined geographical area encompasses 39 communes of Loire-Atlantique and 7 communes of Morbihan. Both salts must be hand-harvested, and the specification permits no mechanical harvesting. Sel de Guérande is formed on the natural clay base of the salt pan and is harvested from the brine using a tool called a las; it may be packaged as harvested, or after drying or grinding to produce salts of different granule sizes and moistness. Fleur de sel de Guérande forms on the surface of the brine under favourable climatic conditions and is skimmed by hand using a special long-handled wooden rake before the crystals can sink; it may be packaged as harvested or after partial drying. Both products are naturally grey or white respectively, unrefined, unwashed, and free of additives, and naturally contain mineral salts and trace elements in addition to sodium chloride. Bulk storage and the first sealed and labelled packaging must take place within the PGI area. Labelling must carry the protected name, the PGI logo or the indication 'Protected Geographical Indication', and the name and address of the organisation responsible for protection and management of the PGI.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 22 February 2011 under file number PGI-FR-0861; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013797.
• The specification permits no mechanical harvesting: both Sel de Guérande and Fleur de sel de Guérande must be harvested entirely by hand.
• The geographical area covers 39 communes in Loire-Atlantique and 7 communes in Morbihan.
• The first written records of salt marshes in the Guérande region date from 854, cited in the Cartulaire de Redon.

Tasting notes

Brittany sea salt IGP from Guérande salt-marshes (Loire-Atlantique), traditional hand-harvested. **Sel gris de Guérande** (grey coarse): mineral-rich grey crystals, savory-mineral flavor, ideal for cooking and seasoning. **Fleur de sel de Guérande** (white-flake): premium top-skimmed delicate flakes, light salty flavor with subtle sweet-mineral notes, finishing salt.

HoReCa use

Sel gris de Guérande is used for general kitchen purposes including cooking and seasoning; Fleur de sel de Guérande is used as a finishing salt, sprinkled on dishes before serving.

Packaging

• Sel gris: paper-bag-500g
• paper-bag-1kg
• professional-bulk-5kg
• professional-bulk-25kg. Fleur de sel: glass-jar-100g
• glass-jar-200g
• gift-pack-100g
• professional-bulk-1kg