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PGI — Pays de la Loire
Mâche nantaise: this delicate, sweet leaf that has forged the reputation of Nantes market gardens since the 19th century.
Vegetable from Pays de la Loire, PGI (IGP) since 1999.
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Long regarded as a simple wild salad gathered in the countryside alongside dandelions, mâche (Valerianella locusta) only entered French kitchen gardens in the second half of the 17th century; it was not until the 18th century that it was fully accepted at bourgeois dining tables. It was in the mid-19th century, alongside the emergence of Nantes market gardening itself, that mâche appeared on the list of vegetables grown around Nantes—albeit in small quantities across many gardens, primarily for the growers' own consumption. Volumes remained marginal for a long time: in 1931, statistics recorded only 30 tonnes of mâche produced, compared with 2,500 tonnes of carrots and 1,600 tonnes of lettuce. It was not really until the 1960s, with the transition from cold frames to open fields under plastic polytunnels, that mâche ceased to be a companion crop grown alongside other vegetables and became a specialised monoculture in its own right.
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The decisive turning point was the transition from the châssis nantais—a glass-topped wooden frame inherited from the late 19th century—to open fields under plastic polytunnels, a shift begun in the 1960s that continued into the 1970s. Yet the cold frame did not disappear entirely: cultivation remained organised in raised beds, a direct legacy of its layout under cold frames, which encourages soil drainage and now enables the mechanisation of farming operations. This shift, combined with new packaging formats (bags, punnets) and the progressive mechanisation of harvesting, allowed production in the Nantes basin to double within a few years, surpassing 12,000 tonnes, with recent volumes around 30,000 tonnes per year—more than 80% of the national tonnage.
The professional organisation of Nantes market gardeners began as early as the late 19th century (with the first market gardeners' union in 1884) and grew stronger between the wars: a Fédération des groupements des maraîchers nantais was established in 1928, followed in 1930 by the collective trademark 'MN', stencilled in green on crates to guarantee professional unity and product quality. After the Second World War, the sector had to contend with urban expansion in Nantes, which gradually pushed farms eastwards and south of the Loire. In 1999, 'nantaise' mâche was awarded PGI (IGP) status, cementing its reputation even as market gardening had departed the territory of the city of Nantes itself.
The Nantes terroir combines two complementary assets:
Appearance
Elongated, spoon-shaped leaves with distinct veins emerging in pairs, layered in a cross pattern to form a fairly dense rosette; verte-type varieties are thick and dark green, while coquille-type varieties are rounded, smooth, and barely veined.
Aroma
A subtle scent of fresh hay, mild and herbaceous, without astringency.
Taste
A sweet flavour that gave the plant its French nickname 'doucette'. Free from bitterness, refined and delicate.
Texture
Tender leaves, never stringy.
The PGI recognises two types of mâche, selected from a list of cultivars approved by the trade:
elongated, thick, veined leaves of a dark green—primarily destined for the large-leaf mâche market.
rounded, smooth leaves, very lightly veined, with a short petiole.
The cultivation of mâche nantaise, arranged in raised beds inherited from the châssis nantais, follows a precise production method:
in winter, mâche grown in open ground is protected by small plastic polytunnels; in summer, by nets.
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Mâche is enjoyed raw in salads, retaining all its delicacy. It pairs wonderfully with discreet vinaigrettes (hazelnut, mild mustard), fresh goat's cheese, crushed walnuts, or small lardons. It elevates a simple olive oil dressing. In a warm soup, it brings finesse. Serve well chilled, in a generous salad to allow its leaves to unfurl.
Since: 1999
Area covered: Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Vendée
Key requirements: Verte or coquille-type varieties approved by the group, cultivation in raised beds with systematic sanding, harvesting prohibited in frosty conditions or at temperatures > 25 °C, desanding within 24 h
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