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PGI — Pays de la Loire
On the island of sunshine, between the sea and salt marshes, the early potato develops an unequalled sweetness, the fruit of a centuries-old maritime heritage.
Vegetable from Pays de la Loire, PGI (IGP) since 2020.
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The potato made its debut on Noirmoutier at the end of the 18th century. Between 1850 and 1880, acreage and production expanded thanks to pioneering growers, aware that they could be the first to supply the spring market owing to the earliness of their harvest. From the 1880s onwards, the island turned almost exclusively towards the production and export of this high-value product, to Saint-Nazaire, Nantes and England.
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Noirmoutier enjoys a unique microclimate: the Côte de Lumière benefits from 2,200 to 2,300 hours of sunshine annually, roughly 300 hours more than the interior of the department. Its predominantly sandy soils, relatively light and free-draining, warm up readily, favouring the early development of the tubers. These conditions give the Pomme de terre de Noirmoutier its remarkable earliness among French new potatoes. All harvesting is prohibited before 15 March, the threshold from which the first varieties arrive on the stalls.
The Coopérative agricole de Noirmoutier was founded on 6 May 1945, when local farmers on Noirmoutier decided to pool their mutual aid resources. Today, it brings together 22 members across around 400 hectares, and prepares and dispatches between 10,000 and 13,000 tonnes of tubers each year.
In 2020, "Pomme de terre de Noirmoutier" was recognised as a PGI, following specifications approved by decree of 3 August 2018.
Appearance
A fresh and fragile tuber, with skin of variable thickness that peels away easily — very thin on "primeur" varieties, peeling easily before cooking —, with yellow or, depending on the variety, whiter flesh.
Aroma
A subtle scent of rich loam, typical of a fragile product unsuited to long storage.
Taste
A slightly sweet flavour, a characteristic directly linked to the properties of the soils of the Île de Noirmoutier.
Texture
Melting, tender flesh, more pronounced in "primeur" tubers harvested before full maturity.
the earliest variety, on the stalls from 15 March to 30 April, which benefits from the Label Rouge
the island's flagship variety, produced in small quantities (100 tonnes in 2019); it nearly disappeared in the interwar period owing to its fragility and small size
harvested from 1 May to 31 July
harvested from 15 May to 10 June
Cultivation on Noirmoutier follows a calendar regulated by the PGI specifications:
autumn ploughing followed by secondary tillage before planting, to form a loose ridge in open ground
by hand before 10 March, mechanical planting permitted thereafter, using seed potatoes pre-sprouted for at least 8 days
prohibited before 15 March, triggered as soon as dry matter content reaches 13%, for a growing cycle of at most 130 days
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The Pomme de terre de Noirmoutier shines through its versatility: excellent in salads, baked, steamed, sautéed or browned. Steamed or boiled, it releases its natural sweetness. In its jacket with simply fresh butter and fleur de sel, it is sublime. Pan-fried, it develops a light golden crust while remaining creamy. It never needs a heavy accompaniment — its finesse is more than enough.
Since: 2020
Area covered: Île de Noirmoutier, 4 municipalities — Vendée (85)
Key requirements: Early or firm-fleshed varieties listed in the official catalogue, planting on ridges before 10 March, harvesting prohibited before 15 March, growing cycle ≤ 130 days
Cooperative
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