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PGI — Label Rouge — Limousin
« A pig reared slowly, fed on cereals from the Limousin terroir, delivering pink meat of tenderness and generosity. »
Pork from Limousin, PGI (IGP) since 1996.
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Pigs have been a fundamental part of the Limousin farm for centuries. In the countryside, the fête du cochon was the great nourishing high mass of the year: charcuterie, rillettes, andouillettes and lard — traditions that still shape the regional diet today. Farmers fattened their pigs in autumn, after the harvest, to ensure a reserve of meat and charcuterie throughout the winter. In 1996, PGI status officially recognised this know-how.
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Maize transformed the taste of Porc du Limousin. Milhoc (local maize), incorporated into the pigs' diet in place of cereal residues, produces meat that is more flavoursome and finer, with firm white fat. Limousin, a bocage landscape, offers an ideal terroir — a temperate climate, rich soils, pure water — alongside local production of maize, barley and oats that shape the organoleptic profile of this meat.
Unlike standard pigs slaughtered at 168 days, Porc du Limousin reaches maturity slowly: a minimum of 182 days, guaranteeing meat that is more flavoursome and tender. Porc du Limousin embodies the livestock-rearing tradition of Limousin, a land of pastures and forests where farms are few and small in scale. Traceability is guaranteed from birth to the butcher's counter: each animal is tattooed at birth, then again upon entering the fattening stage.
Appearance
Pale pink to deep pink, with deposits of firm white fat on the carcass; fleshy texture, well-conformed and uniform appearance
Aroma
Delicate, slightly sweet aroma, characteristic of maize and grazed grass; discreet hazelnut notes
Taste
Rich and complex flavour, light hazelnut notes, persistent length on the palate; less fatty than quickly reared pigs, yet more flavoursome
Texture
Melt-in-the-mouth meat, fine and regular fibres, uniform intramuscular marbling
piglets are born and reared in Limousin (Corrèze, Creuse, Haute-Vienne) and neighbouring cantons
specialised housing, with comfort areas exceeding regulatory standards
minimum 182 days, compared to 168 days for a standard pig
each carcass is evaluated (weight, conformation, fat content); only the finest receive the label
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Porc du Limousin shines as a grilled or roasted chop, served with a light mustard sauce and root vegetables (turnips, carrots). Roast fresh ham pairs wonderfully with a white Limoux or a light Merlot from Périgord. Rillettes are spread on toasted Limousin bread with a glass of sweet cider. Limousin pot-au-feu — pork, carrots, leeks, rich broth — is the ultimate sharing dish. Serving temperature: 55–65°C for cooked cuts, room temperature for charcuterie.
Since: 1996
Area covered: Corrèze, Creuse, Haute-Vienne + neighbouring cantons
Key requirements: Birth and rearing in the PGI area; minimum age of 182 days; cereal-based feed (min. 60%, maize ≤ 20%); carcass evaluated at slaughter (weight, conformation, fat); mandatory traceability (tattoo, certification label)
Since: 1990
Area covered: Corrèze, Creuse, Haute-Vienne + neighbouring cantons
Key requirements: Cereal-based feed (min. 60%, maize ≤ 20%); reared for a minimum of 182 days in housing with comfort areas exceeding regulatory standards; carcass evaluated at slaughter (weight, conformation, fat); alternating inspections by the Organisme de Défense et de Gestion and by an independent certification body
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