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PGI — Rhône-Alpes
Free-range mountain poultry — minimum 81 days for chicken, 150 days for capon — firm flesh and intense flavour.
Free-range poultry from Rhône-Alpes, PGI (IGP) since 2016.
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Poulet and Chapon de l'Ardèche are reared in the monts du Vivarais, a mountain range in the east-central Massif Central. Production dates back not to the 19th century, but to the 1960s: in 1964, a poultry slaughterhouse was established in Félines, in the north of the département, around which a family-run sector took shape — the Barou abattoir, followed by the Groupement de Qualité des Volailles Fermières de l'Ardèche. This mountain know-how, forged by rural depopulation and the search for production suited to difficult land, was formalised by the PGI in 2016.
An average altitude of 700 m, a mid-mountain climate with harsh winters and dry, sunny summers, stony soils derived from volcanic, granitic and schist rocks — characteristics mirrored in the specifications: mandatory free access to a tree-planted range, naturally covered with gravel. Rustic, slow-growing strains, selected for their adaptation to the mountain relief.
Appearance
Lean flesh, muscle developed through slow growth (minimum 81 days for chicken, 150 days for capon)
Aroma
Subtle, lightly meaty, with grassy mountain notes
Taste
Intense, concentrated flavour, firm and lean flesh
Texture
Fine, firm flesh, low in moisture — a distinct mountain characteristic
Reared exclusively in the mountain or foothill areas of Ardèche. Rustic, slow-growing strains: minimum 81 days for chicken, 150 days for capon. Mandatory free access to a tree-planted outdoor run, naturally covered with gravel. Diet of 100% plant-based feed, minerals and vitamins, with at least 50% cereals during the starter phase, then a minimum of 80% during the fattening phase.
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Chicken (81 days): Roasted for 45–50 min at 180°C. Very firm flesh, requires slower cooking.
Capon (150 days+): Braised fowl, slow-cooked for 1 hour 30 at 160°C. Very tender flesh despite its maturity.
Since: 2016
Area covered: Mountain or foothill zone centred on the monts du Vivarais (Ardèche)
Key requirements: Reared exclusively in mountain/foothill zones; 81 days min. (chicken) or 150 days (capon); slow-growing rustic strains; 100% plant-based diet, including at least 80% cereals during the fattening period; free access to a tree-planted range covered with gravel
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