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Label Rouge — PGI — Aquitaine
France's first Label Rouge, won in 1965 by Dordogne farmers — free-range chicken reared for at least 81 days in the woods of Périgord, fed on local cereals, with firm, flavourful white meat.
Free-range poultry from Aquitaine, PGI (IGP) since 2016.
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Poultry farming began to develop significantly in Périgord from the 14th century onwards, but it was only during the 19th century that the region truly became a major poultry-producing area, whilst still retaining its traditional, family-run character. Agricultural competitions played a decisive role in this recognition: held first in Dordogne from 1862, then in neighbouring départements — Limoges in 1862, Agen in 1863, Niort in 1866 —, they predominantly rewarded Périgord poultry farmers and established the reputation of Poulet du Périgord well beyond its rearing area. In 1929, the Périgord cook La Mazille enshrined this renown in her collection of local recipes, attributing the excellence of Périgord poultry to fattening on local maize. This reputation endures today: over the past decade, award lists at the Salon International de l'Agriculture in Paris have confirmed the strong national standing of Poulet du Périgord, both as whole carcasses and as cuts.
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It was primarily after the Second World War that poultry production in Périgord became structured in a significant way, with the sector relying on hardy local strains selected for their tenderness and delicate flavour. In 1953, Périgord producers founded the first Syndicat de Défense du Poulet Fermier du Périgord, which set down in its technical regulations the method for rearing poultry 'according to the traditional farm method in use in Périgord'. Twelve years later, in 1965, this same association took part in creating France's very first poultry Label Rouge, awarded to Périgord free-range chickens. This label enshrined the taste superiority of a rearing method based on slow growth, generous space and feed quality, in direct contrast to the industrial methods then gaining ground in French poultry farming.
On 30 September 2016, after more than fifty years of the Label Rouge, the name 'Poulet du Périgord' was registered as a PGI by the European Commission, no opposition having been notified following the publication of the French application. This protection guarantees that the rearing, slaughter, cutting and packaging of Poulet du Périgord take place within the defined geographical area — the whole of Dordogne and neighbouring cantons of Charente, Charente-Maritime, Corrèze, Gironde, Haute-Vienne, Lot and Lot-et-Garonne.
Aspect
Plump chicken with well-developed, firm muscle mass evenly distributed over a fine skeleton; thin skin of uniform yellow or white colour depending on the strain, covering sufficient but not excessive subcutaneous fat.
Odeur
Farmhouse poultry aromas, with cereal notes linked to the maize-based diet.
Goût
Delicate and distinctive flavour, more pronounced than that of an industrial chicken due to the longer rearing period and outdoor roaming.
Texture
Firm meat, with no localised fat deposits in the abdominal cavity or under the wings, and neat carcass presentation.
Poulet du Périgord comes from slow-growing strains, of the 'naked neck' type (yellow chicken) and/or non-naked neck type (white chicken). It is marketed as whole carcasses or cuts, fresh or frozen, in three presentations: drawn carcass, 'ready-to-cook' carcass, or 'méti-fait' carcass (plucked and eviscerated poultry, head folded under the wing) — sorting and presentation know-how specific to Périgord slaughterhouses. Poularde du Périgord and Chapon du Périgord, also protected by a PGI, complete this same poultry sector.
Hardy, slow-growing strains, of the naked-neck type (yellow chicken) or non-naked-neck type (white chicken).
Chickens are reared on grassy or wooded runs, often sloping, with a minimum area of 2 m² per bird.
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Poulet du Périgord lends itself to all the classic preparations of French cuisine. Oven-roasted whole with a herb and garlic stuffing, it reveals its full flavour. Cooked in a cocotte with cèpes de Bordeaux and fresh walnuts, it belongs to grand Périgord cuisine. A fricassee with cream and black truffles turns it into an accessible celebratory dish. For wine pairings, a fruity red Bergerac or a supple, fruity Cahors will accompany its delicate aromas without overpowering them.
Since: 1965
Area covered: Périgord et zones limitrophes
Key requirements: Slow-growing strain; free-range run; cereal-based diet; 81 days min
Since: 2016
Area covered: Dordogne + cantons of Charente, Charente-Maritime, Haute-Vienne, Corrèze, Lot, Lot-et-Garonne, Gironde
Key requirements: Birth, rearing, slaughter, cutting and packaging in the area; local cereals + bentonite; free-range run
Association
Artisanal industry
Artisanal industry
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Blason d'Or presents itself as a Périgord poultry brand founded in 1956, which rears, slaughters, and processes on site chickens, guinea fowl, capons, and turkeys within a single integrated supply chain, from feed and hatching to processing, alongside its local farmers. Its poultry is certified Label Rouge, Périgord PGI (IGP), and Agriculture Biologique.
Based in Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes in the Dordogne, the company states that it handles its own transport of products throughout the greater South-West.
| Address | 46 Rte de Bordeaux, 24100 Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes, France |
| +33 5 53 74 54 54 | |
| blasondor.com | |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2009. |
Artisanal industry
Fermiers du Périgord is one of the two abattoirs officially designated by the Association Le Poulet du Périgord for rearing, slaughtering and cutting under the 'Poulet du Périgord' PGI (IGP), based in Terrasson-Lavilledieu, in Dordogne. It forms the Périgord division of Groupe Fermiers du Sud-Ouest, which operates the 'Périgord PGI' brand alongside its Landes and Gers brands: free-range poultry, chickens reared for a minimum of 81 days, and a predominantly cereal-based diet supplemented with local bentonite.
| Address | 1 Rue du Périgord, 24120 Terrasson-Lavilledieu |
| +33 5 53 51 72 30 | |
| fermiers-so.fr | |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 1997. |
