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AOC — PDO — Picardy
A lamb reared on the fragrant pastures of the salt marshes, where maritime iodine and puccinellia combine to produce pink meat of unparalleled delicacy and flavour
Lamb from Picardy, PDO (AOP) since 2013.
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Sheep farming on the salt marshes of the Baie de Somme is recorded as early as the 15th century. From the 16th century, land donations by lords or by the abbaye de Saint-Valery created vast expanses dedicated to grazing. In the 19th century, up to six thousand sheep grazed between Le Crotoy and Saint-Valery, and the reputation of their meat already reached far beyond the neighbouring towns of Abbeville and Amiens. The terroir was granted appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) protection by decree on 21 December 2007, followed by European recognition as a PDO on 4 July 2013. This recognition crowned the collective effort of the eleven farmers today united within the appellation's union.
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The terroir of the Baie de Somme salt meadows is truly unique. These 1,200 hectares of meadows are managed by eleven farmers united in an association to defend the appellation. The dominant plant is maritime puccinellia (Puccinellia maritima), alongside sea purslane and sea arrowgrass — halophytic (salt-tolerant) species that make up the bulk of the lambs' diet and give the meat its fine grain, its pink colour and its flavour blending iodine, flora and hazelnut.
The Baie de Somme, a vast natural amphitheatre centred on the Somme estuary and the Baie d'Authie, is home to these salt marshes known locally as mollières, covered by the sea at least fifty days a year. This regular submersion shapes a soil of marine silt and the halophytic vegetation unique to the marsh. The lambs move onto the salt marsh at the end of winter and graze there for at least 75 days, for a total rearing period of at least 135 days before slaughter.
Every year in September, the Fête de l'Agneau PDO des Prés-Salés de la Baie de Somme brings together farmers, restaurateurs and visitors for a lamb transhumance followed by an excursion into the bay, a sheepdog demonstration and a tasting meal. The appellation enjoys strong tourist appeal: the meat is in high demand in the region's restaurants, and the grazing flocks are among the sought-after sights during walks across the salt meadows.
Appearance
Carcass with regular conformation, white to creamy-white covering fat, firm and thinly developed, evenly distributed. Meat with a deep pink colour, long fibres, and discreet marbling (intramuscular fat).
Aroma
Delicate, evocative of sea spray and the salty vegetation of the marsh — discreet, without excess.
Taste
Intense, lingering aromas on the palate, predominantly iodised and slightly herbaceous, inherited from puccinellia and the other halophytic plants of the salt meadows.
Texture
Fine grain, juicy and tender meat, with high juiciness sustained throughout chewing.
The 'Prés-salés de la baie de Somme' PDO has no official sub-categories by age or weight: all lambs claiming the appellation must weigh at least 16 kg carcass weight and have been reared for at least 135 days, including a minimum of 75 days grazing on the salt marsh. A finishing period remains possible, however, for later-developing lambs: lasting no more than one day for every four days of maritime grazing, up to a limit of six weeks, it allows these animals to reach the characteristics required by the specifications before slaughter.
Lambs are fed primarily on mother's milk for 60 to 90 days after birth.
During maritime grazing, no concentrates are fed; only fodder may supplement the salt-marsh grass.
Meat sold chilled between July and November, via butchers, restaurateurs and partner supermarkets of the appellation.
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Preparation: Cutlets or chops of 150–200 g, seared in a frying pan in a little olive oil, 3–4 minutes on each side for a pink centre. Fine Guérande salt on the surface after cooking.
Serving: At 62–65 °C core temperature for optimal pinkness. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Accompaniments: Flageolet beans or Haricots Tarbais, carrot purée with tarragon, glazed turnips. Fresh herbs should remain delicate: parsley, chervil, a touch of tarragon.
Pairings: Light and fruity red wines (red Sancerre, Pinot Noir from Bourgogne, Northern Côtes du Rhône); amber beers; ciders from Normandie.
Since: 2007
Area covered: Approximately 480 communes in the Somme and Pas-de-Calais départements, centred on the Baie de Somme and Baie d'Authie
Key requirements: Birth, rearing and slaughter within the area; post-natal period (mother's milk) of 60 to 90 days; maritime grazing for a minimum of 75 days; total rearing period of at least 135 days; minimum carcass weight 16 kg
Reference: Arrêté du 21 décembre 2007.
Since: 2013
Area covered: Approximately 480 communes in the Somme and Pas-de-Calais départements, centred on the Baie de Somme and Baie d'Authie
Key requirements: Same as AOC + inspection by an independent body (Certipaq); full traceability; tamper-proof marking of carcasses
Reference: Règlement UE n°648/2013 du 4 juillet.
EARL
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