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Label Rouge — Pays de la Loire
In Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, sardines have nourished generations of Vendée fishermen and kept thirteen canneries running at their peak. Only one remains today, the guardian of a vintage savoir-faire eagerly sought after by connoisseurs across the globe.
Seafood from Pays de la Loire, Label Rouge since 2001.
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Sardine fishing along the Vendée coast is documented as early as the 17th century: in the first half of the century, the arrival of some 200 Moors from Spain (1615) introduced a straight hemp gillnet fishing technique to the region, making it possible to catch fish in large numbers. Saint-Gilles-sur-Vie — which would merge with Croix-de-Vie in 1967 to form Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie — was then a bustling little fishing port on the Vendée's Atlantic coast.
The rise of sardine fishing gathered pace at the end of the 18th century, a period that marked a significant expansion of the trade along the Vendée coast.
The true transformation of the Vendée sardine industry came in 1840, with the widespread adoption of canning in oil. This technique, developed in France by Nicolas Appert a few decades earlier (the first cannery using his heat-sterilisation process was established in Saint-Gilles in 1830), made it possible to keep fresh sardines for several years in airtight tins. Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie entered the industrial era of the sardine: canneries multiplied along the harbour throughout the 19th century.
In 1888, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie had 13 active canneries — a remarkable figure for a town of its size. The female cannery workers, fishermen's wives who worked assembly lines in the workshops, sorted, beheaded, gutted, and tinned fresh sardines by hand. The local economy was organised entirely around sardines: more than 30,000 women were then employed across a hundred canneries scattered along the Vendée coast.
The 20th century saw a gradual consolidation of the sector. The small artisanal canneries closed one after another. Today, only one cannery carries on the Vendée sardine tradition in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, compared to 13 in 1888: Conserverie Gendreau, founded in 1903 by Eugène Gendreau and handed down through 4 generations of the family — Claude Gendreau (3rd generation) redeployed the business in 1946, before the arrival of Philippe Gendreau (4th generation and current CEO) in 1986. It was Philippe Gendreau who created the La Perle des Dieux brand in 2005 to showcase this sardine-canning savoir-faire.
Every summer since 2004, La Perle des Dieux has produced vintage sardines: each tin bears the year of its manufacture and is destined to mature in a cellar, like a fine wine. Sardines improve with age — the olive oil gradually permeates the flesh, the bones become imperceptible, and the texture turns meltingly tender; the house recommends keeping them for 3 to 4 years.
Appearance
Whole sardines in a metal tin, tightly packed in rows, covered in olive or sunflower oil depending on the recipe. Silvery to golden in colour, with intact, glistening skin on Label Rouge products.
Aroma
Marine and delicate — light iodine, notes of olive oil, subtly smoky on certain varieties. Far less aggressive than industrial sardines.
Taste
Rich and flavoursome — flesh of fresh (never frozen) sardine comes through clearly, with a pronounced yet refined marine taste and perfectly judged salt. Aged vintages: a more complex, milder flavour.
Texture
Firm yet melting — flesh that holds together on a fork but flakes delicately away. Bones present (edible), delicate skin.
Sardines from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie benefit from the Label Rouge, awarded in 2001 — an exceptional distinction, as this was the first wild fish to obtain this certification in France. The specifications impose a maximum time limit of 12 hours between catch and landing, and 24 hours between catch and arrival at the factory, as well as artisan canning ensuring a minimum of 4 fish of uniform size per tin.
La Perle des Dieux is home to L'Atelier de la Sardine, an interactive museum opened in 2018 that traces the history of Vendée sardine fishing. Fresh sardines are sorted, trimmed, and tinned entirely by hand: cleaned, gutted, beheaded, and then packed into tins one by one according to specifications requiring an alternating head-to-tail arrangement, with the "blue" side (back visible) upon opening.
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Fresh sardines: On the barbecue, with sea salt and lemon — a simple and convivial way to enjoy them in season.
Tinned sardines: On lightly buttered toast, with red onions and wholegrain mustard. In a salad with tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. Or simply with a fork, straight from the tin.
Vintages: Open 15 min before tasting to allow them to open out. Serve at room temperature with crusty country bread.
Since: 2001
Area covered: Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, in Vendée
Key requirements: Fresh wild fish (not frozen), landed within 12 hours of catch, tinned within 24 hours, size grading and artisan canning methods defined in the specifications
Craft industry
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Under the brand La Perle des Dieux, the company presents itself as a Vendée house specialising in sardines, processed by hand from local and responsible catches. It highlights the concept of the vintage sardine: the fish are aged for several years in cellars and improve with time, "like a fine wine". The website also claims "130 years of know-how".
The company states that it works exclusively with local stakeholders — fishermen and "sardinières" — and highlights several commitments: supporting the Fondation de la Mer and eliminating plastic from its packaging. In addition to sardines, its range includes anchovies, tuna, mackerel, soups, bisques, and aperitif products, sold in its shops and on its website.
| Address | 58 Quai de la République, 85800 Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, France |
| +33 2 51 60 18 29 | |
| laperledesdieux.com | |
| Facebook page | |
| @laperledesdieux | |
| Visits | Yes — L'Atelier de la Sardine (museum + shop) |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2004. |
