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PGI — Burgundy
In the shadow of Volailles de Bresse, Burgundy rears its own chickens, guinea fowl and capons — free-range, reared outdoors, fed on Burgundian cereals.
Free-range poultry from Burgundy, PGI (IGP) since 1996.
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The Volailles de Bourgogne PGI (INAO reference IG/07/94) has been recognised at European level since 1996, in the first wave of French poultry protected geographical indications. This recognition enshrines a long-standing poultry-farming tradition: by studying post-mortem estate inventories preserved in the Dijon archives, it was established that as early as the 14th century, one household in four reared poultry in Burgundy — the poulet noir bourguignon being particularly renowned at the time. Farmhouse rearing continues to this day: the Syndicat des Volailles Fermières de Bourgogne, based in Saint-Rémy (Saône-et-Loire), today unites around a hundred farmers, four feed manufacturers, seven hatcheries and three slaughterhouses, from the birth of the chicks to slaughter.
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The production area extends across the four départements of historic Burgundy — Côte-d'Or (21), Nièvre (58), Saône-et-Loire (71) and Yonne (89) — and reaches into bordering cantons of neighbouring départements (Haute-Saône, Jura, Haute-Marne, Ain). This territory is characterised by a temperate continental climate, limestone or clay soils, and above all by the preservation of bocage hedgerows and natural grasslands — essential resources for open-air rearing. Generation after generation, Burgundian farms have combined mixed farming, dairy cattle farming and traditional poultry keeping, creating a harmonious and productive agricultural landscape.
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Contrary to popular belief, Volailles de Bourgogne PGI and Volaille de Bresse PDO are not rivals but complementary. Bresse PDO — recognised as early as 1957 within an area defined since 1936, and reserved for a single breed recognisable by its blue legs, white plumage and red comb — occupies the entire Bresse bocage plain, straddling Ain, Saône-et-Loire and Jura, between the Saône and Beaujolais. Volailles de Bourgogne PGI, by contrast, cover a different area — the four départements of historic Burgundy and their bordering cantons — and bring together several breeds and species: Poulet Noir, Blanc and Jaune de Bourgogne, Poulet Blanc Patte Bleue, guinea fowl, turkey, capon and poularde. This diversity and this broader area make Volailles de Bourgogne an authentic regional emblem, distinct from neighbouring Bresse.
Appearance
Farmhouse-style poultry, muscular and well-built, with fine skin. An imposing silhouette, with a significantly longer rearing period — roughly twice that of standard poultry.
Aroma
Delicate and natural aroma of free-range poultry, characteristic — neither bland nor musky.
Taste
Firm flesh, more flavourful and less fatty than that of intensively reared poultry, thanks to this extended rearing period. Slightly nutty flavour depending on the species and feed.
Texture
Fine-grained meat, tender in young birds, more structured in mature poulardes and capons.
minimum 81 days of rearing — breeds with black plumage and legs ('cou-nu' variety), white, or yellow; fine, tender flesh
minimum 94 days of rearing — plumage flecked with russet and/or black, blue legs, red comb; high-end poultry
young hen slaughtered before laying — tender and flavourful flesh, a prime cut for festive meals
minimum 150 days of rearing — castrated cock, at least 5 months old; a Christmas speciality, highly flavoursome flesh
minimum 94 days of rearing — distinctive flavour, more subtle than game
minimum 145 days of rearing — prestigious festive poultry, meat redder than capon
Access to a grassy run of at least 2 m² per bird for free-range chicken; water and natural litter permanently available.
Chicken: 81 days; Poulet Blanc Patte Bleue: 94 days; Guinea fowl: 94 days; Turkey: 145 days; Capon: 150 days.
Short use-by date (9 to 11 days depending on the species), without prolonged refrigeration.
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Since: 1996
Area covered: Côte-d'Or (21), Nièvre (58), Saône-et-Loire (71), Yonne (89) + bordering cantons
Key requirements: Birth and rearing in the PGI (IGP) area; mandatory outdoor rearing (grassy run, at least 2 m²/bird for chicken); 100% plant-based feed based on regional cereals; minimum rearing periods (81 days for chicken, 94 days for guinea fowl/Poulet Blanc Patte Bleue, 145 days for turkey, 150 days for capon); slow-growing strains, various breeds authorised
Trade association
Artisanal industry
Artisanal industry
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