Harvesting the Gros Sel
One would never expect people living from salt farming in these parts of Europe, where the weather is so inconsistent and it rains so much. Salt farming in the salt marshes of the Guérande, in the south eastern part of Bretagne, goes back to the 9th century. Guérande or "Gwenn Rann" in Breton means "White Land". It covers an area of 1700 hectares with thousands of small shallow pools separated by low dikes. The saline workers or salt farmers here are called "Paludiers".
Every two weeks at a high flood the sea water is held back in special pools. Over several concentrating stages it is let down into smaller and shallower basins where the constant wind evaporates the water and concentrates the salt. The last stage are the harvesting pools. Here under perfect conditions with strong easterly winds and blazing sunshine during the summer months the most delicate crystals are formed that float on the surface and are harvested by hand: the Fleur de Sel.
To the photographer this land is fascinating with the shallow water pools reflecting the colour of the sky, the tiny salt-loving halophytic plants in contrasting red colour, and the irregular shapes of the dikes. It looks like rice paddies without the rice! And without the heat and humidity and the long-distance travel, that we have to endure to get to these rice-growing parts of the world....
The best photographic opportunities were in the village of Saillé, with a small museum, the Maison du Paludiers, and a very friendly shop. Taking a stroll all around the small village and along the salt paddies, careful not to step onto the slippery dikes, I took many pictures.
Saillé
Salt from the Guérande in our kitchen
No comments:
Post a Comment