Guérande salt

The Guérande basin, where Trad y Sel's Guérande salt is produced, extends over 1,620 hectares. The solar technique used has a two-thousand year history. Some salt works from Carolingian times are still in their original state; the most recent date from the 18th century. They are the northernmost salt works in Europe.

Designation "Sel de Guérande" (Guérande salt)

Salt production in the Loire Atlantique département is spread over two distinct basins :

• the Guérande salt marshes, fed by the Croisic Straits, located in the territories of the towns of Batz-sur-Mer, Guérande, La Turballe, Le Croisic and Le Pouliguen.
• the Mès salt marshes (located around fifteen kilometres to the north, and a lot smaller), fed by the Pen Bé Straits, and extending over the towns of Saint-Molf, Assérac and Mesquer.

TRAD Y SEL has chosen to work exclusively with salt from the Guérande marshes. The quality of the salt depends on the quality of water run-off from watersheds through the channels. A large part of the Guérande basin is not in contact with water run-off from the land.

The Mès watershed, on the other hand, is much larger, and the risk of water contamination from human activity is much more important.