What is a Site of Exceptional Culinary Taste?
December 1st, 2007
Murielle Bousquet
Director
Association Nationale des Sites Remarquables du Gout
9, Rue Christiani
75018 Paris
Above all, there is often an immediate association of place with product:
Beaufort….cheese
Saint-Emilion … wine
Guérande…salt
Marennes…oysters
This unbreakable bond between the countryside, agriculture, food and
local people has long given the region and the landscape a unique, inseparable
character.
The economy of these regions, which all have known periods of prosperity,
has generated exceptional traditions that are understood and protected.
The local residents fiercely guard the preservation of these rich traditions.
Each Site of Exceptional Culinary Taste identifies a special harmony
between the skill of producers, quality of a product and the rich heritage
of architecture and landscape. This identification would not be possible
without the desire to welcome, explain and create a link between knowledge
and the
communication of this knowledge.
Suggestions for discovering the Sites of Exceptional Culinary Tastes
Original itineraries involving tastings, walking tours, visits, cooking
classes, dinners and activities are posted on the Sites of Exceptional
Culinary Taste website. Tour groups such as Tour de Forks have
developed regional trips to visit the Sites of Exceptional Culinary Taste
in Provence and Western
France (www.tourdeforks.com).
Or choose a theme for your travels. Taste the difference between oysters
from the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and La Manche. One example of
a unique sojourn has been developed by our partner, Migratour. The
major theme for
this gourmet adventure is organized along the pilgrimage route of St.
James of Campostella. The trip links the Sites of Exceptional Culinary
Taste of
Le Puy en Velay (lentils), Aubrac (laguiole cheese and aligot), Moissac
(grapes) as well as the village of Espelette (the only hot peppers
in France). This
is a perfect way to discover local tastes, culture, countryside and
gastronomy.
A book, Les Chemins du Goût, dedicated to the Sites of Exceptional
Culinary Taste, helps in preparation of an itinerary for visits, after
which the associated products can be bought in “Les Sens du Terroir” of
the GAMM VERT stores.
Many Sites of Exceptional Culinary Taste offer festivals at certain
times of the year… another unique way to discover exceptional regional
products.
There are 71 Sites of Exceptional Culinary Taste located throughout
France. The sites are organized in four categories: products from the
sea and rivers, products from the earth, wines and other drinks, and
sweets.
The Ministries of Agriculture, Culture, Ecology and Tourism support
the Sites of Exceptional Culinary Taste, which is accredited in Europe
by the F.S.E.
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