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Pays de la Loire :
a diverse and wealthy region
The highly diverse scenery, from the Loire to the Atlantic Ocean, the mild climate and rich cultural and gastronomic heritage make the Pays de la Loire a region of excellence, often called “the garden of France”.
Located in the north-west quarter of France, the Pays de la Loire region groups the departments of Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe and Vendée. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean for 368 km, it has a surface area of 32,100 km2. It borders on Brittany and Lower Normandy to the north, the Centre region to the east, and the Poitou-Charentes region to the south. It includes two large islands, Noirmoutier and Yeu. The coastline is broken by several marshes reclaimed by the sea over centuries: the Brière near Saint-Nazaire, the Breton in the north Vendée and the Poitevin marsh in the south. The region has 3,483 million inhabitants, who are known as “ligériens”.
A diversified agriculture…
The Pays de la Loire region is naturally geared to agriculture because of its temperate oceanic climate, the diversity of soils and hydrographic resources (2nd region after Brittany). However, it is facing growing urban pressure. This strong animal husbandry region accounts for 62% of farms, 40% of which are devoted to cattle rearing, in which it ranks first nationally, with a production of 224,000 tons of beef, and 28,600 tons of veal.
There has been a decline in dairy herds for several years. Suckling herds are essentially composed of beef breeds like Maine-Anjou, Charolais, Limousin and Blonde d’Aquitaine. The region is also the largest poultry producer (478,300 tons), particularly Label Rouge, and rabbit (22,700 tons). It ranks second nationally in pork production, with 250,000 tons.
Top performing food industry
The size and diversity of farming produce have encouraged the development of food processing companies. The turnover generated by agriculture and the food industry totals €19 billion. These sectors are the region’s main employer, with 120,000 jobs (60% in agriculture). These two activities also represent 20% of the region’s exports in terms of value.
The main agribusiness productions are livestock slaughtering, poultry, dairy products (yoghurts, dairy desserts, butter, cheese, cream, powdered milk, processed milk). The region exports slightly less than 20% of its products, worth €3.37 billion (meat, dairy products, cereals, industrial plants).
Top quality dairy produce
With 35 million hectolitres of milk, Pays de la Loire produces 14% of the national volume (second largest region in France). The cheeses represent 244,000 tons and dairy produce excluding cheese totals 154,600 tons. The Pays de la Loire region is characterized by the dominance of butter production, most of which comes from the Vendée department. The 7,550 tons of Charente Poitou butter produced under AOC certification represents 12% of regional production and the churned butter “Grande Sélection” (Label Rouge) represents 440 tons. A herd of 12,800 cows and 2,050 goats supply the AB (organic certification) dairy production.
The principal cheeses from the region include:
- the “curé nantais” ( soft cheese 225 g, 45% fat, made from raw or Pasteurized cow’s milk, brushed rind, matured for four to six weeks with Muscadet, shaped in a square),
- the “trappe de la Coudre” (hard un-Pasteurized cow’s milk cheese with a soft rind, in 300 g and 2 kg, fruity taste, 50% fat),
- the “île d’Yeu” (un-Pasteurized goat’s cheese, 220g, lactic mould rind, 4 to six weeks maturing, 45% fat),
- the “entrammes” (un-Pasteurized hard cow’s milk cheese with soft rind, 50% fat, produced in the Mayenne department),
- the “bouchon charentais” (produced in the Charente and Pays de la Loire regions, with whole goat’s milk, 100g, fresh lactic rind, matured for forty days and soaked in cognac at the end of the process, 45% fat).
A variety of vegetable crops
Due to the importance of animal husbandry, over 58% of the agricultural area in use (2. million hectares) is devoted to feeding livestock, including 36% for rotating forage crops and 22% permanent grasslands. Staple crops (cereals, oil-producing) occupy two thirds of the total agricultural area. With 65,000 hectares cultivated by organic agriculture, the region is one of the most developed in France. The fruit and vegetable production is principally located in the area around Nantes and Angers. It is a leading producer of lamb’s lettuce (32,000 tons, or 88% of French production and 50% of EU production), and mushrooms (95,000 tons). Leeks (44,400 tons) represent a major share of French production and cucumbers account for 20%, with 24,200 tons. The regional production also includes tomatoes, asparagus, radishes, string beans, potatoes (ranked 2nd nationally), cabbages and melons.
Orchards cover almost 13,000 hectares, particularly in the Maine-et-Loire (60% regional areas) and Sarthe (25%) departments, and account for 7% of national fruit production. With 16% of the national surface area in apple orchards and a production of 294,000 tons, the Pays de la Loire region ranks second nationally, after Provence-Côte d’Azur. The pear production exceeds 6,000 tons. The pear called “doyenné du comice”, one of the best, was developed in the fruit garden of the horticultural association (Comice) of Angers, in 1849. Blackcurrants and blueberries represent 3,200 tons.
Largest horticultural region
As France’s leading horticultural region (20% of national production), the Pays de la Loire region numbers 600 companies and 6,000 jobs, for a turnover of over €600 million. Angers is France’s horticultural capital and its competitiveness centre called “Végépolys”, devoted to specialized plants, is internationally recognized.
The region is the leader in many crops such as lily-of-the-valley from Nantes (85% of French production), chrysanthemums (15%), potted plants (317 ha) and bedding plants (243 ha) and it is the second largest producer of cut flowers.
The region benefits from a long seed producing tradition with 26,000 ha cultivated. There are three principal types of seeds: staple crop seed (13 800 ha), vegetable and flower seed (3,500 ha) and forage (8,700 ha).
Importance of fishery
With its Atlantic coastline, the Pays de la Loire region is the second largest region for sea fishing in France, after Brittany. The activity has noticeably dropped due to an ageing fleet (about 400 vessels), the decline in halieutic stocks and European policy. There are six main ports: Les Sables d’Olonne, La Turballe, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Noirmoutier, Ile d’Yeu and Le Croisic.
The principal species fished are cuttlefish (2,300 tons), sole (1,650 tons), bass (1,500 tons) and sardines (1,200 tons). Langoustine and shrimp also generate significant income.
The Loire River is a real breeding ground, offering a large number of fish species like zander, pike, lamprey and shad.
Shellfish breeding is the region’s principal fish farming activity, representing 7% of French production, and mainly specialized in oysters (9,950 tons) and mussel beds (5,350 tons).
A major wine-growing region
Thanks to a good amount of sunshine, low rainfall and an exceptional geological context (rare, diversified geological substrata), the range of wines from the Pays de la Loire region is very rich, constituting two thirds of the Val de Loire vineyards (3rd largest French vineyards). It is spread over 38,000 hectares, with 34,000 hectares devoted to controlled-origin certification (36 AOC) and 4,000 hectares of local wines.
The most famous wines from the Anjou - Saumur area include Cabernet, Rosé d’Anjou, Bonnezeaux, Coteau du Layon, Quart de Chaume, Rosé de la Loire, and Cremant de la Loire. The Nantes area is known for its Muscadet, Gros Plant and Coteau d’Ancenis, while the Vendée vineyards produce Brem, Mareuil, Vix and Pissotte.
Labels and certifications
The Pays de la Loire region is in the forefront of certified quality productions with 138 Label Rouges, 40 AOC (controlled-origin appellation), 12 IGP (protected geographic indication), 57 conformity certifications and 2 AOP (protected-origin appellation). It is also the region with the most certified AB (organic agriculture) products, with 1,180 organic farmers spread over 60,000 hectares (11% of the national area).
The principal Labels Rouge products include, among others, grass-fed lamb, pork and beef, white beans from the Vendée (mogette), Challans duck, free-range eggs and poultry, and table salt. The products with IGP certification are beef from Maine, lamb’s lettuce from Nantes, eggs and poultry from Loué, pork from Sarthe and poultry from Ancenis. Besides the 36 AOC wine-growing certifications, other AOC products include meat from Maine – Anjou and a liqueur called “pommeau” from Maine.
Regional specialties and products
The Pays de la Loire region has a wealth of products and specialties for which it is famous. The cooked meats include rillettes from Le Mans, Vendée ham, “gogue” from Angers (a blood sausage with vegetables), “rillaud” from Anjou (pork conserve). The fruit and vegetables include Noirmoutier “bonnotte” (potato), early leeks and carrots from Nantes, Angélys pears and traditional shallots from Anjou. Other specialties are white butter sauce or beurre blanc (Bearnaise with shallots), godaille (Nantes fish soup), bardatte (cabbage stuffed with leveret), Vendée-style hare, fricassée angevine (chicken), nouzillards au lait (chestnuts), bouilleture de Pont-de-Cé (stewed eels) and zander with sorrel.
The herbs and condiments include glasswort, Guérande and Noirmoutier sea salt.
The desserts and cakes include Vendée brioche, dried apples and pears, “sablé” (shortbread) from Sablé or Retz, Petit Beurre Lu and Beurré Nantais Lu biscuits, boiled sweets, rigolettes, gâteau nantais, quernon d’ardoise (confectionery).
Lastly, the spirits include Cointreau, Guignolet, Kamok (coffee liqueur) and Poiré.
Francis Duriez
Source : Conseil régional des Pays de la Loire, Chbre Régionale d’Agriculture des Pays de la Loire, Draaf, CNAC, Librairie Gourmande, CRT Pays de la Loire, SEM Pays de la Loire, DRAM, FranceAgrimer, Ministère de l’Alimentation, de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche, CNPMEM, Agreste…)
Crédit photos :
SEM Régionale Pays de la Loire JP. Klein ; SEM Régionale Pays de la Loire / B. Rivière ; SEM Régionale Pays de la Loire / M. Thierry ; Volailles Ancenis ; Domaine des Rues
Pro reviews
Crédit photo : FD
Laurent Bernard
(Director of Coicault - Thomas - Rungis)
“Our company (20 employees, three market floors at Rungis) is a subsidiary of the Les Vergers d’Anjou cooperative, based in Saint-Barthélémy d’Anjou (49), and we specialize in apples (including Royal Gala, Granny Smith, Chanteclerc, PinkLady, Tentation, Braeburn, Ariane, Reine des reinettes, Reinette clochard) and pears (Doyenné du Comice, Angelys, etc.), selling about 15,000 tons a year of all these fruit (80% of the business), which cover about thirty varieties. In addition to these two species, the company also sells kernel fruit, citrus, red berries, nuts and figs, melons, etc.
The Pays de la Loire region, particularly the Val de Loire department, is one of France’s largest regions for the cultivation of fruit trees, and the cradle of our flagship product, apples.”
Crédit photo : Chbre Région. Agri. Pays de la Loire
Georges Allais
(Elected member of the Chambre Régionale d’Agriculture des Pays de la Loire, in charge of the Quality Committee)
“The Pays de la Loire region is the largest farming region for a certain number of products and also for the diversity of its productions. It is also the leader in terms of the number quality labels. Our region is rich in terms of the diversity of the different lands and traditions it includes, and this diversity has provided the departure point and support for the development of quality labels in our region. For example, the first Label Rouge was awarded to poultry from our region over fifty years ago. Quality labels are part of sustainable development and they are constantly evolving. Actually, we bring together all the sectors under quality certification labels to make them into a promotional and sales force to gain new markets. In the autumn, we will be running communication campaigns in all retail circuits and the media to win back consumers. The Pays de la Loire is a rich, diverse region with the most wonderful choice of top quality products.”
Crédit photo : Région des Pays de la Loire
Dominique Tremblay
(Councillor of the Pays de la Loire region in charge of farming and agribusiness issues and 1st Vice-President of the Commission dealing with the Economy, Development, Research, Higher Education and Innovation )
“The Pays de la Loire region is historically a major farming and agribusiness region that has continued to develop over the last thirty years, on major productions like stock breeding (cattle and poultry), dairy, cereals, wine-growing, fishery, etc. This highly diverse region is the leader in terms of quality GMO-free productions and organic agriculture. Our region is open to the larger European market and our top quality innovative productions are a major asset as products become more standardized. In future, we want our agriculture to be the most competitive and to take full advantage of all the quality certification labels, while at the same time working on shorter supply chains. This is why we have created a progress agreement for each sector to target operational actions that will further raise the qualitative level of our products.”
Crédit photo : Chbre Région. Agri. Pays de la Loire
Claude Cochonneau
(President of the Chambre Régionale d’Agriculture des Pays de la Loire - Vice-President of FNSEA, in charge of employment)
“As a farmer in the Sarthe department, with 140 hectares, including 30 hectares of permanent grassland and one hectare of vines, I mainly grow cereal crops, and we rear some cattle and pigs (for fattening).
Our region is the second largest in France in terms of overall farm production, and animal husbandry is dominant. The region has 40,000 farms and provides work for 70,000 people, with one third salaried employees. Our agriculture produces a turnover of €7 billion, with 50% in livestock. We also have several sectors that are national leaders. Furthermore, there is a very close relationship between farm production and agribusiness production, since one in five jobs in industry concerns the food industry. We are also France’s leading region in terms of the number of quality labels. Quality remains the best bet when it comes to the development prospects of our kind of agriculture in the global market. Ultimately, we will have to produce more value added over a smaller area by raising the quality, in order to steer the consumer towards our products. The Pays de la Loire region is attractive and it has a high development potential.”
Crédit photo : Crédit Agricole
Bruno de Laage
(President of Vegepolys – the competitiveness centre of the Pays de la Loire region)
“Vegepolys is a competitiveness centre (300 members and 250 company members) created in 2005 with an international reputation in specialized plant innovation. Its purpose is the research and development of new plant uses in light of the new environmental concerns in France, Europe and the world. It is about bringing together the world of public and private research and the companies who don’t have access to this research in order to improve their position in markets with regard to the latest environmental concerns.
Vegepolys employs 20 people via the two technology transfer institutes called “Plantes et Cité”, specialized in plants in urban environments and “Valinov”, which is specialized in plant research to meet certain specific targets (saving water, energy, pesticides, etc.). Financed by public and private funds, Vegepolys participates in the economic development of the Pays de la Loire region and its existence led to the creation of the Terra Botanica plant park, a sort of Futuroscope for plants, by the general council of the Maine et Loire department. The presence of Vegepolys in the Pays de la Loire region can be explained by the constant creativity and quality of the region’s agricultural production.
Crédit photo : FD
Pascal Courtois
(Salesman for BGL Avigros - Rungis)
“About 50% of the quality certified poultry we sell comes from the Pays de la Loire region. It is mostly free-range Label Rouge chicken, whole, oven-ready or in cuts, from Ancenis, with yellow or white skin, firm meat and bred for 81 days. This represents about 4,000 units per week. Ancenis poultry is of consistent quality, it is good for cooking and the volumes are steady. We also handle some Ancenis duck cuts. Furthermore, we sell Le Mayennais free-range yellow or white chicken, filleted or oven-ready, as well as Challans duckling, the only free-range duckling with quality certification. The Pays de la Loire is a wonderful poultry producing region with which we are fully satisfied and it is very well represented at Rungis, in terms of volume and quality.”
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