The corn-fed chicken from the Landes is behind the creation of the 1st Label Rouge in France in 1965. For more than 50 years, the quality of free-range chicken from the Landes has been awarded the Label Rouge and Protected Geographical Indication, which was obtained in 1998.
These official badges of origin and superior quality are the result of the work and savoir-faire of farmers who adhere to strict specifications. More than 13 million free-range chickens from the Landes are reared every year according to a method of breeding that is unique in France.
Free-range chickens from the Landes are reared so that they have total freedom to roam around in the Landes de Gascogne Forest underneath pine trees. Throughout the day, they benefit from everything that nature can give them: ferns, grass, insects and so on.
The breeders give them a 100% vegetarian food, available in mobile huts called ‘marensines’ in the heart of the largest forest in Europe. These huts have been used since the 1960s, storing food and water, as well as serving as a coop for the chicken to spend the night. The huts can be disassembled and are mobile, thus preserving the soil’s ecosystem.
The range of free-range poultry from the Landes is wide and varied: chicken, guinea fowl, quails, capons, hens, guinea fowl capons, and so on. Available whole or in cuts, they can be cooked according to whatever takes your fancy and according to the season.
Free-range poultry from the Landes is sold in small and large supermarkets, as well as in traditional points of sale such as butchers and poultry sellers. They are easy to spot thanks to the ‘Fermières des Landes’ designation on the label (denoting free-range chicken from the Landes). They are also certified with a P.G.I. and Label Rouge.
Information and recipes available on Facebook and Instagram: VolaillesLandes
