The first salt marshes appeared on Île de Ré around the 19th century. These spaces were first reclaimed from the ocean thanks to a containment system whose maintenance is still the main task of salt workers today. In the 19th century, the salt-growing territories represented up to 1500 Ha, or nearly 20% of the island's surface area. For the preservation of goods, as well as for food, sea salt has gradually been replaced by rock salt (mine salt), so much so that the number of Rhaetian salt workers now stands at around a hundred. That's why I decided in the spring of 2012 to rehabilitate the family marsh inherited from my great-grandmother and left fallow from the ravages of storm Xynthia. Just as in my great-grandfather's day, I practice the exploitation of salt marshes in a traditional and natural way. Nature is simple and well-made, in order to obtain the fleur de sel, only sea water, sun and wind are required. Before becoming a salt worker, I studied political science in Bordeaux and then travelled a lot to discover other things before returning to France to become the keeper of the Whale Lighthouse not far from my current marsh. The salt worker’s job consists first of all in the construction and maintenance of the salt marsh using many tools, most often made of wood: the boguette, the rouable and the simoussi. I am in charge of my farm alone but many friends and acquaintances come to help me regularly and I also did a little Woofing to share the experience of the marsh with people from other countries. It allows me to share my passion for my job with people so that this activity continues.

My marsh is located in the heart of the Lilleau des Niges National Nature Reserve. Classified in 1980, it covers an area of 121 hectares in the north of Île de Ré and protects a series of salt marshes and mudflats favourable to birdlife. This natural bird reserve requires us to respect the fauna and flora during the harvest periods and to comply with building standards. We are therefore lucky to be able to meet a lot of egrets, grey herons, swans, hoopoe and birds of prey in particular. My farm consists of 26 aires saunantes and I have decided to make 10 of them available to the Crowdfarmers. Through a lock mechanism, seawater, which naturally contains 28 grams of salt per litre, is transported to natural basins to warm up, get rid of its impurities thanks to the algae that proliferate and load itself with trace elements. As the sea water flows through the marsh, it must reach 250 grams of salt per litre in order to form the precious crystals. The harvest season, on the other hand, depends considerably on weather conditions. It is generally concentrated around the longest, driest and hottest months (June, July and August).