Les salorges de l'Office de Tourisme et de la Savonnerie de Marcel

The region's long history of salt production Villeneuve-en-Retz has a long history of salt production, dating back to the Middle Ages. The Bourgneuf-en-Retz salt marshes were once the largest in France. Bourgneuf salt was exported all over Europe. From the 14th century onwards, buildings were erected to store the salt harvested from the many salt pans around Bourgneuf, allowing it to dry over the winter. A traditional salorge is not built of stone, but rather consists of a vast wooden shed supported by large stone masonry buttresses. This consolidation prevents the structure from becoming unstable and collapsing as a result of the "push" phenomenon. This is a salt warehouse, where the salt marsh harvest is stored in the form of "mulons", while awaiting sale. In some cases, the mulons are stored in this way for several years. The Bourgneuf salt trade flourished from the 16th to the 17th century. Two salorges visible on the outskirts of Bourgneuf-en Retz recall this early salt production. For many years, these buildings were "salt granaries", where the "white gold" was stored before being transported to the four corners of the Pays de Retz region, Nantes and the rest of Europe. But the salt trade in Bourgneuf declined from the 18th century onwards. This decline was due to several factors: Competition from salterns in the south of France, such as those at Giraud and Aigues-Mortes, which benefited from more favorable climatic conditions and more modern production techniques. The progressive silting-up of the Bourgneuf salt marshes made farming more difficult and less profitable. The abolition of the gabelle. This tax on salt, which had existed in France since the Middle Ages, disappeared in 1790, driving down the price of salt and making Bourgneuf salt less competitive. The economic crisis in France at the end of the 18th century. People could no longer afford to buy salt, leading to a drop in demand. While all other wooden salorges disappeared, one survived and owes its longevity to its construction method. A second owes its survival to the transformation of its original infrastructure. ? The salorge that became La Savonnerie de Marcel Just a few meters from the Tourist Office, a stone building has recently been restored. This was once a shipyard. Before being reused as a salorge, the building was certainly home to "bay cats" under construction. The repair yards were busy before the return voyage to the North Sea. Over time, the hangar became a traditionally manufactured salorge. This building is the last remaining salorge in Bourgneuf. For a time, it housed the Bourgneuf en Retz municipal library. In 2023, the municipality made the Salorge communal building available to La savonnerie de Marcel. After extension work, this former Bourgneuf-en-Retz salorge has been brought back to life by Maryline and Manuel Barbedette, founders of the soap factory (named after Maryline's grandfather, who was a passionate artisan soap-maker for over forty years). Whereas salt harvested in the marshes used to be dried here and sent all over Europe, today it's soaps that dry on the premises, ready to be shipped all over France. ?? The salorge, now the Tourist Office But what's that black building at the entrance to Bourgneuf? The Tourist Office! The site originally housed 3 small traditional salorges. In 1991, this ensemble was transformed into a single building to house the Tourist Office. A new renovation took place in 2016. In the not-too-distant past, after the abandonment of this activity in the 1960s, it could have been the last witness to its salt-making past. Fortunately, a number of salt marshes in our region were gradually rehabilitated by enthusiasts from the 2000s onwards. Today, don't hesitate to visit one of the salt marshes located in the Marais Breton Vendéen, in Villeneuve-en-Retz, the "Salines de Millac" or in Moutiers-en-Retz, the "Tenue de Mareil" salt marsh in the Lyarne marsh. The little extra: This site can be discovered by following the town's interpretation trail. This historic urban tour of Bourgneuf-en-Retz, whose booklet is available free of charge from the Tourist Office, can also be downloaded from the relevant page. It tells the story of the birth of the "Bourg Neuf". Don't hesitate to push open the door of La Savonnerie de Marcel. Guided tours of this artisan soap factory, with an introduction to its know-how, are scheduled from time to time and can be booked online on the Destination Pornic website. Did you know? Food preservation and curing: Salt has been used since time immemorial to preserve food. Its inhibitory action on the development of bacteria makes it an essential element in the preservation of perishable foods. Before the advent of modern preservation techniques, salting was one of the few methods available to guarantee food safety over long periods. Meat, fish, butter and cheese, among others, were preserved in this way by our ancestors, enabling them to survive through difficult times or to carry provisions on long journeys. Discover the archaeological reconstruction of a Gallic salt oven at the Musée du Pays de Retz!