For more than a thousand years, salt has been harvested off the coasts of the world’s oceans. In the 19th century, for example, there were hundreds of salt works along the Atlantic coast of Europe alone. Now there are only a few areas in this region where sea salt is recovered in the traditional way. The largest remaining salt-producing area surrounds the town of Guérande in Southern Brittany, and one of these salt works can justifiably claim to have been producing ‘white gold’ continuously since the time of Charlemagne.

Compared to the more complex technical process of producing rock salt and vacuum salt, harvesting salt from the sea is relatively easy: unfiltered sea water is channelled into natural or artificial ponds, where the water evaporates with the aid of the sun and wind. What remains is sea salt, which is removed and purified. In this way the naturally high concentration of minerals and trace elements is retained, giving the sea salt that unique aroma which makes it so highly prized by expert cooks. In Brittany, the harvest begins – depending on the weather conditions – in May or June, and continues until August or September. Afterwards the salt works are submerged under water to protect them from frost and winter storms. In January the ponds are restored: the mud that has accumulated is removed and necessary repairs are made to the dams between the ponds.

Fleur de sel – the ‘flower of salt’ – is considered to be the most exquisite salt. It only forms when the weather conditions are ideal: this means a lot of sunshine, low humidity and wind coming from a particularly direction that must be neither too strong nor too gentle. If all of these conditions are met, tiny salt crystals form on the surface of the water over the course of the day; these are pushed together by the wind and can be skimmed off in the evening with a special tool. This work requires a great deal of skill and a delicate touch, as the layer of salt resembles a fine blanket of ice and can easily shatter and sink to the bottom of the pond. Even in the best summers, this naturally fine, bright white sea salt makes up only around four per cent of the total salt harvest.

Sea salt has a different flavour to industrial or rock salt, being naturally less salty yet more aromatic. Coarsely ground sea salt (gros sel) is commonly used in soups and sauces, as well as to salt the cooking water for vegetables, pasta or rice. Its colouring (from light grey through to pink) and moist texture are regarded as a sign of authenticity. Fine fleur de sel is particularly suitable for use as a table salt and should be added just before eating (e.g. when seasoning tomatoes).