Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2022/C 346/05)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’

EU No: PDO-FR-02639 – 7.10.2020

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s)

‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’

2.   Member State or third country

France

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals fresh or processed.

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

The name ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ refers to the fruit of the Castanea sativa species - fresh, dried or processed into flour - obtained from a range of traditional varieties grown in grafted chestnut orchards and with shared characteristics. The fresh fruits are elliptical, triangular or round in shape, ranging from light chestnut to dark brown in colour and sometimes featuring vertical grooves. The peeled kernel is creamy white to pale yellow in colour and has a ribbed surface. The pellicle (or inner skin) can penetrate the kernel to the point of dividing it in two. Analysis of 100 g of peeled fresh chestnuts reveals a dry matter content of at least 37 % and a total carbohydrate content of at least 34 %. In this fresh form, ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ is separated according to variety, graded (diameter of at least 20 mm) and sorted. In terms of health quality, the chestnuts are sorted to ensure that the proportion of non-compliant fruit does not equal or exceed 10 %, including a maximum of 2 % of produce affected by decay. They are very sweet to the taste, featuring intense and persistent aromas of honey, warm milk, dried fruit, violet and sweet potato. The texture is smooth and not prone to crumbling.

In the dried form, the smaller kernel retains its initial shape and colour and gives off aromas of dried fruits, caramel and warm bread. Milling and sieving the chestnuts results in flour with a fine, melty texture. At least 80 % of the milled flour must have been passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 250 μm. The moisture content must be below 10 %. The colour is off-white or ivory, interspersed with occasional brown to black particles. It has a walnut/hazelnut aroma, sometimes combined with the smell of toasted bread.

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

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3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

All the steps in the production and processing of ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ must take place in the geographical area.

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

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3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

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4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The perimeter of this area comprises the territory of the following 206 municipalities, based on the 2019 Official Geographic Code:

Department of Gard:   Alès, Alzon, Anduze, Arphy, Arre, Arrigas, Aulas, Aumessas, Avèze, Bessèges, Bez-et-Esparon, Blandas, Boisset-et-Gaujac, Bonnevaux, Branoux-les-Taillades, Bréau-Mars, Campestre-et-Luc, Cendras, Chambon, Chamborigaud, Colognac, Concoules, Corbès, Cros, Générargues, Génolhac, L’Estréchure, La Cadière-et-Cambo, La Grand-Combe, La Vernarède, Lamelouze, Lasalle, Laval-Pradel, Le Martinet, Le Vigan, Les Mages, Les Plantiers, Les Salles-du-Gardon, Malons-et-Elze, Mandagout, Mialet, Molières-Cavaillac, Molières-sur-Cèze, Monoblet, Montdardier, Peyrolles, Pommiers, Ponteils-et-Bresis, Portes, Robiac-Rochessadoule, Rogues, Roquedur, Rousson, Saint-Ambroix, Saint-André-de-Majencoules, Saint-André-de-Valborgne, Saint-Bonnet-de-Salendrinque, Saint-Bresson, Saint-Félix-de-Pallières, Saint-Florent-sur-Auzonnet, Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort, Saint-Jean-de-Valériscle, Saint-Jean-du-Gard, Saint-Jean-du-Pin, Saint-Julien-de-La-Nef, Saint-Julien-Les-Rosiers, Saint-Laurent-Le-Minier, Saint-Martial, Saint-Martin-de-Valgalgues, Saint-Paul-La-Coste, Saint-Roman-de-Codières, Saint-Sébastien-d’Aigrefeuille, Sainte-Cécile-d’Andorge, Sainte-Croix-de-Caderle, Saumane, Sénéchas, Soudorgues, Soustelle, Sumène, Thoiras, Vabres, Val-d’Aigoual, Vissec.

Department of Hérault:   Avène, Babeau-Bouldoux, Bédarieux, Berlou, Boisset, Brenas, Cabrerolles, Cambon-et-Salvergues, Camplong, Carlencas-et-Levas, Cassagnoles, Castanet-le-Haut, Caussiniojouls, Ceilhes-et-Rocozels, Colombières-sur-Orb, Combes, Courniou, Dio-et-Valquières, Faugères, Ferrals-Les-Montagnes, Ferrières-Poussarou, Fos, Fozières, Graissessac, Hérépian, Joncels, La Tour-sur-Orb, La Vacquerie-et-Saint-Martin-de-Castries, Lamalou-les-Bains, Lauroux, Lavalette, Le Bosc, Le Bousquet-d’Orb, Le Cros, Le Poujol-sur-Orb, Le Pradal, Le Puech, Le Soulié, Les Aires, Les Plans, Lodève, Lunas, Mérifons, Mons, Octon, Olargues, Olmet-et-Villecun, Pardailhan, Pégairolles-de-l’Escalette, Pézènes-les-Mines, Poujols, Prémian, Rieussec, Riols, Romiguières, Roqueredonde, Rosis, Saint-Etienne-d’Albagnan, Saint-Etienne-de-Gourgas, Saint-Etienne-Estrechoux, Saint-Geniès-de-Varansal, Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Saint-Jean-de-La-Blaquière, Saint-Julien, Saint-Martin-de-l’Arçon, Saint-Maurice-Navacelles, Saint-Michel, Saint-Pierre-de-la-Fage, Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, Saint-Privat, Saint-Vincent-d’Olargues, Sorbs, Soubès, Soumont, Taussac-la-Billière, Usclas-du-Bosc, Vélieux, Verreries-de-Moussans, Vieussan, Villemagne-l’Argentière.

Departement of Lozère:   Altier, Barre-des-Cévennes, Bassurels, Bédouès-Cocurès, Cans et Cévennes, Cassagnas, Cubières, Cubiérettes, Florac Trois Rivières, Fraissinet-de-Fourques, Gabriac, Gatuzières, Ispagnac, Le Collet-de-Dèze, Le Pompidou, Les Bondons, Meyrueis, Moissac-Vallée-Française, Molezon, Mont Lozère et Goulet, Pied-de-Borne, Pont de Montvert-Sud Mont Lozère, Pourcharesses, Prévenchères, Rousses, Saint-André-Capcèze, Saint-André-de-Lancize, Saint-Etienne-Vallée-Française, Saint-Germain-de-Calberte, Saint-Hilaire-de-Lavit, Saint-Julien-des-Points, Saint-Martin-de-Boubaux, Saint-Martin-de-Lansuscle, Saint-Michel-de-Dèze, Saint-Privat-de-Vallongue, Sainte-Croix-Vallée-Française, Vebron, Ventalon en Cévennes, Vialas, Villefort.

Department of Aveyron: Arnac-sur-Dourdou

Department of Tarn: Murat-sur-Vèbre

5.   Link with the geographical area

The link between ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ and its surroundings hinges on how the traditional and local chestnut tree varieties have adapted to the conditions of the Mediterranean climate and irregular terrain of the Cévennes. This is what has given the product its distinctive qualities that are preserved thanks to the human expertise in managing the chestnut groves and their harvest.

Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area where the chestnut groves are located is defined by homogeneous natural factors that are consistent with what Castanea sativa needs to develop and thrive in the environment. Chestnut trees have adapted to the Mediterranean climate in the Cévennes. This climate is characterised by hot, dry summers and mild winters. There is a slight oceanic influence along the western edge of the area. Average annual rainfall is in the range of 700 to 1 300 mm, which meets the water requirements of chestnut trees (around 700 mm per year, with needs increasing from 15 August onwards). The area under chestnut trees in the Cévennes is at an altitude of between 150 m and 900 m. Steep slopes are a constant feature of the relief in almost all of the territory of the Cévennes. There are a succession of sculpted, parallel valleys on either side of various watercourses (arranged in a fish bone pattern), from north to south: l’Altier-Chassezac, la Cèze, le Tarn, les Gardons, l’Hérault, l’Orb, la Mare, le Jaur and le Thoré. The crystalline source rocks are shale, gneiss, granite or sandstone. This has resulted in soils with a pH of not more than 7, balanced particle size and very low clay content, which are not prone to asphyxiation. The active lime content is very low to non-existent (below 4 %).

Jean Galzin’s 1986 study on the toponymy of parcels in the departments of Gard and Lozère, which was published in the Annales du Parc National des Cévennes [Annals of the Cévennes National Park] shows that chestnuts have been cultivated in the area since the year 1000 A.D. From the Middle Ages onwards, medieval texts attest to the existence and development of chestnut groves, which have evolved in accordance with climatic and demographic patterns and land management.

The layout of these productive agricultural areas is such that the chestnut trees are planted on deforested plots, with irrigation channels (known locally as ‘béals’) and drainage trenches (known locally as ‘trincats’) being set up. In sloping areas, dry stone walls are built to limit gully erosion and enable deeper soils to form: the chestnut groves are then planted on terraces, known locally as ‘faisses’ or ‘bancels’.

These man-made adaptations to the environment make up the built heritage of the Cévennes, which even today is well-adapted to contemporary cultivation practices.

Chestnut trees have been a crucial food resource since the 16th century. The ‘bread tree’ has therefore contributed to the resilience of the people of the Cévennes in difficult times of food shortages or conflicts, particularly the Protestants and Camisards during the Wars of Religion. In the middle of the 20th century, migration away from rural areas and the emergence of pests (ink disease, canker) caused chestnut cultivation to decline. However, thanks to the know-how of the chestnut growers and their expertise in managing grafting techniques, the varieties that had adapted best to the area survived and continue to thrive. Varieties with taste qualities ideal for fresh consumption, conservation properties (in particular, ease of peeling) and suitability for the different sale formats were developed. The know-how of the chestnut growers consists of keeping different varieties in the grove, which allows to stagger the harvest over time, as some varieties can be harvested early and others later on in the season. This allows them to guarantee the supply on the holding and reduce exposure to climate hazards and health risks.

Chestnuts harvested in autumn can be consumed fresh. Part of the harvest used to be set aside for drying so that it could be consumed throughout the rest of the year. The chestnuts are dehydrated in buildings known as ‘clèdes’ in the north-east or ‘sécadous’ in the south-west of the geographical area.

Mills were also built on farms in the Cévennes, harnessing running watercourses to turn the mill wheel and grind dried chestnuts into flour. This shows that chestnut flour production was traditional in the area. This practice is mentioned in early references, such as a record dating from 1596 by Thomas Platter from near Valleraugue, which describes how the chestnuts are ‘transformed into flour by the people of Cévennes, and then made into very sweet bread’.

Specificity of the product

The designation ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ is available in three forms (fresh chestnuts, dried chestnuts and chestnut flour) that reflect traditional practices but also take account of how consumer demand has changed over time. The fresh fruits range from light chestnut to dark brown in colour and sometimes feature vertical grooves. The peeled kernel is creamy white to pale yellow in colour and has a ribbed surface. The pellicle can penetrate the kernel to the point of dividing it in two. They are very sweet to the taste, featuring intense and persistent aromas of honey, warm milk, dried fruit, violet and sweet potato. The texture is smooth.

In the Cévennes, chestnuts have traditionally been peeled and dried. This results in a smaller kernel but its initial shape and colour are preserved. These chestnuts have aromas of dried fruits, caramel and warm bread.

Milling the dried chestnuts results in flour with a fine, melty texture that is off-white or ivory in colour, interspersed with occasional brown to black particles, and with a walnut/ hazelnut aroma that is sometimes combined with the smell of toasted bread.

Causal link

A myriad of natural factors and know-how combine to create the bouquet of the varieties included in the list of traditional and local varieties. It is this terroir that gives the traditional varieties the specific taste properties they share, in particular the sweet flavour and smooth texture found in all of these varieties.

The organoleptic characteristics of ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ are also attributable to the Mediterranean climate. The hot, dry summers enable the build-up of sweet and aromatic compounds in the chestnuts. The rain pattern in the Cévennes, which gets heavier from mid-August onwards, favours the enlargement of the husk and the kernels, thus defining the size. At the same time, the physical action of the rain hydrates the flesh of the kernel, resulting in its smooth texture.

In the autumn, the differences in temperature mean that the chestnuts ripen fully between September and December, depending on the varieties and where they are planted (altitude). The land management and farming practices in the Cévennes result in healthy groves that produce chestnuts of good size, with the nutritional quality and characteristic sweetness for which they are recognised.

Different fruit conservation techniques have also been used for the chestnuts. This is a result of the ‘abundant production, which far exceeds the need for immediate consumption’ of fresh chestnuts, as explained by Daniel Travier in May 2004 at a conference entitled ‘L’arbre à pain des Cévennes: ou histoire et rôle de la châtaignerie à fruit dans les Cévennes traditionnelles’ [The ‘bread tree’ of the Cévennes: the history and role of edible chestnut cultivation in the traditional Cévennes].

These conservation possibilities led to the development of a specific building: the ‘clède’, a typical feature of the landscape and an example of the know-how of the local population in drying out the fruit. This drying process using the ‘cléda’ (as this construction is called in Occitan) is the traditional conservation practice, ‘the best’ according to Antoine Augustin Parmentier’s book entitled ‘Traité de la Châtaigne’ [Treatise on Chestnuts], which was published in 1780. Thanks to the skill in constructing the ‘clèdes’, which create an insulated location where the ambient air can be dehydrated using a regular, moderate heat supply, the local traditions have been consolidated and enhanced, making it possible for the original sweet taste and smooth texture to be preserved in the dried chestnuts over time.

Milling the dried chestnuts is another method of preserving the fruit. The result is a fine flour with a sweet flavour reflecting the bouquet of ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ varieties. There used to be a significant number of mills in this area: at least one per hamlet and up to ten per commune, so that the chestnuts could be milled as and when required. In 2016, the five mills that cover most of the area were in response to the processors’ aim of promoting ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’.

These chestnuts are also used to make succulent dishes, such as ‘Bajanat’, a traditional Cévennes soup with sweet chestnuts that melt in the mouth. Another way they are presented for consumption is ‘affachade’, i.e. grilled on a slotted pan that ensures they are soft, sweet and without a trace of bitterness. The flour is used to make biscuits, cakes and bread.

The three forms of ‘Châtaigne des Cévennes’ are in keeping with both traditional and present-day customs and consumption patterns.

Chestnut cultivation is based on the interplay between the natural environment and a range of human factors. The physical features of the Cévennes environment have resulted in a history of chestnut cultivation, distinctive products and the consolidation of local expertise.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-0419fb02-f0ac-49c9-8a5c-3e3350d92e60

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.