Training

As part of our quality strategy, training for salt workers was soon perceived as a vital stage. Skills that had been passed down from father to son for over a thousand years were slowly dying out, leaving little opportunity for new arrivals.
In 1979, a Diploma in Farm Management, Salt farming option was introduced in Loire-Atlantique with the aim of renewing and sustaining the profession by opening it out to young people.
Training is organised by the Chamber of Agriculture - Download the document (Pays de la Loire Region agreement).
The salt worker's tools
The tools used in the salt marshes have changed little over the centuries and most of them are still made of wood.

The “las” (rake)
This has a long, flexible handle 5 metres long and is the best-known as it is used to harvest coarse salt.

The flower of salt “lousse” (rake)
Traditionally made of wood, the flower of salt “lousse” is used to collect flower of salt from the surface of the “œillets”. There are now more sophisticated “louses” made of modern materials of a quality acceptable for use in food production.

The barrow
This is used to transport the salt from the “ladures” (round mounds on the dykes) to the “trémet” (salt pile). In the early 1950’s it replaced the “gède”, a wooden recipient that the women carried balanced on their heads using a rolled-up canvas cushion known as the “torche”. Barrows can hold 120 to 150kg of salt.

The “lousse à ponter”
The “lousse à ponter” is similar to the flower of salt “lousse”, but has a shorter, fatter handle. It is used for annual repairs to the bridges.

The “limu” rake
This is used for raking green algae.

The “cesse” (made of wood)
The “cesse” is a large scoop used to pump water or remove liquid mud.

The “boyette” (or “houlette”) (made of sheet steel)
This is the salt worker’s shovel, used for certain types of maintenance work in the salt marshes.

Le “boutoué” (made of wood)
A similar shape to the “las”, it is used to push the mud into the “fares” and “œillets” (ponds) before the harvest to ensure that the bottoms are clean.