In Chenereilles, Julien Faurie took over Éric Froissard's snail farm, L'Escargot d'Yssi, after his retirement. This former hospital worker, from a farming family, now runs a business producing 310,000 snails annually. We met with this new snail farmer, who decided to take up the mantle last October to return to his roots.
What made you want to take over this farm?
Julien Faurie: Actually, nothing was planned, and I wasn't destined for a career in agriculture since I had previously worked as a hospital orderly for about ten years. I'm the son of farmers, but they did everything they could to dissuade me from working in their field. It was as I approached 40 that I felt the urge to return to my roots. Eric's retirement presented an opportunity, and so I decided to take the plunge last October.
Were you already familiar with the work of a snail farmer?
Julien Faurie: Yes, because I helped Éric collect snails on his farm for a few years. That made me want to get trained. So I completed a six-month snail farming course in La Motte-Servolex before obtaining the title of snail farmer.
What can be said about your parks and your production?
Julien Faurie: This year, 310,000 snails were raised in four separate enclosures. The hatchlings, which are the youngest snails, were introduced at the end of May, after the last frosts, and they benefited from fairly dense vegetation. This allowed them to withstand the first heatwave in June. They were fattened for a few months to allow them to grow before being harvested in October.
Does raising livestock require a lot of work?
Julien Faurie: Yes. It's quite an intense job that runs from May until the end of the year. There's the phase dedicated to raising and fattening the animals, the phase dedicated to harvesting, and then the phase dedicated to processing, before the products are marketed to consumers.
In what form do you sell your snails?
Julien Faurie: I offer several recipes based on snails. There is court-bouillon in a jar, frozen snails, those that can be enjoyed as crisps with the famous edible biscuit, but also in traditional shells, with a Burgundian-style stuffing.
Do you have both individual and professional clients?
Julien Faurie Yes. On a professional level, I work with several restaurateurs, including Le Chamarlenc in Puy-en-Velay, Le Régina, and L'Arbre vagabond in Chambon/Lignon.
How can we obtain them?
Julien Faurie : Here, we sell directly from the farm. You can contact me by phone, but also at farmers' markets like the one in Saint-Vincent called Au Jardin de Johana, or Aux saveurs des fermes d'Yssi in Yssingeaux. Finally, you can find me at some gourmet markets.
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