France’s heatwaves bring bumper salt harvest in Guérande

The salt marshes of Guérande have seen hardly a drop of rain since mid-May. Mael Vieux and the other salt workers in his cooperative have already harvested 15,000 metric tons of salt. And if the weather holds, they could break the 2022 record. Overall, I think we'll get at least 10,000 tons more. I'll only know for sure by the end of the season, which is when the rain finally comes. It's been one stifling day after another, with several heat waves and temperatures exceeding 40 degrees. On the salt marshes, work starts very early, while it's still cool. I get here at 4.30am, but I know some people who get here even earlier. When I arrive, they're already out on the salt pond, so some of them must start around 4am. We've now been doing this repetitive task every morning and evening for more than 60 days in a row. The mountains of salt in front of the cooperative give producers a reason for optimism. But climate change doesn't necessarily mean consistent drought. Two years ago, the salt season was ruined by record rainfall. We're at the mercy of the weather. For instance, we had virtually no harvest during the 2024 season. So actually, having a season like this one can make up for a bad one. In any case, this year won't change the habits of their loyal customers, who already treasure Guérand's sea salt for its culinary qualities and for the ancient, time-honoured craft behind it. It's a wonderful craft, certainly, but it must be challenging. I wouldn't do it, let alone in 40 degrees. The bumper crop won't affect the salt's price tag, which the producers set themselves based on their production costs.