We've unearthed the refuge of the grey Gallic woman

Owned since 2008 by Dimitri De Cuyper, Flemish entrepreneur and director of the Pleasures brand, Le Devant farm is located halfway between Bourg-en-Bresse and Chalon-sur-Saône. Christophe Perraut, a native of Bresse who settled here in 1999, practises traditional animal husbandry with respect for the animals, and is diversifying his activities, which he hopes will be complementary. The farm is home to Bayeux pigs in a separate pen, sheep and a few ewes, who live alongside the poultry. On the 97-hectare estate, it's not uncommon to see a chicken on the back of a sheep. The mammal's size protects the gallinaceans from birds of prey and, when grazing, provides them with softer grass.

The reputation of Bresse poultry is well established. Legend has it that King Henri IV, after tasting one, vowed that his people would always be able to "put the chicken in the pot". In 1825, in his book Physiologie du goût, Brillat-Savarin declared it the "Queen of poultry, the fowl of kings". In 1957, it was awarded an AOC, a world first for chicken. It also became a PDO in 1996.

A premium breed

Encouraged since 2020 by the great chef Antoine Westermann, owner of Coq & Fils in Paris, where he has been celebrating white meat on the plate for over ten years, Christophe wanted to bring the famous, but forgotten, Gallic gray back into the spotlight. Social and independent, this breed is distinguished by its intense steel-blue legs and tarsi, sharp, protruding wishbone, large crest that falls back at maturity, colorful barbels and plume-like tail. After a few promising trials, the rooster has found its rightful place on the farm, alongside the guinea fowl. Of the 10,000 birds produced here each year, 1,000 are gray Gallic.

The chicks are hatched by a roofer between May and August - or later, in November - and are cared for on the property from their second day. They enter a special building, where they are heated and fed homemade food for a month, before being raised in the wild. After 160 to 180 days, the grey Gauloises are taken to the slaughterhouse, set up on site to minimize stress.

A fact that's reflected in the plate. With its slightly amber flesh, the gauloise grise is distinguished by rustic flavors that express all the richness of the Bresse terroir. This particularity appealed to Antoine Westermann, who shares the farm's philosophy of respect for animals and their environment. A care that Christophe Perrault cultivates. The far-sighted breeder anticipates climatic upheavals by reforesting his land to preserve the comfort of his animals.

Three questions for chef Antoine Westermann

Gault&Millau: Where did your passion for poultry come from?

Antoine Westermann: I've always loved poultry. It evokes many festive memories for me: Christmas and its turkey, Saint Martin's Day and its goose, Easter and its duck. For me, poultry embodies sharing, communion and tradition.

G&M: How did you come up with the idea of rehabilitating the Gallic gray?

A. W. On the hilltop of Montmartre, at Le Coq & Fils - The Poultry House, we've been serving poultry for over twenty years. It was time to renew ourselves, while perpetuating tradition. In 2020, we turned our attention to the somewhat forgotten Gallic gray. Older than the traditional blanche de Bresse, it expresses the terroir of its region with more character. Its amber-colored flesh offers a fuller-bodied taste. Like all our poultry, we offer it roasted, served in its own juices. The rind of its wings, which can be nibbled right down to the bone, its rump and its sot-l'y-laisse have a unique flavor. It has a special place in our restaurant, which we have imagined as a poultry sommelier.

G&M: Why did you turn to Le Devant farm?

A. W.: Firstly, because it's located in Bresse, the birthplace of the Gallic gray. Secondly, because we only offer poultry on our menu. So we needed to find a farm that could meet our requirements. This one could, but that's not all. His interest in old breeds, such as Bayeux pork, Hampshire sheep, Nubian guinea fowl, Bresse poultry, white Gallic and now gray, was a plus. Christophe Perraut took the project very seriously. Before embarking on production, he studied the feasibility of breeding in a way that respects the animals. We share the same values in this area. We were definitely convinced.

• Le Coq & Fils - The Poultry House. 98, rue Lepic - 75018 Paris - T. 01 42 59 82 89
• Le Devant Farm. Lieu-dit Le Devant - 71500 La Chapelle-Naude - T. 06 07 13 00 09