Why do we serve snails at Christmas?

This Christmas, Gault&Millau takes a look back at the origins of several festive dishes. The aim: to understand where these Christmas traditions come from. Now it's snails' turn!

Ingrid Boinet Published on 12/15/23 at 10:56 AM

Do you know why we eat snails at Christmas? Why has this gastropod become a festive delicacy? To find out, we turned to Nadine Crétin, an anthropologist specializing in religious festivals. She sheds light on the origins of this Christmas tradition.

Christmas snails, a regional tradition

To understand the origins of this tradition, we first need to look to Provence. Before the 20th century, it was customary to"eat lean" before midnight mass, i.e."anything that didn't contain meat or fat", explains anthropologist Nadine Crétin. Soups, fish and vegetables were the order of the day. This could be the origin of the Christmas snail habit. It wasn't until after mass that a more substantial dinner was served, with the emphasis on fatty meats .

The tradition of Christmas snails is particularly popular in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. Why is this so? The recipe for escargot à la bourguignonne, democratized by Antonin Carême, has made it an exceptional dish emblematic of the region. Corine Rubod, a snail farmer in Briant (Saône-et-Loire), testifies to the great interest the locals have in the shell-shaped gastropod. "Here, we eat them all year round, but the sale of snails at the end of the year represents 60 to 70% of our sales", she assures us .

This regional tradition has since been exported. Contrary to popular belief, many of the culinary habits associated with religious festivals are not that old, and many were modified in the 20th century. "In the 1950s, following the Marshal Plan and the American example, there was a move towards consumerism. That'swhen the gap between pagan and Christian Christmas widened," explains the anthropologist. The result: a standardization of the Christmas meal. Thisexplains whymany regional culinary habits have become national traditions, such as Christmas foie gras.

Three breeders where to find snails for Christmas

L'Escargot Du Mont Fossé

With over 32 years' experience, L'Escargot du Mont Fossé is the place to go for snails in Haute-Normandie. Heliciculturists Fabienne & Christophe invite you to discover the world of their Normandy gastropods, raised in outdoor parks amidst nettle vegetation. Well-cooked, they'll delight your taste buds !

646 Chemin du Mont Fossé, 76440 Sommery (Normandy)
www.vent es-escargots-normandie.com

L'Escargot Brionnais

Located in Briant, in the heart of the Brionnais region, Corine Rubod 's breeding farm for grey snails (Helix Aspersa) respects both the animal and the environment. In addition to making her own preparations, the snail farmer is proud to have created the Escargot Brionnais in 2007, raising them in the wild on a natural diet. A perfect dish for the aperitif (or escarpéro) at Christmas!

Vaux, 71110 Briant (Burgundy-Franche-Comté)
www.lesc argotbrionnais.free.fr

Avesnois Helicopter Farm

At her helicicultural farm, Christelle Cousin raises snails without preservatives, additives or GMOs, perfect for your Christmas table. Visit her boutique to stock up on local products, from farmhouse cheeses to prepared dishes and foie gras. The little extra: the labyrinth, where you can have fun and learn about snail farming.