Wissant: Local Challenges & Local Producers Organic Fruit & Vegetables— Part 2, Charolais Beef and Goats Cheese

In my previous article Wissant—Part 1, I discussed the history of Wissant; the silting up of the harbour in the 16th century, and the sad 20th/21st century decline of the traditional Flobart fishing industry in Wissant.

A recent French census (2020) revealed that the population of Wissant has dropped to 850 permanent residents, with a predominant 71% of homes being residence secondaire. (Commune de Wissant Bulletin January 2024)

This poses huge challenges for the local community. The population drop has resulted in the permanent closure of one primary school class, with three classes remaining.

Tourism is a significant source of employment (holiday lets, hotels, restaurants, shops, local producers, house cleaning & maintenance, garden maintenance etc) but the demand for housing (French, Belgian, Dutch, German) has pushed the prices beyond the reach of many local young people wishing to stay and live in Wissant. This is a common theme in popular coastal towns in the U.K. too, such as Whitstable, Kent and St. Ives, Cornwall.

Below are three local, passionate entrepreneurs making a mark and succeeding in Wissant, who deserve all the support we can give them.

1. Les Jardins Intrépides:

Les Jardins Intrépides

Baptiste Gosselin used to run the small but beautiful local restaurant Le Green Bistrot at the bottom of the wood, near the duck and geese pond in Wissant. Previously, he worked at the Fumbally cafe in Dublin but returned to France with his partner and their young family to set up Le Green Bistrot. The local, organic, in-season food was cooked sympathetically; the prices were reasonable; herbs were picked from the small potager garden outside and there was a thoughtful wine and local beer list. The toilet had a beautiful collection of framed, vintage menus from local Boulogne and Calais restaurants from the early – mid-20th century period.

Photo author: en Famille au Green Bistrot

At the end of the Covid pandemic, Baptiste sold his successful restaurant and we were heartbroken. Then, at the first Friday evening seasonal Wissant market this year on Good Friday, whilst admiring local wild garlic, Baptiste said “Bonjour”. I didn’t recognise him at first. We were overjoyed to learn that he had survived the pandemic when many small businesses had gone to the wall.

Baptiste shared that he had set up Les Jardins Intrépides with Coralie Breuvart at La Ferme le Vivier. Coralie has a Diploma in Agriculture, specialising in permaculture and organic cultivation. At the heart of their project, you find two passionate people who work the land naturally, with no chemicals and in sympathy with the natural cycle of the seasons. Together, Baptiste and Coralie grow a plethora of in-season organic vegetables and fruits – tomatoes, onions, potatoes, cabbages, kale, brussel sprouts, leeks, beetroot, turnips, fennel, courgettes, peppers, aubergines, salad leaves, green beans and peas, tomatoes (such tomatoes!), pumpkins and fresh herbs and strawberries.

          Photo Les Jardins Intrépides

You can purchase their produce at their farm shop and the weekly Wednesday market in Wissant, as well as the seasonal Friday evening market and select local shops. During the summer, you can visit to pick your own strawberries – which has been a long tradition at La Ferme le Vivier.

                                                                              Photo Les Jardins Intrépides

With surplus produce, Baptiste and Coralie make tasty soups, pasta sauces, and jams, which can be purchased.

Baptiste and Coralie run occasional evening meals, cooking their local, organically grown vegetables and fruit at the farm. Unfortunately, we haven’t yet had the opportunity to experience and taste Baptiste’s recent meal this summer. Living in the U.K., we missed this date but we live in hope.

2. La ferme de St Pô:

Photo author

Laurent Fourdinier and his family, farm the land using the same traditional techniques as his grandparents, allowing time for the Charolais cows to develop at their own pace, which ultimately enables the development of a tastier beef.

Laurent and his family grow a range of crops, typical of the Boulonnais region: milling varieties of wheat including “camp Rémy” wheat (sold on the farm), escourgeon (winter barley), barley, oats, triticale (a wheat and rye hybrid, food intended for animals), rapeseed and sugar beets.

Photo La ferme de St Pô: Escourgeon (winter barley)

                                                                                                       Photo La ferme de St Pô: Triticale

                                                                                                       Photo La ferme de St Pô: Rapeseed

                                                                                                       Photo La ferme de St Pô: Sugar beets

Photo author

Laurent decided to maintain a medium-sized farm so that, as farmers, they can be closer to their Charolais cows and have the necessary time available to ensure a harvest of quality fodder and cereals for their cows.

The Charolais breed originated from the Charolais region in central France. The Charolais breed is a balanced breed – it isn’t the largest nor the heaviest, but it has both good maternal qualities and very good beef quality. These qualities enable Laurent to produce a high-end quality tender, tasty and juicy lean beef with a fine meat grain, lower cholesterol yet sufficient marbling.

Laurent’s cows, after nine months gestation, raise their calves at the udder, as suckling cows.

Photo author

Laurent’s Charolais herd consists of approximately 180 animals. The typical composition of their herd includes:

• 2 bulls (for breeding)
• 45 suckler cows (intended for reproduction)
• 70 heifers (3/4 intended for breeding, the rest for meat)
• 65 males (processed into beef, from 0 to36 months)

From April to October, the Charolais cows graze outdoors around the farm, which allows permanent monitoring.

During the winter period, the cows are fed a diet of hay, alfalfa, straw, oats, triticale, fava beans and beet pulp. The majority of this food is produced on the farm.

The animals are returned from a certified abattoir to the farm for maturation and butchery.

At the farm shop, you can buy a range of beef cuts to fry, grill, braise, chop, stew, and simmer plus offal, liver, heart, tongue, kidneys, tail, etc. Specifically, this includes the following:

• Sirloin
• Ribeye
• Rump steak
• Cote de boeuf
• Onglet
• Bavette
• a range of stewing and braising cuts including paleron, bourguignon, jarret juneau, collier and flanchet
• liver
• shank
• Chopped Steak (steak hachés- not to be confused with the lesser quality beef burger)
• Pure beef Merguez sausages
• Pure beef sausages with herbs de Provence
• Pure beef sausages with red pepper
• Pure beef sausages with shallots
• Pure beef sausages with garlic
• Pure beef sausages with no seasoning
• Beef meatballs (seasoned with finely chopped herbs; aka “abricots de St Pô”)

Image credit: Shutterstock

The farm shop at La ferme de St Pô also sells free range eggs from their own hens and flour made from their own grown “Camp Rémy” wheat.

Photo La ferme de St Pô: “Camp Rémy” wheat

Camp Rémy wheat is a soft winter wheat of French origin. Its hardiness lends itself to sustainable agriculture and ensures regular yields. This wheat grows well in nutrient-poor soils in hilly regions. Therefore soil preparation does not require the use of weedkillers. Camp Remy wheat is resistant to cold weather and disease, which means chemical fertilisers or phytosanitary products are not necessary.

This wheat produces bread of a high baking quality. The taste of ripe wheat is mixed with a hint of hazelnut. The generously honeycombed cream-colored crumb is soft, fragrant, and pleasant in the mouth. It also has good preservation qualities.

3. Chevrerie de la Caleuse

Image Chèvrerie de la Caleuse

Charlotte Doret manages the family farm together with her supportive husband and parents. The young couple have a young daughter, Zélie, who loves to help her mum with the goats.

Photo author

Charlotte produces a range of fresh or semi-ripened goats cheeses, goats milk yoghurts and fromage blanc, sold at the Wednesday morning market at Wissant. Charlotte also sells her goats cheese and yoghurts at the farm every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Charlotte produces young goats cheese crottins and logs – either “au natural” with no seasoning or rolled in a variety of seasonings (fresh herbs such as chives and rosemary, shallots, garlic, Mexican chilli, mustard seeds, cracked black pepper, sun dried tomatoes).

Photo author

Photo Chèvrerie de la Caleuse – Fromage Blanc with freshly pureed local strawberries

Charlotte also produces a more mature “mi- affine” goats cheese crottin, which is delicious grilled in a goats cheese salad, barbecued wrapped in prosciutto or sliced/crumbled in a summer tart or quiche. Recently, Charlotte has introduced a beautiful pack of twelve darling tiny, thimble sized fresh crottins, rolled in different seasonings, to enjoy with friends and family with a drink at l’apero hour. They are utterly delightful.

Photo Chèvrerie de la Caleuse

Interview: Here is a short 2 minute radio interview with Charlotte in January 2024 with local Delta FM French radio station: Radio interview with Charlotte Delta FM

Given half the chance, I would love the opportunity to volunteer here with Charlotte and develop my skills as an apprentice goat cheese maker!

Photo author

Chèvrerie de la Caleuse is on the D238 road, between Marquise and Wissant, outside Bazinghem village.

What’s coming up next?

In my next article, I hope to write about the annual Fête du flobart (held during the last weekend in August), fishing boats, L’Aubette de Wissant and a fabulous Dutch brass band from Eindhoven.

Have you ever been to Wissant? Such a fascinating town! Thank you Caroline for an opportunity to know more about the artisans and the entrepreneurs who ply their trade there. Make a not for your next visit to the area. Leave your comments for Caroline below.

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