The famous and authentic Burgundy snail is the Hélix Pomatia, a big snail with a brown shell and light grey coloured flesh. In Burgundy, the fashion for eating snails really developed in the 19th century. Today, because of over-collecting and the increased use of pesticides, the Burgundy snail is an endangered species. Therefore Hélix Pomatia snails are mainly imported from Eastern countries, where they are still plentiful. However, some true Burgundy producers still remain and perpetuate the tradition. They are known as maîtres escargotiers (master snail farmers). In Burgundy, snails are farmed in the Yonne, north-east of Joigny and north of Auxerre, and in the Côte d’Or, south of Auxonne. The Burgundy Brotherhood of Snails is in Blaisy-Bas.
Snails can be eaten stuffed with butter, garlic and shallots, a famous preparation called beurre d’escargot. They can be also be prepared in stews or in a wine sauce. For those interested, a snail festival is organised in Bassou.
