Simon

Salt workers in Guérande, from father to son

Simon Péréon, 37, has been a salt worker in Guérande for 12 years. Son and grandson of a salt worker, he grew up in the marshes and has been a member of the Guérande cooperative since he started working. 

"As a son and grandson of salt workers in Guérande, nature was a defining element of my upbringing. And it has become my way of life” 
 

Simon, you come from a family of salt worker, but you had to travel across the globe before something clicked for you? 

I come from a family of salt workers going back more than 10 generations. At the age of 3 or 4, I was already alongside my father on his farm and opening the slates to let water into the marsh. When I was 9 or 10, I started picking salt flower, and from the age of 12, I worked in the marshes all year round.

At 16, I managed my first saltworks on my own while I was studying. At the time, I didn't know if I wanted to become a salt worker. I then went on to study business and would come to the marshes when I had a moment. Then, I traveled across the globe to spend 1 year in New Zealand, discovering other cultures and landscapes. It’s there, on the other side of the planet, that something clicked. I know I wanted to be a salt worker.

What is it like working in a salt marsh in Guérande on a daily basis? 

One of the greatest assets of my profession is flexibility. Outside harvesting periods, our schedule is more flexible and our work more adaptable. Really, the only thing that dictates our schedule is the weather. We are lucky enough to work in nature, in the truly magical setting of Guérande. I'll never get tired of it: I've always loved the outdoors, water, fishing, mushrooms etc. Nature was a defining element of my upbringing, and it has become my way of life.  

Something to consider though, is that the body is put under quite a bit of strain, and salt workers are now trying to pay more attention to their gestures and postures. Nowadays, we're reducing the size of our farms and trying to listen more to our bodies and delegate to seasonal workers. Without a functioning body, it's impossible to be a salt worker. Driven by climate change, the weather is changing in our area, with longer and hotter summers. Working 10 hours a day in such conditions is not feasible if you’re on your own.
 

You’d think being a salt worker is a lonely job, but you work as a team a lot, right? 

The cooperative works in small groups, in cycles. At the beginning of each year, individual marsh workers share their needs. Depending on the weather conditions, work days are set for each group. These are beautiful moments of solidarity and companionship between members of the cooperative. In quieter times of the year, I take part in the Univer-Sel non-profit organization. Univer-Sel is a group of salt workers committed to going to West Africa where we share our know-how with other producers. It's a very rewarding experience.

"The summer harvest periods look idyllic, but winter work requires more rigor, so you need to be prepared. But if you like being a salt worker, you've got to go for it!" 

Every year, I have between 4 and 5 seasonal workers working with me on the farm to pick the fleur de sel and carry the coarse salt. I like teamwork, and it sometimes turns into something more permanent. 

In recent years, three of my seasonal workers liked the job so much that they went through training and became salt workers full-time. I'm very proud to have been able to share and perpetuate the values that have been passed on to me, it really makes sense to me. It's very gratifying to see that my way of working makes people want to keep the trade going.