In 1989, the father of Olivier and Sebastien, Jean-Paul Royer, founded th esnail farm "Maison Royer". "It was kind of crazy mais he started a business in a not yet mature market: caviar with snail eggs", remembers Sébastien, one of the two sons who runs the company. He and Olivier, his brother, joined his parents at the beginning of the 90's. "Maison Royer" was initially settled in Saint-Paul-en-Pareds, near from les Herbiers in Vendée.
Come to visit us at our Farm in Vendée
Snails reproduction in our Farm in Vendée.
The Maison Royer is equipped with an entirely automated reproduction building. After a hibernation period, the reproducers are placed there at the beginning of January to mate and lay eggs up to March.
Although it is hermaphrodite, the snail must mate to be able to reproduce. This phase takes place during the months of February and March. The snails then lay eggs into small soil-filled pots.Next, the eggs are placed in hatcheries to become thousands of "baby snails" or naissains (hatchlings).
Fattenning baby snails
At the beginning of April, the snails are let into the 4,200 m² of fattening pens equipped with windbreak screens against the birds and electric fences to stop our friends from leaving us.The snail grows until it reaches adulthood (when a lip has formed on the shell), in around September. They are then collected by hand and cooked a few weeks later.