Prized by chefs
Cooperative building in Puy-en-Velay
Photo courtesy of Ian Byrd
It's the darling of the Haute-Loire and the favorite lentil in France--la lentille verte du Puy.
Grown high upon the volcanic plateaus of Velay in France's Massif Central, the compact, shiny, dark-green marbled lentil has been cultivated for more than 2000 years. The lentil plants' exposition to cold, heat, and hydric stress at high altitudes accelerates the seeds' maturation process--conditions that give them their characteristically small size, fine skin, texture, and flavor.
In 1996 it became the first legume to enter the closed and prestigious circle of A.O.C. label bearers, which until then had been the exclusive reserve of French wines and cheeses. The A.O.C. label--an acronym for appellation d'origine controllée, is a governmental guarantee that a traditional food product, specific to a defined geographical area, meets strict standards of quality, origin, and conditioning. A sort of pedigree, if you will.
What sets the green lentil of Puy apart from its more humble cousins--the brown, red, or blond varieties?
It has deeper flavor and retains its shape and color when cooked, making it ideal for salads.
Neither fertilizers nor irrigation are used in this hardy plant's cultivation. And, because it fixes nitrogen in the ground it's used in crop rotation to naturally enrich the soil. It's an all-round great and sustainable source of proteins, minerals, and fiber.
©2025 P. B. Lecron
