Chestnuts produced in the Cévennes region of southern France have been given the coveted AOP status. The Appellation d’origine protégée (AOP) label, awarded by the European Commission, designates a product that is particular to a certain region.
In this case, the chestnuts must have been grown in the historic Cévennes region, which encompasses the modern départements of Herault, Gard and Lozère. In this area, there an estimated 70 growers in the area, producing 120 tons of chestnuts per year – in the autumn chestnuts can be seen piled high on market stalls and featuring in many traditional autumn recipes. The Cévennes chestnuts join more than 200 French products that have AOP status, from cheeses to wines and spirits, meat, vegetables and even butter.
Source: thelocal.fr