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What to eat in France? Top 13 French Sheeps

Last update: Thu Apr 17 2025
Top 13 French Sheeps
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best French Sheep Types

01

Lamb

SISTERON, France
n/a
Agneau de Sisteron
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Agneau de Sisteron is fresh meat from young lambs that are slaughtered when they are between 70 and 150 days old. The animals are born and reared in the Sisteron area of Provence in France, where they feed on milk and local fodder, which in turn produces the delicate, tender, light-colored and smooth meat with a distinctively mild flavor and firm, slightly pink fat.


For a true gourmet meal, try the tasty Sisteron lamb meat grilled, seasoned only with garlic and the famous Herbes de Provence mix of spices.

02
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Prés-salés de la baie de Somme is fresh meat from lambs of the Suffolk, Hampshire, Roussin, Ile de France, Rouge de l'Ouest, Boulonnais and Vendéen breeds that are less than 12 months old at the time of slaughter.


The lambs are reared in a sustainable way on the salt marshes of the Pas-de-Calais and Somme regions in France. The marshes are constantly flooded by tidal water, so the lambs also feed on sea grass, giving the meat its distinctive flavor and tenderness, praised by many chefs. 
03
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Agneau du Bourbonnais are lambs reared in the Allier region and the nearby French cantons since the 18th century. Originally reared for wool, Bourbonnais lambs are today raised for their succulent meat marbled with firm, white portions of fat.


Except for the first 60 days when they only drink their mother's milk, the free-pastured lambs graze on grass and aromatic herbs from the rich Allier meadows. They are reared for 90 to 210 days until their meat develops the desired organoleptic qualities. 
04
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Prés-salés du Mont-Saint-Michel is fresh meat from lambs slaughtered before they are 12 months old, born, reared and slaughtered in the French regions of Manche and Ille et Vilaine. This meat is unique due to the fact that the lambs feed on maritime pastures and seaweed from the salt marshes that are prevalent in the region.


As a result, the carcasses are slim, the fat is evenly spread, white and firm and the meat is pink, well marbled and juicy after it is cooked. When eaten, it results in a strong, long-lasting flavor that lingers in the mouth. The meat must mature on the bone for at least 4 days before being sold to consumers when it can be roasted or grilled and enjoyed with garlic sauce and potatoes.

05

Lamb

DORDOGNE, France
n/a
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Agneau du Périgord is fresh lamb meat from lambs slaughtered between 80 and 180 days of age, and weighing between 15 and 21 kilograms. They are born and reared in the Dordogne, Corréze, Lot and Lot et Garonne regions in France.


The animals feed on their mother's milk for at least 60 days after which they are fed on grains and local fodder. As a result of their rearing and feeding, the meat has a balanced, delicate taste that is not too strong, a light pink color, and a thin coverage of white, firm, high-quality fat that produces melt-in-the-mouth qualities of the meat. 
06

Lamb

LOZÈRE, France
n/a
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Agneau de Lozére is fresh lamb meat from the male and female Blanche du Massif breed of young lambs, their age right between suckling and adult, pasture fed lamb. They are born, reared and slaughtered in the French regions of Lozére, Cantal, Ardéche and Haute Loire.


Because the sheep are highly adaptable to the harsh weather and can access hard-to-reach terrains, they feed on pastures with varied vegetation and their milk strongly influences the lamb meat. It is silky and pink-white in color with firm white fat, fine texture and with a delicate taste and scent of grass. 
07

Lamb

PYRÉNÉES-ATLANTIQUES, France
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Agneau de Lait des Pyrénées are milk-fed lambs of Manech Red head, Manech Black head and Basque-Béarnaise breeds raised in the French region of Pyrénées Atlantiques. As the name suggests, the lambs feed exclusively on their mother's milk which results in their meat being succulent, delicate, extremely tender and with a low-grain texture.


Because the lambs are slaughtered at a young age when they are no more than 45 days old, the flavors are less pronounced than in meat from older lambs, and the fat coverage is somewhat higher. The meat of Pyrénées lambs is traditionally enjoyed for Easter and Christmas festivities, prepared either roasted or as grilled lamb chops.

08

Mutton

HAUTES-PYRÉNÉES, France
n/a
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Baréges-Gavarnie is fresh meat from adult sheep born, reared and slaughtered in the mountainous French region of Hautes-Pyrénées. There are two products - the doublon, a castrated male that has spent at least two summers in the pastures, and the young ewe, aged between 2 and 6 years.


The sheep have thick wool and dense bones so they can withstand the harsh climate and find food even in the hard-to-access landscape. The meat is well marbled without any excessive fat, aromatic, and tender with an aftertaste of Alpine herbs. It is strikingly bright red, tender and succulent. 
09

Lamb

PAUILLAC, France
n/a
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Agneau de Pauillac is fresh lamb that is light and appetising in color and well marbled with white firm fat. The animals are grown, reared and slaughtered in the French region of Gironde, known for its wine and tree growing. For the slaughter, the lambs must not be over 75 days old, and should weigh between 11 and 15 kilograms.


They feed mostly on milk, cereals and nitrogen supplement, providing tasty, milk-gorged meat. The meat has a long-standing tradition and high reputation; it was even on the menu of a British King in 1903, at a dinner arranged by President Loubet. The taste of the meat is rich and tender, and the kidneys are round and enveloped by a firm layer of fat. 
10

Lamb

POITOU-CHARENTES, France
n/a
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Agneau du Poitou-Charentes is fresh meat from lambs that are less than 10 months old when slaughtered, born and raised in the semi-open-air in the Poitou-Charentes region in France. When slaughtered, the lambs weigh between 14 and 22 kilograms, their meat is light in color, well marbled with light, firm fat.


The lambs feed on milk, and grass, depending on its availability during the seasons, and only the best meat is selected by visual and tactile inspection after the slaughter. The animals are known for their well-developed legs and stocky build, with fine bones and delicate, tasty meat with an appetizing color. 
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French Sheeps