The history of the fleur de sel dates back to the middle of the 18th century. In the beginning, the French brought this salt from Spain and Portugal, where it was used as part of their cooking. By the end of the century, the salt became very popular in the culinary circles all over France. This popularity gave way to the formation of “salvages bargeaux”. During that time, “salvages bargeaux” were established in every city in France. The main goal of these salvages was the transportation of this salt from Spain and Portugal to the regions where French people settled.

During the early years, this contraband salt was considered as a luxury good by the French people. It is only in the later part of the 19th century that the salt became a practical item. It was then that many restaurants, bakeries, caterers, and others started using this salty in their cooking. By the end of the century, even ordinary citizens began to buy French salt to use in their everyday cooking. With the passage of time, the demand for this kind of salt also rose, making manufacturers to produce it in bigger quantities. Today, you can buy French salt at any store or supermarket.

While buying contraband French salt, you should understand the different varieties available on the market. First of all, there are the traditional moroccan variety of this salt. This type is made with black peppers mixed with saltpetre and water. The resulting product is a thick consistency that resembles that of chicken broth.

The next variety of this French seasoning is the savoy. Traditionally made from anise seeds, the savoy’s flavor is said to resemble that of the sea. The flavor of this salt varies according to region. It is commonly used in French cooking, particularly the regional cuisine of the far east. You can buy savoy in a lot of supermarkets or online. You can also buy French white wine or a nice bottle of soda with a touch of rum in it and serve it with the savoy as a dipping sauce.

Then, you also have the petite gabelle. A smaller version of the above-mentioned French salt. A gabelle is usually thicker than its traditional counterpart and is often used for cooking as well as in baking recipes. Compared to the th century version, the modern version is less oily, thus avoiding the occurrence of oil droppings during the cooking process. Petite gabelle is available in the same quality as its older version and you can easily find them in any supermarket.

Then, there’s the fleur de lis. Also known as the fleur de noirs, the origin of this dish can be traced back to the early days of the French. The name was given after the city of Champagne where the king established his fortress. A signboard near the place indicated that salt should be added to the water one time a year. It was eventually designated as a measure of weight to measure the number of grains in an litre of water, hence, the fleur de lis.

Last but not the least, we have the famous River Guiers. Most commonly associated with the battle of the Nile in ancient times, it also transported salt from the ancient heights of the country to the lowlands. At present, it transports water from the Mediterranean to the delta. The main trade routes of the region are the Bois de Boeuf, Loire, and the Loire Valley.

In addition to the above-mentioned water transportation, the river guiers also played a role during the frontier wars. In particular, during the Seven Years War, the French stationed at the strategically important river of the Meuse blocked the British troops trying to cross into France. They also provided protection to the fortress of Quatre-udes on the other side of the Meuse River. Therefore, they were key figures on both sides during the history of the French frontier.