Location, location, location
Mike Collins went to France to study languages and work for a large company. Travelling round France, he loved discovering new places and new tastes and snails became a favourite, so he decided to visit a snail farm sure that he’d find the tastiest escargot there. He was disappointed when he tried the great classic: snails in garlic sauce. “No personality” is how he describes the dish, he knew it could be so much better.
Already unhappy in his corporate role, that snail dish inspired Mike to dream of opening a snail farm of his own and create the tastiest recipes. He spent a couple of years researching and studying, working out what would be the ideal location and finally in 2008 he took the plunge, gave up his job and started a snail farm in the village of Râches, Nord, Hauts de France.
Mike’s two big requirements were for a large garden which needed to be marshy. As soon as he saw what is now his house, with its big garden near the regional national Park Scarpe-Escaut he knew it would be perfect.
It’s a lush, gentle area of wetlands, two major rivers, forests, picturesque villages but close to the cities of Lille and Arras. The house is on a main route “about 22,000 cars pass by every day which I knew would be great for trade” says Mike. “Plus this area is
like a cultural melting pot with Brits, Belgians (we’re close to the border) Spanish, Flemish and Dutch expats and visitors. People here are open to innovation in cuisine”.
A British snail farmer...
in France
A British expat in northern France set local tongues wagging when he set up a snail farm, Janine Marsh investigates…
Setting up at a snail farm
Snails are a much-loved food in France where more than 30,000 tons are consumed annually though less than 5% are farmed in France, most including the famous “Burgundy snails”, come from eastern Europe. But, when Mike told the local mayor to tell him about his business proposal “he thought I was crazy, but he was courteous about it” recalls Mike. Undeterred, he told the Mayor that he would set an ornamental snail on the roundabout outside the farm when his farm was successful. Go there today, and you can’t miss the giant white 2.5m snail statue!