Challans Duck

Challans Ducks are French ducks, raised for their lean, tender flesh, and famous for their use at La Tour d'Argent restaurant in Paris, as "Canard au Sang" ("Pressed Duck.")

The appearance of a Challans Duck is similar to a Rouen duck, but having a white bib instead of a neck ring, and lighter in weight. The ducks have mostly blue plumage, but with a white feathered breast, and a white bib on the neck. They have yellowish-orange shanks.

Males weigh up to 6.6 pounds (3.0 kg); females up to 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg.)

The ducks are raised in the Vendée area of France. They are allowed to roam along the canals, where rush nests are built for them. They forage for themselves free-range during this time, eating bugs, snails, tadpoles, etc. When they are 8 weeks old, they are gathered into pens for fattening for market.
Challans Duck originated in Challans, France, from a cross between Rouen Clair and Colvert ducks in the mid 1600s.

This area of Vendée is marshy, so canals were built to drain it and make the land arable.

Traditionally, they were raised for market in Nantes 34 miles (55 km) north-east.

Kuchment, Anna. Let Them Eat Duck. Newsweek Magazine. 18 October 2004.

Scherf, Beate D., Editor. World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Second Edition. 1995. Page 234.

Also called:

Pressed Duck

Abacot Ranger Ducks, Allier White Ducks, Ancona Ducks, Appleyard Ducks, Australian Spotted Ducks, Aylesbury Duck, Black East Indies Ducks, Bourbourg Duck, Call Ducks, Campbells Duck, Canvasback Duck, Cayuga Duck, Challans Duck, Coast Ducks, Crested Ducks, Danish Black White-Breasted Duck, Dark Rouen Duck, Duclair Ducks, Eider Ducks, Elizabeth Ducks, Estaires Duck, Forest Duck, Germanata Veneta Ducks, Gimbsheim Ducks, Golden Cascade Ducks, Gressingham Duck, Haut-Volant Ducks, Herve Ducks, Hook Bill Ducks, Huttegem Duck, Idegem Duck, Indian Runner Duck, Kaiya Duck, Laplaigne Ducks, Magpie Ducks, Magret, Merchtem Duck, Mini Ducks, Mule Duck, Muscovy Duck, Naked-Neck Ducks, Nantes Ducks, Orpington Ducks, Overberg Ducks, Pekin Duck, Pommern Ducks, Rouen Duck, Saxony Ducks, Semois Duck, Silky Ducks, Swedish Blue Duck, Swedish Yellow Duck, Termonde Duck, Tsaiya Duck, Vouillé Duck, Welsh Harlequin Ducks

Bustards, Chicken, Cornish Game Hen, Goose, Guinea Fowl, Parson's Nose, Poussin, Quail, Turkeys

Affettati, Beef, Goat, Minced Meat, Offal, Pork, Sausages, Sheep, Steak, Steak