France: Ham dispute! Cathedral dries clubs in church tower

From ham in a church to a state affair: In France, the drying of ham in the cathedral of Saint-Flour is causing a stir.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati intervened. Her ministry said it had familiarized itself with the case. Dati wants to check whether the hams can be safely hung in the cathedral. Fire protection and the preservation of cultural heritage should also be taken into account.

The monument protection and prefecture in the ham department of Cantal intervened in 2022 and banned church ham. At the initiative of the local bishop’s Around 60 hams were hung to dry in the cathedral tower.

Dripping fat could cause damage, it was said. The hams also hindered access to the tower. Therefore, a ban was imposed on drying ham in the cathedral in the future.

The air-dried ham “Florus Solatium” was popular with restaurateurs. The proceeds from the sale went towards the maintenance of the cathedral. Because in 2022 the cathedral’s organ, which was in a miserable condition, had to be renovated. Cost of the work: tens of thousands of euros.

But neither the commune nor the state nor the French church had the money. So the bishop, who had previously set up beehives on the roof of the cathedral to produce honey, came up with the idea of ​​cathedral ham.

Culture Minister Dati shows understanding

The Minister of Culture has an open ear for restaurateurs.

“The actors of crafts and gastronomy in this matter and more broadly, to accompany all innovative solutions that make it possible to enhance the national territory, its heritage and its gastronomy,” it said from Paris.

Now a new investigation will clarify whether the hams can continue to hang in the cathedral. The government in Paris is alarmed and wants to monitor the situation closely. It will be exciting to see what happens next with the hams in the cathedral.