Quiberon, Brittany, since 1932. La Belle Iloise has been making sardines longer than most brands have existed, and sardines are the core of their range, described as their “inspiration and driving force.”
The range is unusually broad: over 30 sardine recipes including Espelette pepper, Muscadet white wine, lemon, boneless in EVOO, and a rotating set of seasonal and limited variants. Worth exploring methodically.
They also produce a de garde vintage line aged two years or more in the tin, harder to find outside France but available through UK specialist importers.
Available in the US through Wine Establishment. UK through the Tinned Fish Market.