The "cailier"

‘Cailier’ or ‘caillay’ or ‘callier’, called ‘cailly’ in Rouen, could be found on the stalls of Parisian markets until the beginning of the 19th century. It is the name given to fountain watercress or "herbalist cress" to differentiate it from garden cress (then called nasturtium).It was grown only in the Cailly and Clèrette river waters.

This watercress, very sought after, because smaller, very tender, of excellent taste, has always been of great renown.

In 1545 Antoine Truquet, a rhymer, dedicated a quatrain to it :

"For people feeling nauseous, not sick,

I have good fountain watercress,

If your stomach is upside down.

There’s nothing better for salad. »

It was taken over by Alfred Franklin

"I have good fountain watercress

For your stomach to feel a little better"

At the same time, Abraham Couturier, author of the play "Chambrière à tout faire" made his main character say:

"I know how to

Entertain and comfort pages

And footmen when they have failed

With Cailly watercress

And then a few bland herbs,

Shall make a hundred kinds of salads

To rejoice the companions.

I will mix mushrooms,

Truffles, parsnips, squash, cucumber,

And move aside."

Around 1805, the Count of Lasteyrie tried its culture in the vicinity of Paris, without success, and it was in 1810 that a man named Cardon, inspired by the watercress Germans grew, who themselves borrowed their technique from Cailly, made it successfully at Saint Leonard (Oise). From then on it spread to the Paris region and the slow decline of the Cailly watercress began.

Although the name ‘cailly’ was still preserved in botanical treaties and sales catalogues (Vilmorin for example) until the beginning of the 20th century to refer to fountain watercress, its culture has disappeared almost entirely from the landscape of the two valleys. Only a few watercress nurseries were still active in Fontaine le Bourg and Le Tôt, hamlet of Clères in 1910.

Source: «Le Cresson de Cailly, dit par les Parisiens au XVI° siècle : de calier, de caillay, de cailler, etc.» Bulletin des sciences pharmacologiques Vol. 24 no. 11-12 p. 366-372; 7 - 1917 par Paul Dorveaux