The snail has a remarkable long and diverse history. Numerous shells have been found at the sites of prehistoric man. Later, we find the snail in the diet of the Romans and the Greeks dating as far back as the IV century BC. Apicius Marcus used to fatten up the snails with milk before sauteing them in oil.

In France during the Middle Ages, snails were stock piled in monasteries and were brought out during food shortages. During the revolution in the ports of Charente, sailors took away snails by the barrel as a substitute for fresh meat. According to certain authors, the Petit-Gris snails, now living in the French Caribbean, originate from Charente, having been brought from France by Spanish or Portuguese navigators. Snail breeding started at the beginning of the century. Works like those of De Noter provided data on breeding and the commercial aspects of selling snails. Since 1980, following a research report by the INRA (National Institute for Agronomy Research ), several farmers have rushed into this economically viable delicacy.