In Southeast France, pastoralism is often highlighted by quality and origin labels as links to the territoriality (or “terroir” identity) of livestock products: pastoral resources partly guarantee the quality of the product, and, in return, pastoral production contributes to the preservation of the land and its know-how. Since the 1990s, this dual relationship has been formalised, constructed and negotiated into normative specifications.However, climate change seriously threatens the sustainability of Mediterranean rangelands and their farming systems. Livestock farmers and stakeholders are incited to re-question the link between the use of rangelands and quality or origin-linked production. At present, farming practices guaranteed by books of specifications tend to move away from pastoral resources, with potential impacts on the quality of pastoral products and the use of rangelands. We propose a qualitative and diachronic analysis based on a methodology which intersects with environmental history and livestock farming systems. Through a series of case studies, this paper examines the trajectory of pastoral resources in quality labels in Southeast France since the 1990’s, from their prominence in specifications to their reinterrogation. We built farm trajectories based on more than a dozen semi-structured interviews with farmers, supplemented by ten life narratives of other stakeholders. We also analysed current books of specifications and consulted public and private archives.Quality labels stand out from standard products, particularly because of their seasonality, and represent a key market for pastoral production. They generate significant added value for producers by attracting committed purchases from demanding consumers. Moreover, the use of pasture and rangelands helps to reduce livestock production costs and contributes to sustainable development objectives supported by public policies. Confirming the importance of pastoral resources in quality labels is therefore essential if the sustainability of Mediterranean pastoral livestock farming systems is to be addressed in the long term.