Step by step recipe:

1. 5 min.
   Wash the 500 g fresh gherkins thoroughly.
2. 10 min.
   Brush each gherkin under running water to remove all the little "bristles" and give it a smooth surface.
3. 
   If you don't have a suitable brush, or if you prefer, you can use my grandmother Jeanne's method: rub them with the corner of a tea-towel.
4. 5 min.
   Cut off any remaining stalks from the gherkins.
5. 5 min.
   Rinse again, then dry with a tea-towel.
6. 3 hours
   Put the gherkins in a bowl with 300 g coarse salt for 3 hours to draw off some of the juice.
   
   Note: contarary to popular belief, there is no need to soak them any longer than this, as they will start to dry out.
7. 5 min.
   After this time, discard the salty water and rinse the gherkins...
8. 1 hour
   ...and soak them for 1 hour in a bowl of cold water. We do this so that the gherkins will not be too salty.
   
   After one hour, drain the gherkins and dry them on a tea-towel.
9. 1 min.
   Pour 1 sprig tarragon and a few peppercorns into the bottom of the jar you are going to use.
10. 5 min.
    Fill the jar with gherkins and cover with cold white vinegar (there's no need to boil or even heat it).
    
    Seal the lid and leave to mature for a month before eating.