The black truffle is part of the heritage of Quercy. Here is what can be read on the Cahors Vallée du Lot Tourist Office website
The truffle – better known by its scientific name Tuber melanosporum… or not – is a mystery. The truffle is a smell, a flavour, a passion, a heritage, a skill, a secret art, a product of the earth, an economy and markets. The truffle is worth discovering in any case, as it has so much to offer. As a mark of recognition, the cultivation of the black truffle of Quercy has recently been added to the inventory of intangible cultural heritage of France.
Truffles are a mystery, as everyone knows.
Of course, generations of truffle farmers have studied them and passed on their tips and tricks.
The essentials of truffle farming are well established: truffles grow in limestone soils on the causses of Lalbenque, a Site Remarquable du Goût (Remarkable Site of Taste) for its truffle market, Limogne-en-Quercy and the Lot, at a shallow depth (10 to 30 cm), in fairly aerated, well-drained soils with a Site Remarquable du Goût (Remarkable Site of Taste) for its truffle market close to 8. But what else?
Well, that’s where family secrets are whispered, but not shared.
This is where the truffle becomes a legacy: that of the land and family secrets.
The truffle is a flavour and a smell
A smell first and foremost. When ripe, it fills markets and kitchens with its fragrance. Some enthusiasts even keep their noses glued to the ground like a divine addiction. Truffles are enchanting. They are a flavour that transports your taste buds to ecstasy, let’s not mince words. It doesn’t take much to make you happy and add flavour to an omelette, brie, a small pot of butter, cabbage or an aperitif. Less is more; its creaminess gives it its fragrance, and time (a few days) gives it its depth. So forget the price per kilo, think 100 grams and that’s already a lot, think moments of culinary exaltation and that’s enormous. Imagine rare moments, which go hand in hand with rare products, and all this will create memories of rare poetry.
Truffles are a product of the earth and require expertise to cultivate.
The truffle tree, pubescent or green oak, is recognisable by the presence of a bare area of ground around the trunk. This area is caused by the aggressive action of the mycelium.
Truffles emerge from the ground around May-June and then develop during the summer months, aided by stormy rains (especially in August). They begin to ripen with the first cold spells of autumn and are harvested when ripe during the winter months.
The limestone soil of the Lalbenque and Limogne-en-Quercy plateaus is ideal for this.
How are they harvested?
Harvesting involves extracting the truffles from the ground when they are ripe in winter, with the help of a trained dog or pig. Unlike dogs, pigs are very fond of truffles. Their owners must ensure that they do not eat these precious mushrooms.
Alternatively, you can also search for truffles using a specific blue fly. Follow it with your eyes and, in mild weather, when you see it land at the foot of an oak tree, the truffle has been spotted and you can start digging. Fact or fiction?
You’ll have to try it for yourself, but the elders say they know how to do it.
As a last resort, use your own sense of smell, with your nose to the ground. It might work… but make sure you’re not on someone else’s truffle field. People here have a very short sense of humour on the subject…
What is a truffle?
They are the underground formation of a mycelium (fungus) in association with the roots of a truffle tree. In our region, the noble species known and marketed under the brand name
‘Truffe noire de Lalbenque’ is known and referenced in the world of gastronomy as Tuber Mélanosporum.
An ideal environment
Truffles grow in shallow (10 to 30 cm), fairly aerated, well-drained limestone soils with a pH close to 8 on the Lalbenque and Lot plateaus.
Truffles and their markets
Whether summer truffles (Tuber aestivum) or winter truffles (Tuber melanosporum), there are various markets where you can discover truffles in their natural environment.
Winter truffle markets
From December to March, two of France’s most important truffle markets are held 20 minutes south of Cahors and Saint-Cirq Lapopie: in Lalbenque, a Site Remarquable du Goût (Remarkable Site of Taste) for its truffle market on Tuesday afternoons (from 2.30 pm) and in Limogne-en-Quercy on Friday mornings (from 10.30 am, but it’s best to arrive earlier).
Come and discover this unique atmosphere, feast your eyes or treat yourself to a beautiful black winter truffle. They come in all sizes, with the smallest costing around ten euros, enough to treat two to four people (in an omelette or shaved over your dishes).
The retail market always precedes the wholesale market in Lalbenque, so everyone can find the quantity that suits them. A noble and luxurious product, it can fetch up to
€1,200/kg at retail, depending on the season and the quantity harvested. Just like saffron, another rare spice that is also harvested in the Lot region.
The best restaurants in the region also come here to stock up on ‘tuber melanosporum’, also known as the ‘black diamond’.
Summer truffle markets
There is also a summer truffle, tuber aestivum, which is more affordable, less exceptional, but very tasty as an appetiser in truffle butter.
This is a great introduction to discovering this rare product if you are not yet familiar with it and are curious to learn more. A summer truffle market is also held in Limogne-en-Quercy on Sunday mornings from mid-June to mid-August, starting at 10 a.m.
Both markets offer activities designed to teach you everything you need to know without having to ask.
Discover truffles
Truffles may be a mystery, but we have keys, clues and codes to share with you.
We invite you on an introductory tour of truffle growers’ fields, whichever you choose. You will observe, understand and imagine, and truffles will hold no more secrets for you. You will encounter truffles in their natural environment. Melanosporum and aestivum truffles will reveal themselves to you. Marie-France, Noushka, Jean-Paul, Tithys and Christine, all passionate about truffles, will share their knowledge, stories and anecdotes with you, transporting you into the world of truffles with ease and clarity. Male and female dogs will happily put on a show, but you will not be the centre of their attention: only truffles, black diamonds and rewards matter to these experienced and greedy ‘truffles’. And the final question will be: who will be more passionate about truffles at the end of these encounters, you or these experts in truffle hunting? Place your bets!
Taste the truffle
When using truffles to flavour your dishes, you need to be generous, but not wasteful.
They love anything creamy, sometimes a little fatty, and like to bask in it for a few hours or days, leaving behind all their flavour in a divine memory. Here are a few basic tips, but you can imagine that such a refined product also deserves recipes that are just as refined.
Luckily, the chefs of Destination Cahors – Vallée du Lot are as passionate as their truffle-growing friends. They offer a wide variety of truffle-based menus throughout the winter. All you have to do is sit down at the table and enjoy.
The chefs also offer truffle-themed cookery classes, where they share their recipes with you and put you in charge of the stove so you can enjoy the pleasure of tasting your own dishes.
And as truffles are always generously shared, we’re also sharing some of our own recipes with you.
Truffle-themed events
The Lalbenque Truffle Festival at the end of January
As every year, the famous village known for its superb winter truffle market organises the Truffle Festival on the last weekend of January.
On the programme: national truffle hunting competition with truffle dogs, culinary and discovery workshops, conferences, tastings, gourmet village, artisans and creators.
The giant truffle omelette
This major event, organised by the Lalbenque Truffle Market, a Site Remarquable du Goût (Remarkable Site of Taste), takes place every year on the last Tuesday in July, starting at 7.30 pm. Activities begin at 5 pm.
Guided walk with Colin
Truffles will hold no more secrets for you! Set off along the paths of Quercy with Colin, a nature guide, and discover how this black mushroom has shaped the landscape and heritage of the region.
Truffle hunt
Learn while having fun with a truffle hunt! Discover the many varieties of truffles and gather the ingredients by finding the seven hiding places in the small village of Lalbenque to make the mystery recipe. A real treasure hunt to share with the family!
Quick fact: the price of truffles (wholesale market) on 4 March 2025 – €600/kg
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