Please wait

Contact

37-39 rue Boissière
75016 Paris
France

Phone : 01 41 40 99 80

GaultMillau © 2025 All rights reserved

Growing truffles, Périgord's black gold

Growing truffles, Périgord's black gold

Jérome Peleyras | 7/7/24, 10:06 AM
Disable your adblocker

Fabien Lafon set up his truffle farm in Saint-Avit-Sénieur, in the heart of the Périgord Noir region, some twenty years ago. Passionate about truffles, he first and foremost cultivates the precious mushroom to keep the tradition alive.

" I created this truffle farm from scratch ", says Fabien Lafon, for whom truffles are not his main profession, since in life, the Périgourdine native is a bodybuilder. Truffles are above all his passion: " My attachment to them was passed on to me by my grandfather, who used to go out all day with his dog to collect truffles. "The farmer inherited a plot of land, previously used for growing corn or wheat, on which he planted truffle trees.

A random crop

Fabien Lafon now owns more than 400 oak trees, the oldest of which are around twenty years old. The bodybuilder spends his free time looking after his farm: " I'd rather be here cleaning the trees than at home doing DIY. There's work all year round. July and August are quiet, but in September we have to check that the trees are doing well. March is for seeding. April is pruning time, but I do it Van Gogh-style, as I like it! "

Even if Fabien Lafon doesn't make a fortune from his business, it still represents a supplement to his income: " You can't get rich growing truffles. You have to take into account the purchase of oak trees, the upkeep of the enclosure around the plot and the installation of security systems with cameras, all of which cost a lot of money. This year, I've sort of financed myself."Growing truffles is an unpredictable business, and you can never be sure of a flourishing crop: " A truffle grower can make a zero investment. If I look back at last year's harvest, we had a half-harvest with very little volume. Fortunately, I don't rely on my production to make a living. "

An uncertain future

Fabien Lafon remains worried about the future of truffles in the Périgord Noir. In recent years, climate change has had a major impact on production: "There's no longer any winter or cold weather to accompany the season. The more the years go by, the higher the temperatures. And that's a real problem for truffles. The future is certainly complicated for those who want to grow volume. In my opinion, in fifty years' time, there won't be many truffles left. "The grower fears that young people will turn away from production: " For the moment, my children don't want to take over the truffle farm, and I don't think they're the only ones of their generation. We'll have to fight to get young people to carry on the tradition. "

The main outlets for his crop are wholesalers at the Saint-Alvère truffle market, customers at the garage where he works, and restaurateurs: " I work a lot with chef Vincent Arnould of the Vieux Logis [rated 15.5/20 and awarded 3 Gault&Millau toques, editor's note] in Trémolat. It's a local institution that showcases truffles to the full. During the black truffle season, from December to February, the chef proposes a menu based around truffles. It's a real treat! "

Disable your adblocker

These news might interest you

Armand Arnal & Thierry Dufresne: Cross-pollination
Craftsmen & Know-How
Armand Arnal & Thierry Dufresne: Cross-pollination
The former is the chef at La Chassagnette, in Arles, the latter a former luxury goods executive turned beekeeper-harvester, founder of the La Manufacture du Miel brand in 2010 and of the Observatoire français d'apidologie in 2014. Armand Arnal and Thierry Dufresne talk about their love of bees and the importance of protecting these garden sentinels. In the chef's hyper-pollinating kitchen garden, a flight from the Arles flamingo, we witnessed these two biodiversity enthusiasts foraging.
Le Saint-Honoré
Craftsmen & Know-How
Le Saint-Honoré
If there's a French pastry heritage, it's the saint-honoré, or "saint-ho" to its friends! Crunchy and creamy at the same time, it's a gourmet favorite in many hearts. Gault&Millau begins a series of sweet portraits with one that curiously doesn't honor the patron saint of pastry chefs, but rather that of bakers.
Rhubarb emerges from the shadows
Craftsmen & Know-How
Rhubarb emerges from the shadows
The queen of rustic pies and crumbles, rhubarb is best enjoyed as a fruit, whereas it is a vegetable. This original plant leaves behind its old-fashioned trappings to spice up the most creative dishes and awaken both sweet and savory palates. One of the first spring vegetables, but the most recent to hit our plates, it's making a name for itself time and time again.
The grater shows its teeth
Craftsmen & Know-How
The grater shows its teeth
Rubbing, reducing, seasoning, zesting, spicing... It does it all! But where does this utensil come from, that Gruyère cheese couldn't do without? Flat or bell-shaped, giant or miniature, this spiky accessory is capable of reducing to calibrated crumbs whatever you put in front of it.
Pâtiss'Art announces its first edition with Nina Métayer as godmother
Craftsmen & Know-How
Pâtiss'Art announces its first edition with Nina Métayer as godmother
Normandy goes pastry. From October 26 to 28, 2024, the first Pâtiss'Art show will be held in Deauville. For the occasion, the godmother will be none other than Nina Métayer.
Grand Marnier owes part of its success to this Parisian palace
Craftsmen & Know-How
Grand Marnier owes part of its success to this Parisian palace
Known as the spirit of choice for crêpes Suzette, Grand Marnier was not invented for that purpose. Here's the story.
Become Partners