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Truffles Info

Black Truffles

Your guide to black truffles

The Black truffle or Black Périgord Truffle (Tuber melanosporum) is named for the Périgord region in France and grows exclusively with oak. Specimens can be found in late autumn and winter, reaching 7cm in diameter and weighing 100g though usually weigh less.

Production is almost exclusively European, with France accounting for 45%, Spain 35%, Italy 20%, and small amounts from Slovenia and Croatia. In 1900, France produced around 1,000 metric tonnes (1,100 short tons) of Tuber melanosporum. Production has considerably diminished in the past century, and is presently around 20 metric tonnes (22 short tons) per year, with peaks at 46 metric tonnes (50 short tons) in the best years.

80% of the French production comes from southeast France:

• upper-Provence (départements of Vaucluse and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
• part of Dauphiné (département of Drôme)
• part of Languedoc (département of Gard)

20% of the production comes from southwest France:

• Quercy (département of Lot) and Périgord

The largest truffle market in France (and probably also in the world) is at Richerenches in Vaucluse.

The largest truffle market in southwest France is at Lalbenque in Quercy. These markets are busiest in the month of January when the black truffles have their highest perfume. Black truffles on these markets sell between €200 and 600 per kilogram ($122–$367 per pound), depending on the quantity and quality of the harvest.