History of a terroir
Périgord Noir,
a land of exception
At the heart of the Dordogne, in south-west France, Périgord Noir takes its name from the density of its dark oak forests. A territory shaped by millennia of history, nature and human expertise.
“Limestone soil, oak forests, the nose of a trained dog and the patient hand of a truffle grower: these are the ingredients of an underground treasure.”
From origins to today
A thousand-year history
Prehistory
The cradle of humanity
Périgord Noir is home to the prehistoric treasures of humanity: the Lascaux cave, nicknamed the 'Sistine Chapel of Prehistory', bears witness to an uninterrupted human presence for tens of thousands of years. The oak forests that already covered this territory would have fed the first humans.
Middle Ages
Bastides, castles and stone villages
Medieval Périgord shaped its bastides, its hilltop castles and villages like Sarlat-la-Canéda, whose Renaissance architecture is now listed. Despite the Hundred Years' War and religious conflicts, the region forged a strong identity, rooted in its land and oak forests.
19th century
The golden age of the black truffle
In the 19th century, the black truffle — Tuber melanosporum — established itself as the 'black diamond' of French gastronomy. Exported to royal courts and grand hotels, it structured the rural economy of Périgord. Annual production is estimated to have reached several thousand tonnes.
Today
A living terroir, an active transmission
Périgord Noir perpetuates this tradition with its 80 producers, artisans and chefs. The black truffle grows in limestone soils at the foot of oak trees, requiring the nose of a trained dog and the patient hand of a truffle grower. Each one is the fruit of a living territory and an ancestral bond between man and the forest.
The riches of the terroir
Foie gras, walnuts, truffle
and much more
Périgord Noir is a land of generosity. Its exceptional terroir produces a range of unique flavours that form the basis of our fine food offering. For over twenty years, we have rigorously selected the best products from our artisan partners.
Aged cheeses, traditional charcuterie, home-made preserves, terroir jams and, of course, our signature: truffle butter logs — a creation that captures the very soul of Périgord.
Discover our teamFoie gras
Périgord walnuts
Mushrooms
Preserves & jams
Bergerac wines
Black truffle
Dordogne, France
The birthplace of Périgord Noir
Our geographical roots
Sainte-Alvère,
the beating heart of the terroir
Our association is based in Sainte-Alvère, a rural village in the Dordogne nestled between Bergerac and Périgueux. This is where one of France's most authentic black truffle markets takes place every winter, from November to March.
The limestone soil of Périgord, well-aerated and well-drained, provides the ideal setting for the development of Tuber melanosporum mycelium. The truffle oaks — downy and sessile — form a particular symbiosis with the truffle, woven over decades.
From France to Switzerland, our network grows and flourishes, proudly carrying the colours of Périgord terroir to the finest gastronomic tables in Europe.