Travel and truffle tasting

Travelled overnight and docked at Viviers at 7am. Left by coach for Grignan at 9. Today we chose to visit a truffle farm just outside Viviers. On arrival we went into a marquee and met Serge and his truffle dog Amy. Amy is a Lagotto Romagnolo, an italian breed. Prior to using this breed, Serge used Labradors.
Serge gave us a crash course in truffles and truffle growing. Provence is the main truffle growing area in France and black truffles are the most valuable at 2000 euros per kg. The biggest one ever found was in Victoria, Australia- 1.5kg. The biggest Serge has found is 750gms.
Serge uses white and evergreen oaks but linden, hazlenut and poplar can also be used. From acorn to truffle is 15 years. The acorns are grown in compost that has ground truffle in it so as to inoculate the roots with spores. From each batch, perhaps there might be only five that grow truffles. “Why is it so?” asked Serge “they can put a man on the moon, but they can't help us grow truffles. It shows that nature is mightier than man!”
Out on the farm Amy demonstrated her ability to sniff out truffles, dig them up and take them to Serge. Having said that, she did eat one before he could stop her, much to the amusement of our group. The visit finished with a tasting and a glass of wine, then into town for a tour of the castle.
Yes, we climbed that hill to see the castle and have a guided tour.
The statue in my photo is of Madame de Sevigne who wrote many letters to her daughter, Madame de Grignan. These letters (1000+) give a witty and insightful window into the life of the French court in the seventeenth century. She is depicted holding a feather (quill) which would have been her pen. Grignan hosts a literary festival each year and people put large red feathers outside their buildings.
The last photo shows a field of poppies on the outskirts of Viviers. Apparently it's a good year for poppies this year.
Back on board by 1.15 in time for lunch at 1.30 - MORE FOOD. Set off again. We'll cruise to Tournon which we should reach by 9pm.Read more