Périgord may lay claim to the country’s best truffles but back in the 15th century, Bruyerin Champin, the doctor of King François 1, proclaimed: ‘The best truffles come from the Angoumois’.

Truffles are a forgotten speciality of the Charente (Angoumois is the old name for the area) – in the 19th century production of truffles in the Charente had grown to 50 tonnes per year, what is now produced in all of France. However, over the decades production decreased until the fact that truffles were produced here was all but forgotten. Over the last few years, though, the growing of truffles in the Charente, in particular the black ‘Tuber melanosporum’, has enjoyed a revival with the area around Jarnac becoming the centre of the new industry.

The premium truffle growing area – about 700 hectares – is in the limestone hills amongst the vineyards that surround the town. Truffles grow underground on the roots of trees, especially oaks and hazels and while pigs were traditionally used to root them out, these days it is more likely to be a dog – they are less likely to feast on what they find!

Winter is the time of the truffle – French law dictates their ‘harvesting’ cannot begin before November 15 – and every Tuesday at 9.30am and on Fridays at 5pm, from December to March, a truffle market is held at Jarnac. The blast of a horn marks the beginning of some fast and furious buying – usually within just one hour all the truffles are gone!