4th & 5th Feb:
After landing in Paris and picking up the hire car, came the challenges of heading off on the wrong side of the road for some 740km down the French Motorways to the beautiful Southern region of Cahors. The drive was long and we spent the night with Friends in the nearby town of Agen. Although agriculture and tourism are the major industres here, the signs of unemployment are all around with unthinkable high rate of 25%.
The drive on Tuesday morning through the countryside to the tiny village of Lalbenque revealed the diversity of farming in this region. From a wide variety of grain crops, to stonefruit, apples and pome, sheep and beef, wine...and of course truffle plantations - lots if them. We met up with Harry Eslick, a Truffle PH.D scientist from Perth and his Wife Briany. They're on their way back to Perth to compete the next phase of his research on Truffle parasites.
Lalbenque has been a farming community with a presence in the region for over 1000 years. In the historical heartland of truffle growing region, cultivation has been known for a couple of centuries but has only really come into its own the last 30-40 years. On every Tuesday during the Truffle season, a world-renowned market takes place at 2.30pm precisely - for only 30 minutes.
After a quick look around, we were joined for lunch at Le Cafe du Monde - A truffle restaurant specialising with a fabulous Truffle lunch on Market Day. Joining us for the afternoon was Pierre Sourzat, who is one of the fathers of modern truffle cultivation in France and has been in the business many years developing the industry.
Then we headed off to the truffle market itself. Pictures tell a thousand words so click on the links for some background. Apologies for the quality - I ain't no roving reporter!
As you will see, the implication are obvious for tourism, and the associated economy of the region. We haven't even scratched the surface...
Off to the UK to begin the Farm Marketing Tour Tomorrow.
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