AYME TRUFFE FARM ☆ Folio.YVR ☆ Issue 27 August 2024 ☆ Luxury Lifestyle Magazine

An exclusive and captivating excursion offered by Riverside Luxury Cruises is to the renowned Ayme Truffe Farm—an opportunity reserved for avid adventurers and gastronomes. This unique outing provides a rare chance to partake in the esteemed French countryside tradition of truffle hunting.

Within 30 minutes of embarking on a custom coach, guests find themselves immersed in the inner workings of the world's most secretive industry, set against the picturesque backdrop of Grignan in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region of France.

With the guidance of a knowledgeable English-speaking guide, the visit to the Ayme Truffe farm introduces the namesake family and their skilled truffle-hunting dogs. Uncover the intricate process of truffle production, gain insight into cultivation, and observe the effective training of truffle dogs.

For those with a fondness for truffles, the excursion provides the opportunity to unearth various types of truffles growing at the base of oak trees on the farm. Following the hunt, guests will be treated to a tasting of fresh truffle hors d' oeuvres, a refreshing local white wine, and a sampling of organic olive and truffle oil. This meticulously curated combination promises to be a true sensory delight, igniting your taste buds and creating a lasting memory of this unique experience.

A Truffle a Day

To thrive, truffles require specific conditions: a suitable host tree, particular soil, and a specific climate. They flourish in cold winters with minimal frost, humid and mild springs, and hot, dry summers, with rain in July and August to support their growth. Precipitation, temperature, and light are essential factors for truffle development, and the climate significantly impacts the regularity and quality of truffle production. Truffles typically thrive in a Mediterranean climate with minimal frost, occasional summer rainfall, and adequate warmth.

There are 32 species of truffles in Europe, but only two types are recognized as truffles in France: Tuber Mélanosporum and Tuber Brumale.

The Truffles Sought

Tuber Mélanosporum, also known as The Black Diamond, is harvested from early December to the end of March and can vary from the size of a nut to that of a potato. Gilles' grandfather once found one that weighed over one kilogram!

The Tuber Brumale is harvested during the same period and is often confused with the black truffle. It is similar but has more prominent veins with more space between them, emitting a spicy smell with a less significant taste

Tuber Uncinatum, the Burgundy Truffle, is an excellent edible. It has an irregular shape with a dark colour inside, marked by medium-sized warts that are not vertically striped.

Tuber Aestivum, the Summer Truffle, is harvested from early May to late November. It resembles the Black Diamond Truffle but has more prominent warts. Its flesh is whitish, firm, and faintly perfumed.

Tuber Magnatum Pico, best known as the White Truffle, is harvested from early September to the end of December. An excellent edible with a garlic aroma, it is highly sought after in Italy and only recently discovered in France.

Ayme Family History

In 1800, the wine culture on the slopes of Tricastin was thriving until an invasion of phylloxera destroyed most of the vines.

During this period, Joseph-Pierre Ayme decided to plant his first truffle oaks. In 1850, he began harvesting the Tuber Mélanosporum. Emboldened by this successful experiment, the trade with truffle trees began, and today's purveyor of these sought-after spores is the fourth-generation truffle expert Gilles Ayme.

The Ayme Truff home also houses a small showroom and boutique where truffle enthusiasts can visit to acquire the day's bounty and freshly pressed oils or arrange for worldwide shipping.