Franck
As a child he used to hunt for truffles with his grandfather. Passionate about arboriculture, he planted his first truffle trees on the property 20 years ago. He is outdoors with his dogs in search of truffles during the winter. During this season he also checks the condition of the trees on the plantation. His active presence on the domain serves as a deterrent to thieves. As a truffle broker he is in constant contact with other members of the profession.
In the spring he looks after the pruning of the trees and the general maintenance of the soil. In the event of drought during the summer he gives the truffle trees precise quantities of waters. It is in the autumn that new truffle seedlings are planted and the irrigation systems are installed. It is also in the fall that the older plantation is prepared for the winter harvest.
Dominique
She is in charge of sales, shipping, accounting and all the administrative tasks. When the harvest arrives every week she sorts the truffles one by one and brushes those ready to be shipped. She prepares the invoices and the packages. She offers guided tours of the domain and organises truffle dinner for groups. She too hunts for truffles with Géo her Lagoto Romagnolo. Both she and Franck train the young dogs and look after the well being of the pack.
The pack
Currently made up of 5 dogs. Along side their masters 4 Labradors and 1 Lagoto Romagnolo (4 females and 2 males) ensure the harvest.
3 dogs are fully trained UMI, CHEYENNE and GEO whereas the 2 younger dogs are still being trained DUCHESSE and POLO.
As full time residents of the domain, Dominique and Franck can have you visit the trees that have been sponsored. If you come during the winter months you will be able to accompany them on a truffle finding expedition. 2 or 3 weekends a year they will offer tours and truffle hunting sessions. Upon request and at a cost, they can organise cooking classes to learn how to best prepare the truffles.
An additional 2 or 3 visit a year will be organised during the warmer months for visits of the domain. For lodging we recommend GRAND JARDIN a lovely Napoléon III castle in Valensole. www.lechateau-valensole.com