One of the world’s most-expensive and sought-after delicacies, caviar is not worth tasting if it is anything short of superb. While Italy, Russia and Iran are renowned for producing this gourmet treat, some of the very finest is made in France. If you’re a discerning traveller hoping to expand your gastronomic knowledge on your next trip to France, keep reading. From Bordeaux and the Dordogne to the Loire Valley and Paris, our unique private tours let you taste the very best French caviar being produced today. Meet the artisans and experience true luxury.
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Some of the finest caviar is made in France. Our unique culinary tours let you taste the best– and most expensive- French caviar available.
The cluster of southwestern French regions broadly known as Aquitaine rivals the Black Sea when it comes to producing some of the world’s most-prized caviar. Artisanal producers and luxury caviar houses thrive in towns nearby Bordeaux and in the Dordogne region, many founded in response to bans on wild sturgeon due to overfishing and a need to elevate farmed sturgeon in high-quality environments. Any gourmet tour of southwestern France– which will ideally also include truffle tastings and high-end winery visits — should also include excursions allowing you to experience some of the finest caviar of Aquitaine.
Tastings and Production Sites to Visit in the Region Your private caviar tour may include visit to producers and local tasting rooms, allowing you to learn firsthand about how this delicacy is painstakingly prepared. These are just a couple of the local experiences we recommend– others are closely guarded secrets for our clients. The Dordogne town of Neuvic is home to Caviar de Neuvic, a globally renowned producer that offers unique visits to its sturgeon farm and tasting rooms. Here, alongside the Isle River and the stately Domaine Huso, you’ll learn about how the enormous fish from which delicate, flavorful eggs are harvested, and the painstaking elevation process that brings them to maturity. You’ll then take part in a gourmet afternoon that includes a culinary workshop at the Domaine, followed by tastings of various dishes prepared with the region’s prized “black gold”. While other high-end caviar producers operate in Aquitaine– including the world-famous Prunier – Caviar de Neuvic is one of the rare producers to open their doors to visitors. Heading to Nouvelle Aquitaine and the Périgord town of Eyzies de Tayac, Perle Noire is another local producer of extremely luxurious, and painstakingly produced, caviar. Sturgeon are raised here in semi-open riverbeds, amid the wild greenery of the natural landscapes.
Here, you’ll meet the artisans, witness the sturgeon farm and taste some truly delicious caviar, perhaps accompanied with a glass of local sparkling white wine or vodka. Perlita is yet another well-respected producer of Aquitaine caviar operating in the area and offering tastings to discerning visitors. Located in the village of Teich, Perlita initiates visitors to its finest caviars, after showing them around its own sturgeon farm and production site. If pairing superb French wines with caviar in an opulent setting sounds like the perfect afternoon, consider a tasting at the renowned Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion, a Bordeaux-region chateau prized for its fine Pessac-Leognan white wines. Here, we can arrange for an entirely private wine and caviar tasting- and you can even add oysters to the gourmet menu if you so choose. Superb Caviar-Centric Dinners & Private Evenings in Aquitaine Of course, some of our clients will prefer to taste and enjoy regionally produced “black gold” in an entirely private environment.
Our dedicated bespoke travel team will create a unique culinary experience centered around the delicacy, whether during a private dinner in an opulent chateau near Bordeaux, on a cruise lunch aboard a barge on the Gironde river, or a special event such a wedding reception, anniversary or engagement or corporate getaway. We can initiate you to superb local caviars such as Sturia, producers of sturgeon-based delicacies that are reputed as among the most prestigious in the region. Why not base a memorable private reception or gastronomic dinner around their handmade caviars? Get in touch with us to create the private event that perfectly matches your vision.
The French capital is not a production site for caviar (as you may have guessed)– but it remains one of the most important places for experiencing some of the finest roes the world has to offer. Include a tasting or regal dinner on your luxury getaway to Paris. Luxury Caviar Houses & Tasting Rooms These are just a few of the prized houses situated in the capital– ones we wholly recommend as part of a gourmet experience or VIP shopping tour of Paris. Quite possibly the most-sought-after and prestigious French caviar house, La Maison Nordique has a boutique and restaurant on the exclusive Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The house sources its caviar from Sologne, a region of France not far from the Loire Valley where a single producer makes some truly rare and exquisite roe from Baeri and Osetra fish species. Widely recognized by top chefs as some of the very finest caviar in the world, the products from Vincent and Patricia Hennequart are prized for their intense flavors, with notes of hazelnut and walnut. It bears a shiny, attractive appearance and a melting yet crunchy texture. Enjoy a superb tasting, lunch or dinner at the onsite restaurant, or take some home. Three-star Michelin tables in the capital that feature La Maison Nordique caviar on its menus include Epicure at Hotel Le Bristol and Guy Savoy. We can easily include a luxurious evening at one of these exceptional restaurants as part of your Parisian getaway.
Petrossian is an institution in Paris and around the world, renowned for its caviar production since its founding in 1920. At their boutiques and restaurants in the capital, you can taste and purchase some truly rare and exclusive products, including Petrossian Special Reserve, their most expensive and sought-after variety. Also try the Tsar Imperial, inspired by traditional Russian caviar and featuring fine varieties from Huso hybrid to Baika and Shassetra. And at the Petrossian restaurant, enjoy a meal centred around the fish-based delicacy– either in its pure form or incorporated into a variety of gastronomic, inventive dishes and paired with champagne or white wine. Another renowned house that has been operating in Paris since 1927, Caviar Kaspia has a tasting room and restaurant on the elegant Place de la Madeleine, as well as a tasting bar at Belle-Epoque department store Galeries Lafayette. You can also visit their boutique to select a special item to bring home among their exquisite collection, from royal beluga to white sturgeon and Imperial Baeri caviar. For a truly gourmet experience, Kaspia’s restaurant offers prestigious lunch or evening menus featuring 30 to 125 grams of three different varieties of caviar (including beluga if desired) accompanied by blinis, superb vodka or champagne and desserts. Plan a Private Caviar Tasting or Evening in Paris Some of our clients may prefer an entirely private soirée, dinner or other special event in Paris centred around fine caviar. Whether situated in a regional chateau, private room of a museum or palace hotel, there are countless possibilities for creating an exclusive, memorable evening. You may first wish to see our feature on museums in Paris open for private events.
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Have we managed to intrigue your taste buds? If so, get in touch with us right away. We’ll create an entirely bespoke culinary adventure that includes gourmet caviar tastings at some of the exclusive producers and vendors mentioned above– and show you some truly VIP addresses reserved for our special clients.
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