With the winter truffle season fast approaching, we're off to discover the Tuber melanosporum in the heart of Périgord. Our travelling companion? A PEUGEOT 408, an elegant traveler that lends itself perfectly to road trips.

A historic French region, Périgord boasts a rich cultural, archaeological and natural heritage. One of the jewels in its crown is its gastronomy, led by the black truffle. This world-famous mushroom is actually called Tuber melanosporum. At a time when technology and data allow us to produce more and more, many mysteries persist about the cultivation of truffles, the elusive and rare black gold considered to be a luxury product. To unlock the secrets of this exceptional delicacy, we're heading to Domaine truffier du Grand Merlhiot, where Olivier Leserne, its administrator, awaits us for a private tour! 

To get there, we had to cover the 500 km between Paris and this remote corner of the Périgord. We chose the PEUGEOT 408, a partner of choice thanks to its traveler's skills, to accompany us on this road trip.

Comfortably ensconced in this "Gris Titane" model, with its dark reflections reminiscent of the deep, intense black of a truffle, the kilometers of the highway rolled by in an appreciable senatorial silence.

Curled up in the comfortable Naboo Blue Nappa leather seats, you feel as if you're in a cocoon. The Adamite-colored contrasting stitching is a real eye-catcher, highlighting the 408's exemplary finish quality.

The ergonomics of the PEUGEOT I-COCKPIT®, which here features a 3D effect, are ideal: all controls fall naturally to hand, and the i-Toggles allow you to control your favorite functions at the touch of a button, including your favorite applications thanks to Mirror Link. All touch-sensitive parts are highly responsive for simple, efficient operation. 

Just off the freeway past Limoges, the Périgord departmental roads stretch out before us, more specifically the Parc naturel régional Périgord-Limousin. The long, straight stretches of asphalt are set amid dense vegetation as far as the eye can see. As on the freeway, the 408 is at ease on the secondary network. The 180 hp Plug-in Hybrid engine offers an excellent compromise between performance and fuel efficiency. Via the e-EAT8 gearbox's Break mode, regenerative braking allows energy to be stored in the 12.4 kWh battery, to be restored when the car is accelerated again - invigorating if need be! As our journey included a large section of freeway, we used the e-save function to save electric range for use on the final stretch, which consisted of departmental roads and typical Périgord village crossings. Once the battery is almost discharged, the 408 continues to operate virtuously, as it is similar to a simple hybrid system (MHEV). So you often benefit from electrification during gentle driving phases. It's precisely without a sound that we arrive at the Domaine truffier du Grand Merlhiot.

At the entrance to the estate, in the middle of the forest, you can hear the wildlife expressing itself. Olivier, the estate's administrator and nature enthusiast with a background in forestry, greets us in the radiant sunshine. After a few meters, we come face to face with the large building. Dating back to 1750, it underwent a complete renovation in 2017. The result is a style that perfectly blends the authenticity of yesteryear with the modernity of today. Fully recharged on the site dedicated to electrified vehicles, the 408, with its sublime Fastback lines, does not stand out in this exceptional environment. Having taken advantage of the 63 km of 100% electric range offered by our model, we arrived with the battery empty. Our rational use of the hybrid system enabled us to cover more than 500 km without having to refuel or recharge. 

Truly passionate about his profession, Olivier is quick to share his knowledge of the famous black mushroom and the secrets of its cultivation. Truffles are born in April, from the surface to a depth of 25 cm, and develop until September. Then comes the ripening phase, which lasts until mid-December, when harvesting begins and continues until mid-February. Patience is required to reach this point, as a tree only yields eight years after planting. Pampered like kings, the estate's truffle oaks began to produce as early as four years ago. Quite apart from the painstaking handiwork involved, the terroir also plays a major role: the soil must have a very precise pH, its constitution must be rocky so that the roots don't sink deep, and the hygrometry neither absent nor abundant. Olivier likes to say that he does 50% of the work, the other half belonging to nature, which decides whether or not to give. That's why he can't precisely predict how much production the estate can deliver. That's the beauty of his job. Eventually, the ambition is to have 50 hectares of truffle oaks, all entirely organic. As the estate is already the largest truffle-growing area in Périgord, with just a few hectares at present, imagine what's to come! 

Truly passionate about his profession, Olivier is quick to share his knowledge of the famous black mushroom and the secrets of its cultivation. Truffles are born in April, from the surface to a depth of 25 cm, and develop until September. Then comes the ripening phase, which lasts until mid-December, when harvesting begins and continues until mid-February. Patience is required to reach this point, as a tree only yields eight years after planting. Pampered like kings, the estate's truffle oaks began to produce as early as four years ago. Quite apart from the painstaking handiwork involved, the terroir also plays a major role: the soil must have a very precise pH, its constitution must be rocky so that the roots don't sink deep, and the hygrometry neither absent nor abundant. Olivier likes to say that he does 50% of the work, the other half belonging to nature, which decides whether or not to give. That's why he can't precisely predict how much production the estate can deliver. That's the beauty of his job. Eventually, the ambition is to have 50 hectares of truffle oaks, all entirely organic. As the estate is already the largest truffle-growing area in Périgord, with just a few hectares at present, imagine what's to come! 

Discover Peugeot 408 available in Plug-in Hybrid and Fuel, and configure it directly on our website.