L'Ail VIolet De Cadours is recognised as the finest and best quality purple garlic from the traditional French region of Gasconny.

This Violet Garlic is loved by Parisienne Cuisine and revered by the Connoisseur Chefs of the top Paris restaurants.

In Cadours, there has been a strong link between Violet Garlic, the land and local farmers for many generations.

Cadours Violet Garlic is characterised by its purple tunic with blueish purple lines. The bulb is large and has a very round shape. The cloves are large, ivory-coloured and have a very distinct flavour, sometimes with faint blueish purple lines.

It is the oldest garlic in France. It comes into season in July and keeps easily until February if you store it in a cool and dry place.

THE TASTE AND COLOUR is the result of the combined action of the earth and climate and creates its superb uniqueness.

L’Ail Violet de Cadours is locally produced according to a variety of factors:

Cultivated land is located on the hillsides and is generally south facing. The soil in these areas is clay-limestone with minimal clay content (20%).

The local microclimate, which is rainy in May, encourages growth and bulbing. The very dry Autan wind assists the open air drying process: The garlic is harvested with its foliage and bundled together before being hung from sticks in closed barns.

THE TRADITIONAL METHOD preserves the violet garlic’s organoleptic qualities. Choosing the variety is just as important as choosing the land. Through years of cultivation and clonal improvement, two varieties of Violet Garlic have emerged: The Germidour variety and, more recently the Valdour variety. The plants receive the love and attention throughout the growing season and final development. The producers attention never wavers until the drying stage and the delicate operation of peeling the garlic by hand. The key is to avoid taking off too much of the tunic and skin so the colour is preserved.  

Violet Garlic tresses (braids) are produced by hand on the Gascon farms. L’Ail Violet de Cadours is braided together tightly so that the tress is rigid and can be easily handled. The tresses are braided using the smallest bulbs to make the 0.5kg tresses, and the largest bulbs are used to make the 1kg tresses. All the tresses look very even in size. For a tresses weighing 500 gms, the size of bulbs size should be not less then 45mm. For tresses weighing 1 kg, the smallest bulbs should be 50mm or more.

The tips of the foliage are trimmed evenly and then tied with a ribbon or a piece of twine.

Violet Garlic Loose bulbs- these bulbs are graded for their highest quality and evenness.

Loose bulbs allow the customer to enjoy the unique L'Ail de Cadours flavour at the most favourable price.

​