Ail violet de Cadours

Ail violet de Cadours is a dried garlic produced exclusively from the Germidour and Valdour varieties in a defined area spanning Haute-Garonne, Gers and Tarn-et-Garonne. Bulbs must measure 45 mm or greater, carry violet striations on white outer tunics, and have a minimum dry matter content of 30 %. All production and packaging steps must take place within the geographical area.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO under file number PDO-FR-02103, Ail violet de Cadours received EU protection on 7 January 2016. The single document was subsequently amended, with the minor amendment approved on 4 February 2020 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 13 May 2020 (OJ C 164/36). The designation covers dried garlic produced solely from the Germidour and Valdour varieties, both isolated from the local purple garlic population and registered in the official catalogue of varieties in 1991 and 2006 respectively. The defined geographical area lies in the Midi-Pyrénées region, between the departments of Haute-Garonne, Gers and Tarn-et-Garonne. The specification requires a minimum dry matter content of 30 %, achieved through monitored drying that guarantees a water loss of at least 20 % of the mass of the harvested product. Bulbs must be 45 mm or greater in size, round and regular in shape, and must retain at least one whole, undamaged outer skin layer. Roots are cut flush with the bulb, to a length equal to or less than 2,5 mm. The skin of the cloves is beige streaked with violet; the flesh when cut ranges from ivory to cream. Planting takes place in autumn on plots not used for alliums for three years, nor for maize or sorghum the previous year. All production steps, including packaging, must take place within the geographical area. Permitted sales presentations include braids, sheaves, bunches, bags, crates, baskets, nets and punnets, with specified weight and size parameters for each format.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 28, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 7 January 2016 under file number PDO-FR-02103 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000015874).
• Only two varieties are permitted — Germidour and Valdour — both isolated from the local purple garlic population and registered in the official catalogue in 1991 and 2006 respectively.
• Bulbs must be 45 mm or greater in size and carry a minimum dry matter content of 30 %; monitored drying must achieve a water loss of at least 20 % of harvested mass.
• All production and packaging steps, including hand-sorting and manual presentation, must take place within the defined geographical area.

Tasting notes

Haute-Garonne purple garlic AOP. Distinctive purple-streaked papery skin, robust pungent garlic flavor.

HoReCa use

South-west French cuisine; in soupe à l'ail à la toulousaine; presented in braided form as a visual centrepiece.

Packaging

• braid-traditional-500g
• braid-traditional-1kg
• mesh-bag-500g