Noix du Périgord

Noix du Périgord is a PDO covering fresh walnuts, dry walnuts, and walnut kernels produced across 612 municipalities in six French departments. Four varieties are authorised across the three product forms: Marbot, Franquette, Corne, and Grandjean. A minimum size of 28 mm applies to in-shell products, and all walnuts must be grown and shelled within the defined geographical area.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO under file number PDO-FR-0248, with EU protection dating from 18 November 2003, Noix du Périgord covers three distinct product forms. Fresh or early walnuts, sold in-shell shortly after harvest, must have a moisture content of at least 30 % on packing and may not be dispatched after 15 October of the year of harvest; the permitted varieties are Marbot and Franquette. Dry walnuts, subjected to a gentle drying process after harvest, must have a moisture content no higher than 12 % on packing; the permitted varieties are Marbot, Franquette, and Corne. Walnut kernels must be too large to pass through an 8 mm mesh, with a moisture level no higher than 5 %; the permitted varieties are Corne, Franquette, and Grandjean. The geographical area comprises 612 municipalities in the Departments of l'Aveyron, la Charente, la Corrèze, la Dordogne, le Lot, and le Lot-et-Garonne. Growing and shelling must both take place within this area. Packing limits are set at 10 kg for fresh walnuts, 25 kg for dry walnuts, and 15 kg for kernels. Individual packs must display the name 'Noix du Périgord', the European Union PDO logo, and a marking distributed by the applicant group, the Syndicat professionnel de la noix et du cerneau de Noix du Périgord. Walnuts are sold by variety as a matter of specification requirement, with the sole permitted exception being a traditional Corne-Marbot mixture.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 18 November 2003 under file number PDO-FR-0248, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013553.
• Four varieties are authorised across the three product forms — Marbot, Franquette, Corne, and Grandjean — with each form restricted to a defined subset.
• Fresh walnuts may not be dispatched after 15 October of the year of harvest and may under no circumstances be converted into dry walnuts.
• Kernels darker in colour must represent no more than 5 % of the packed product, and kernel moisture must be no more than 5 %.

Tasting notes

Périgord walnut AOP from Dordogne, three varieties (Marbot, Corne, Grandjean, Franquette). Sweet rich nutty flavor, characteristic Périgord-truffle-walnut terroir association.

HoReCa use

Plateau de fromages with Périgord cheeses; **classic Périgord walnut oil** for salade aux noix; in walnut cake (gâteau aux noix de Périgord); paired with Cabécou and Rocamadour cheeses.

Packaging

• in-shell-mesh-bag-1kg
• shelled-vacuum-pack-200g
• walnut-oil-bottle-250ml

Seasonality