The Foires Grasses in Brive-la-Gaillarde

The Foires Grasses season in Brive heralds the end-of-year festivities and attracts gourmets in search of quality products: fattened ducks, fattened geese and capons arrive in abundance on the stalls of the Brassens market. Thirty or so producers from the region are just as enthusiastic as ever about putting their finest palmipeds on display for the specialists to judge, with the best mulard and Barbary duck livers, the finest goose livers and the tastiest capons all ready to go. After deliberation, the jury proudly presents the prizes to the producers rewarded for their remarkable work.

5 good reasons to go to Foires Grasses

Quality guaranteed! The products on offer are local and comply with a quality charter.
Meet and chat with producers
Take advantage of the Foire des Rois to have your foie gras preserved!
The Tables Gaillardes will be delighted to offer you a tasting session that's both convivial and tasty.
Don't leave without a truffle. They'll add even more flavour to your preserves or cooked dishes!

The 2024-2025 Foires Grasses calendar

23 November 2024: Foire Grasse
7 December 2024: award-winning goose and duck fair
14 December 2024: capon fair
11 January 2025: Foire des rois (preparation and canning of livers free of charge)
1st February 2025: Goose, duck and foie gras fair
1 March 2025: closing foie gras fair

Practical information

Where do the Foires Grasses take place?

In the Halle Georges Brassens, 12 quai Tourny, Brive-la-Gaillarde.

At what times?

The Foires Grasses take place at the same time as the market, throughout the morning (mornings only).

Where can I park for the Foires Grasses?

Underground parking with direct access to the market square for 1 euro on Saturdays!
Overground car park: 2 hours free every day!

Entertainment at the Foires Grasses

Fairs hosted by Tables Gaillardes chefs

For each award-winning fair, the Tables Gaillardes chefs come and put on a show. Supplied directly from the market, 2 or 3 chefs take charge of the kitchens set up each Saturday for these very special occasions and invite you to follow their advice on cooking, preserving products and tasting. Seduction guaranteed!

The origins of the Foires Grasses

Brive's fairs and markets are as old as the town itself: as early as 1218, a market was held on Fridays.

The number of fairs in Brive multiplied at the end of the 18th century. A "catalogue of Brive fairs" dating from 1795 lists 20. In 1970, the winter fairs became the Foires Grasses.

The Foires Grasses in figures

Up to 2,500 ducks and geese sold and marketed each week from November to March.
30 producers present at the Brive market. They come from the greater Brive area: Basse Corrèze and neighbouring cantons in the Dordogne and Lot.
80 approved equipment producers in Corrèze.
80,000 ducks and geese sold direct.
Production: 99% duck.

Geese, ducks and capons subject to a quality charter

To preserve the reputation of these fairs and reassure consumers, the town of Brive, the chambers of agriculture of Corrèze, Lot and Dordogne, the veterinary services and the producers' unions have drawn up a QUALITY CHARTER guaranteeing the traceability of products, traditional force-feeding with grain corn and other requirements that you will find at most of the fat producers on the market.

The Kings Fair

The January Fair is an exceptional event. Buyers have the opportunity to can their foie gras free of charge.

Purchases must be made only on this day with the producers. Registration for canning closes at 10.30am. A maximum of 2kg of foie gras per person is allowed. In order to preserve the quality of the finished product, only duck foie gras weighing between 350 and 550g and goose foie gras weighing between 450 and 900g will be canned, and will be carefully selected by the producers.

The controlled truffle market

The black diamond of the Périgord also has pride of place during the fair season.

Calendar of controlled truffle markets

controlled truffle market from Saturday 7 December 2024 to Saturday 22 February 2025.
award-winning truffle market: 11 January

A controlled market for the retail sale of fresh melanosporum truffles begins at 8.15am in the Salle Brassens.

All the truffles are checked one by one before going on sale from 7am in the morning. This is a further guarantee of quality, carried out by inspectors approved by the Corrèze departmental federation of truffle growers.

The controlled market will open with a bell at 9am in a designated area of the Salle Brassens.

The Confrérie Mycogastronomique gaillarde and the Confrérie du diamant noir usually attend this winter event.

A man checks the quality of a truffle while visitors look on

Bon plan Gourmet pleasures of a Grasse Fair

Foie gras preserves at the Brive King's Fair

A Saturday between Advent and the beginning of March. There's a big crowd in the Georges Brassens market hall in Brive-la-Gaillarde. You're there too, wandering between the stalls overflowing with capons, geese, ducks all duly plucked, jars of foie gras, confits, truffles... Luckily you've brought your own basket, so you won't be going home empty-handed. Note that during the King's Fair, held at the beginning of January, you have the privilege of leaving with your free canned goods.

Foire grasse,
19100 BRIVE
05 55 24 08 80 (Brive Agglomération Tourist Office)
To find out more