The Mushroom Collectors of Brain

Brain Sur Allones just north of Saumur is the place to be in early November for identifying all things fungi. The yearly Fete de Champignon (Mushroom Exhibition) is held in the Salle de Loisirs (Village Hall) and foragers are asked to bring in all their mushroomal finds from the woods and forests around the area.

The highly skilled mushroom identificaton panel then thumb through their mushroom library to identify whether they might be edible, barely edible, toxic or WILL CAUSE DEATH!

Three forks are awarded to the most edible.
Although these little inky looking fellows don’t really look that tasty.
The Tricolome Sourfe are highly toxic thus warns the exclamation mark!

And you would be best steering well clear of anything a skull and cross bone for fear of poisoning if not indeed death.

Throughout the year you can also visit La Cave Vivante du Champignon close to La Grande Maison in the village of Le Puy Notre Dame. The humourous if not a tad eccentric Jacky Roulleau will guide you around his caves and tunnels whilst explaining the history of mushroom production in the area. The Champignon de Paris used be grown in tunnels around Paris until the Metro moved in and so the production was moved to the Saumur area. For an online visit go to : troglo.champi.free.fr

WARNING DO NOT EAT ANY WILD MUSHROOMS YOU MIGHT FIND UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SAFE