A Completely Different Flavor... France's 'Legendary Potato' That Gourmet Enthusiasts Are Smitten With at 100,000 Won Each [Delicious Stories]

Bonnotte Potatoes Grown on Noirmoutier
Sold for 4.5 Million Won per 4.5kg at Auction
Unique Flavor Thanks to the Island’s Distinctive Soil

Editor's NoteIt is said that the first confectionery was discovered in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. In other words, sweets have accompanied every moment of human history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you delicious stories behind the treats we love.

France is home to a legendary potato favored by renowned chefs and gourmets: the Bonnotte potato, cultivated exclusively on the small island of Noirmoutier along France's Atlantic coast. This potato grows only in the island's unique soil and is so delicate that it must be harvested by hand. Bonnotte potatoes boast a flavor entirely distinct from ordinary potatoes and were once sold for as much as 1 million won per kilogram.

A Potato Grown Only on Noirmoutier Island on the French Atlantic Coast

Noirmutier Bonnot potatoes being harvested. Noirmutier Farmers' Cooperative

The elongated Noirmoutier Island is located on the Atlantic coast, facing the Vend?e department of France. Early on, French farmers migrated here and began cultivating a variety of vegetables. Today, Noirmoutier is renowned as the origin of several premium ingredients.

Among the vegetables native to Noirmoutier, the Bonnotte potato is the most famous. According to the official description from the Noirmoutier Farmers' Cooperative, only 150 tons are cultivated annually, and they can be purchased only during the island's festival or through specialized wholesalers. Every year, countless restaurant chefs and gourmets flock to Noirmoutier in search of Bonnotte potatoes.

The first-harvested Bonnotte potatoes are auctioned off in Noirmoutier each year, sparking fierce bidding. While the price per kilogram varies annually, records show that during the most competitive auction in 1996, 4.5 kilograms of Bonnotte potatoes sold for $3,050 (about 4.5 million won). This equates to approximately 1 million won per kilogram, or about 100,000 won per potato. The selling price at that time was listed in the Guinness World Records and still stands as the highest on record.

A Salty Flavor with a Hint of Lemon...Distinct from Ordinary Potatoes

Bonnotte potatoes are said to taste completely different from regular potatoes. Their texture is exceptionally soft, and even without special seasoning, they have a naturally salty finish and, above all, a flavor reminiscent of lemon.

A dish made by a French chef using Bonnot potatoes. Noirmutier Farmers' Cooperative

The Noirmoutier Cooperative explains that the unique taste of Bonnotte potatoes comes from the island's soil. The fields, imbued with seawater, have a higher salinity than those on the mainland. Additionally, Noirmoutier farmers use dried seaweed as fertilizer, and the distinctive properties of this fertilizer impart a lemon-like flavor to the potatoes.

Can Only Be Cultivated by Hand, with Annual Production Limited to Around 150 Tons

Bonnotte potatoes are regarded as the epitome of premium ingredients, served only in the finest restaurants. However, they once faced near extinction. Because Bonnotte potatoes are extremely soft and have thin skins, they are difficult to harvest in large quantities using machinery. Thousands of farmers must harvest them by hand in the fields. For this reason, when mechanized farming was introduced in France in the 1960s, Bonnotte potatoes gradually disappeared, losing ground to other varieties.

Bonote potatoes are too soft and must be harvested by the farmer's hand. Noirmutier Farmers' Cooperative

However, in 1995, the cooperative partnered with an Indian agricultural research institute specializing in seed restoration and managed to revive the Bonnotte potato. Since then, a portion of the island's farmland has been allocated for Bonnotte cultivation, and the potatoes are still planted and harvested exclusively by hand, preserving the tradition to this day. This is also why only about 150 tons are harvested annually.

Bonnotte potatoes are planted using traditional French farming methods passed down from the distant past. Every year on February 2, the French Catholic holiday of Chandeleur, seeds are sown simultaneously. After a ritual in early May, the potatoes are harvested all at once. They are then stored in a well-ventilated area for 90 days, and when they reach peak flavor, they are sent to auction. Bonnotte potatoes must be consumed within eight days of purchase.