Our local star of July 2026

Long established in the Beaujolais Vert region, Xavier Laurent's farm, Earl du Crêt Pirot, specializes in dairy farming, but not only that. On these mid-mountain lands, a unique blueberry production flourishes, to be enjoyed fresh after harvesting, or transformed into nectars, jams and beers.

As every summer, Xavier LAURENT's stall reappears at the markets of Amplepuis, L'Arbresle, and Tarare. Blueberry season has arrived, but be warned, the season is short and the harvest meager. Loyal customers sometimes travel from afar to fill their baskets. Xavier says this fruit specialty represents "a truly unique product for the region." Through the story of his family, who for generations have passionately and proudly carried on the farming trade, he reveals the origins of the blueberry bushes at Crêt Pirot.

Rhône Tourism
Rhône Tourism

The Laurent family's peasant DNA

Crêt Pirot is an isolated hamlet in the commune of Les Sauvages. Here, as far as the eye can see, a succession of plateaus and hills punctuates the horizon with endless aerial views. In this early summer, the golden fields of grain ripple in a light breeze.

The Laurent farm was built at least a century ago in the middle of this landscape dominated by nature. Xavier traces the family tree, specifying that he is part of "the fourth generation of the dairy farm which originally belonged to his great-grandfather".

And while the business has thus far been passed down from father to son, his daughters Alexandra and Léane, students at the agricultural high school in Ressins in the Loire region, could likely take over later. Present during the preparation for this interview, Alexandra beams, "My father passed on his passion to me."

Within the family, Xavier's parents, Gabrielle and Joseph, planted the blueberry bushes in 1991. "The idea came to them during a holiday in Meymac," he explains, adding that the inspiration came more specifically from "nuns" they met during their stay in the Corrèze region. Eleven years later, the plantation passed into his hands.

Alexandra Laurent – ​​Credit Rhône Tourisme
Alexandra Laurent – ​​Credit Rhône Tourisme

Crêt Pirot, blueberry country

Blueberry production is not widespread in the department. Xavier Laurent mentions that, to his knowledge, it "was carried out in the Monts du Lyonnais" and that other attempts at cultivation around his home "were unable to develop."

This small, red, high-altitude fruit, however, has adapted wonderfully to the 740 meters of Crêt Pirot, where the soil acidity is particularly favorable. The 3,000-square-meter orchard, from which the village church can be seen in the distance, contains 600 shrubs of the Bluecrop and Favirot varieties.

The slope of this hill seems perfectly suited to blueberries. As Xavier Laurent explains, here "there's no need for fertilizer." A simple application of bark around the base of the plants maintains the soil's acidity and promotes moisture retention. Bottles attached to the tops of stakes serve as natural traps for fruit flies, which are particularly fond of blueberries.

Rhône Tourism
Rhône Tourism
Rhône Tourism

The harvest is currently in full swing and will continue until the end of July or the beginning of August. Against a backdrop of blue sky, branches stand studded with pretty green, pink, and finally, velvety blue-violet berries when fully ripe. The picking, which begins at dawn, is a long process, as the berries must be detached one by one by hand, but Xavier admits to appreciating this moment "of silence in nature where one is at peace."

Blueberry jams, nectars and beers

He then leads us into the farm's old stable, where small hands are now busy sorting. This step involves the whole family: his two other children, Léo and Louiza, as well as his partner Sylvie, a valuable support in her free time, in addition to her main job as a nurse.

The most appetizing fruits will be quickly sold fresh in punnets at markets, while the others will be processed into various preparations. Local restaurateurs and pastry chefs also buy them to create summer desserts.

Earl Crêt Pirot
Rhône Tourism

He then details the virtues of this food, including its antioxidant properties, good for eyesight, and ideal freezing properties because it does not release water. 

Xavier, who is endlessly enthusiastic on the subject, recalls when he started selling at markets, "it wasn't easy in the first few years." People were confused by this fleshy, garden-grown variety with green, juicy, and sweet flesh, so different from the wild species gathered with a comb in the undergrowth.

The stock intended for processing is entrusted to intermediaries, who are responsible for the artisanal production of flavored brown and blonde beers, as well as nectar. The jams, however, are made by him personally, in the evenings after the last milking of the cows. For blueberry lovers, he recommends mixing them into fresh cheese.

The Earl du Crêt Pirot is an illustration of traditional Rhone agriculture, committed to preserving family know-how and capable of surprising, thanks to niche productions, reflecting the identity of a terroir with multiple vocations.

Where to find Xavier Laurent's blueberries, jams, nectars and beers ?

Rhône Tourism