The reputation of Sologne caviar, or Solenska, extends far beyond the borders of the Sologne region. Between La Ferté-Beauharnais and Saint-Viâtre, at Le Grand Cernéant, Vincent Hennequart and his sister Patricia have been producing around a tonne of sturgeon caviar a year since 2007.
“It was my father who set up here in the early 1970s, creating an extensive mixed farming operation. In the 1990s, he specialized and intensified farming. He was interested in sturgeon. Then, in 1999-2000, we decided to play the “breeding sturgeon” card, with caviar-producing females. In 2005, we started production, and in 2007, we had our first harvest,” explains Vincent Hennequart.
Today, our caviar is distributed in the region’s top restaurants, delicatessens and a brand-new boutique.

Sturgeon farming
Siberian Baeri sturgeon reach maturity at around 7-8 years, sometimes 11-12. They acclimatize very well to Sologne, where they are raised in the temperate waters of low-density ponds (around one fish per 10 m3).
“The sturgeons swim constantly, circling the ponds. The bottom is natural, and they feed on what they find, including insects and larvae. The average egg yield for a female sturgeon is around 10-12%. Once the caviar has been extracted, the rest is filleted in a Brenne laboratory.
Handling is rigorous, and health controls are very strict, given the level of quality required. Initially in its infancy, the technique was perfected until 2013, when a ton of caviar was canned.
In 2016, two tons of caviar were produced at Saint-Viâtre. “All the production is sold even before the harvest is complete,” he adds. When you consider that a kilo of caviar sells for between €1,600 and €1,800, this is a sector that is not affected by the crisis…