The short version: Piedmont’s white truffle season runs from 21 September to 31 January, the peak is October and November, and the Alba International White Truffle Fair runs from 10 October to 6 December 2026. Book a hunt for a weekday in late October or November, stay in Alba or the Langhe, and pair it with a Barolo cellar. Below is what the season actually looks like month by month, how the hunt works, what the truffle costs, and how to fit the fair in.
The calendar
| Period | What is found | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| June to August | Summer black truffle (scorzone) | Milder, cheaper; hunts run, no whites |
| 21 September to 31 January | White truffle, Tuber magnatum | The regional calendar for whites; early finds are small |
| October to November | White truffle at its peak | Fair open, Langhe harvest, book ahead |
| 10 October to 6 December 2026 | Alba International White Truffle Fair, 96th edition | Truffle market at weekends, events all week |
| December to mid-March | Winter black truffle (melanosporum) | Whites fade after Christmas; blacks take over |
Why October and November
The white truffle needs autumn rain and cool nights, and the Langhe supply both from October. Early season truffles, in late September, are small and the price is high because supply is thin; by late October the woods are producing, the fair’s market is busy at weekends, and the restaurants of Alba shave whites over tajarin and fried eggs as a matter of course. November is the connoisseurs’ month: fewer visitors, bigger truffles, and the harvest in the vineyards done, so the wineries have time for you. December still finds whites but the quality drops after the first frosts.
How a hunt works
You meet a trifulau, a licensed hunter, and his dog at the edge of the woods, usually early morning or towards dusk when the scent carries. The dog searches; when it marks, the hunter finishes the dig by hand so the truffle is unbroken. Over ninety minutes to three hours you learn why truffles grow under poplar, oak and hazel, how the dog is trained, and what the year’s prices are. Back at the table the finds are weighed and shaved over eggs or tajarin with a glass of Langhe wine. The truffle stays with the hunter; you can buy from him at a fair price. Compare hunts on our Alba truffle hunting page.
What it costs
A hunt with a tasting from Alba or the villages runs 80 to 95 dollars; with wine and cheese 90 to 140; a full day from Turin with lunch and pickup 200 to 280. The truffle itself swings with the harvest: several thousand euros per kilo at the fair in a normal year, which makes a few grams over your eggs a genuine luxury and a whole one a purchase to think about. Buy from the fair’s market, where the truffles are inspected, or from your hunter.
Fitting in the fair
The fair runs across Alba’s centre for eight weekends, with the truffle market in a hall, cooking shows, tastings and the historic parade and donkey race in early October. Weekends are crowded; stay in the Langhe villages rather than Alba on fair weekends and come into town in the morning. Combine a Saturday at the fair with a Sunday hunt and a Barolo cellar, or reverse it. Our Barolo wine tours page has the cellars; tours from Turin cover the hunt and the wine with pickup.
Where to stay
Alba for the fair and the trains, an hour and a quarter from Turin; La Morra, Barolo or Monforte among the vines for the views and a car; Turin for the city and day tours with pickup. In peak season book two months ahead.
Ready to go out yourself? See truffle hunting in Piedmont, and for the rest of the table, what to eat in Piedmont.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Alba truffle festival in 2026?
From 10 October to 6 December 2026, mainly at weekends, in the centre of Alba.
Can I hunt white truffles in summer?
No; summer hunts find black scorzone truffles. Whites run from late September to January.
Are truffle hunts a show for tourists?
The ones with a real trifulau and his own dog are genuine; the dog does the work and the finds are real. We list those.
Do I need to be fit?
No; it is a woodland walk at the hunter’s pace, muddy in autumn. Boots and long trousers.
Alba or Istria for truffles?
Alba has the fame and the higher prices; Istria has the same white truffle at family farms for a third of the cost. Our Istria truffle guide covers the alternative.
