Three weeks in October: harvesting saffron in Mund

The village of Mund sits at around 1,000 metres above sea level on the north slope of the Rhône Valley. Every October, for exactly three weeks, the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) blooms. The harvest window is brief and unforgiving — each flower lasts just one day. The stigmas must be plucked by hand, early in the morning before the petals open too wide.

Mund is one of the last places in Europe where saffron is still cultivated at altitude. The local cooperative has maintained this tradition for centuries, but the number of active harvesters shrinks each year.

We source our saffron directly from the cooperative. No intermediaries. Every gram can be traced back to a specific plot.

This article will be expanded with full photography and producer interviews in Phase 2.