A five-year filtration journey
The water emerging at the Volvic spring begins as rain and snow falling on the Chaîne des Puys, a 40-kilometer-long chain of dormant volcanoes in central France. This area, part of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Park, functions as a 38-square-kilometer natural catchment area. From there, the water seeps into the ground and begins a slow, five-year process through a unique geological structure created by a volcanic eruption 13,500 years ago.
The filtration system consists of six distinct layers of volcanic material. The water first passes through porous layers of scoria, also known as pozzolana, and fissured lava before reaching an impermeable granite basin. This massive natural filter includes layers of basalt and trachyandesite. As the water percolates through these strata, it is protected from surface pollution and acquires its specific mineral signature. The entire process happens deep underground, with the water eventually captured at a depth of 90 meters before it is bottled. This process gives the water a low mineral content and a neutral pH of 7.
Constant temperature and unique composition
The spring water emerges from the ground at a constant temperature of 8.8°C. This stability comes from the depth from which it is drawn, a level insulated from seasonal temperature fluctuations at the surface. The water's chemical makeup is consistent and well-documented. A liter of Volvic water contains a total of 130 mg of dissolved minerals after drying at 180°C.
Its specific mineral composition, measured in milligrams per liter, includes 32 mg of silica, 12 mg of calcium, 8 mg of magnesium, and 74 mg of bicarbonates. It also contains smaller amounts of sodium (12 mg/l), chlorides (15 mg/l), sulphates (9 mg/l), potassium (6 mg/l), and nitrates (7.3 mg/l). The discovery of this unique water source occurred in 1927, after a search for a reliable water supply for the town of Volvic, which had previously been scarce. The first bottles were marketed in 1938.