More About Still Water
The Still Water collection at Epicerie Corner brings together 31 products across ten mineral and spring water brands — Evian, Volvic, Vittel, Contrex, Hepar, Courmayeur, Mont Roucous, Cristaline, St Amand, Wattwiller, Pierval, Saint Antonin, Thonon, Mont Blanc and Biovive — covering the full spectrum of French mineral content profiles, from the ultra-soft low-sodium waters suited to babies and during pregnancy to the highly mineralised therapeutic waters used to supplement calcium and magnesium intake.
Understanding French Mineral Water
In France, eau minérale naturelle (natural mineral water) is a legally defined category distinct from eau de source (spring water). Natural mineral water must originate from a single, consistently mineralised underground source, remain bottled at source without any treatment beyond CO₂ removal or addition, and carry a stable mineral composition across batches. Spring water must also originate from a protected underground source and remain microbiologically pure, but its mineral composition may vary and it is not required to be consistent over time. The mineral content — principally calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), sodium (Na⁺), bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) and sulphate (SO₄²⁻) — determines the water's taste, hardness and suitability for different uses: cooking, infant formula preparation, hydration during exercise or everyday table water.
Evian and Volvic — Balanced, Low-Mineral Everyday Waters
- Evian (6×1.5L, 12×33cl): Evian is sourced from the Évian-les-Bains municipal area on the southern shore of Lake Geneva (Haute-Savoie), at the foot of the Chablais Alps. The spring water percolates through glacial deposits for 15 years before emerging at source, producing a low-sodium, low-mineral profile: around 78mg/L calcium, 24mg/L magnesium, 5mg/L sodium. The result is a very neutral, balanced taste — not heavy or chalky. Evian has been commercially bottled since the 1820s and is now a Danone brand. The 12×33cl minipack is popular for packed lunches and catering. Volvic (6×1.5L, 6×50cl, 8L): Volvic is sourced from the volcanic uplands of Puy-de-Dôme (Auvergne), where surface rainfall filters through six successive layers of volcanic basalt over approximately five years. The basalt filtration removes impurities and produces a very low-mineral water (calcium 11.5mg/L, magnesium 8mg/L, sodium 11.6mg/L), with a mildly acidic pH of around 7. The volcanic origin gives Volvic one of the lightest mineral profiles of any major French brand. The 8L format is a Danone eco-bottle made from 100% recycled plastic, suited to households consuming high volumes.
Vittel and Contrex — The Vosges Mineral Pair
- Both Vittel and Contrex originate from the Vosges massif in Lorraine and are owned by Nestlé Waters. Vittel (6×1.5L, 6×1L, 6×50cl, sport cap 6×75cl, kids 8×33cl): Vittel is sourced from beneath the town of Vittel in the southern Vosges. It has a medium mineral content — 202mg/L calcium, 36mg/L magnesium, 7.3mg/L sodium — and a clean, round taste. Vittel has been commercially bottled since 1854, making it one of France's oldest mineral water brands. The sport cap and kids formats are designed for active hydration with a sealed push-pull valve. Contrex (6×1.5L, 6×1L, 6×50cl): Contrex is sourced from Contrexéville, also in the Vosges, and is one of the most highly mineralised waters sold in standard formats — approximately 450mg/L calcium, 84mg/L magnesium. High calcium content gives Contrex a firm, slightly austere flavour and positions the brand for calcium supplementation. It has historically been marketed primarily to women as a dietary water.
Hepar and Courmayeur — High-Magnesium and High-Calcium Specialists
- Hepar (4×50cl, 6×1L): Hepar is sourced from Plainfaing in the Vosges and contains around 110mg/L magnesium — among the highest magnesium levels of any commonly distributed French mineral water. Magnesium facilitates intestinal muscle contraction, and Hepar has for decades been marketed with a focus on digestive transit. Its high sulphate content (1,530mg/L) contributes to the transit effect. The taste is noticeably mineral and slightly bitter due to magnesium. Courmayeur (6×1.5L): sourced from the Aosta Valley at the foot of Mont Blanc, Italy (imported). Courmayeur contains 516mg/L calcium and 71mg/L magnesium — one of the highest calcium concentrations available in bottled water. The taste is clean and neutral despite its high hardness.
Mont Roucous — Ultra-Soft Water for Babies
Mont Roucous (12×25cl, 6×50cl, 6×1L) is sourced from the granite uplands of Ariège, in the eastern Pyrenees. It has one of the lowest mineral contents of any bottled water sold in France: around 18mg/L total dissolved minerals, 2.4mg/L calcium, 1mg/L sodium. This extremely low sodium and nitrate content makes it the preferred water in France for infant formula preparation and is why the brand is specifically recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The 12×25cl format is designed for baby bottles and small drinks.
Cristaline, Biovive, St Amand, Wattwiller and Regional Springs
- Cristaline (12×50cl, sport cap 12×33cl, 6×1.5L): Cristaline is a spring water (eau de source) brand distributed by Alma, a French water bottler that sources from multiple springs across France depending on the production site. The consistent positioning is low price, low mineral content and wide availability. Biovive (6×1.5L): sourced from Chalosse in the Landes (south-west France), marketed in 100% recycled rPET bottles. Low mineral content. St Amand (6×1.5L, 6×50cl, sport cap 12×33cl): sourced from Saint-Amand-les-Eaux (Nord), characterised by very low nitrate levels — below 5mg/L, well under the 50mg/L legal drinking water maximum. Wattwiller (6×1.5L): a fine sulphate-rich water from the Vosges foothills in Alsace, with a pronounced mineral profile. Pierval (75cl): a Normandy spring water, light and low in mineral content, sold in a glass or large-format bottle. Saint Antonin (6×1L): sourced from the Aveyron gorges, a southern French mountain spring. Thonon (6×1.5L): from Thonon-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie), a balanced water with a long history of commercial bottling. Mont Blanc (6×1.5L): Alpine water from the Haute-Savoie massif.
For sparkling and naturally carbonated waters, see Sparkling Water. For soft drinks, syrups and cordials, see Soft Drinks. For Vichy Saint-Yorre and intensely mineralised waters, see Vichy St Yorre.
Still Water FAQs
What do the mineral values on a water bottle mean?
French mineral water labels list the principal ions in milligrams per litre (mg/L). The key figures to read are: calcium (Ca²⁺) — the main mineral people seek from dietary water; values above 150mg/L are considered high (Contrex 450mg/L, Courmayeur 516mg/L, Vittel 202mg/L); Evian at 78mg/L is moderate; Volvic at 11.5mg/L is very low. Magnesium (Mg²⁺) — relevant for muscle function and digestive transit; Hepar at 110mg/L is very high; Contrex at 84mg/L is high; most everyday waters are 10–40mg/L. Sodium (Na⁺) — relevant for those on low-sodium diets or preparing infant formula; Mont Roucous at 1mg/L is near zero; most still waters are well under 20mg/L. Residue à sec — the total dissolved mineral content at 180°C, a summary figure: Volvic around 109mg/L (very soft), Vittel around 520mg/L (medium), Contrex around 2,100mg/L (very hard).
Which still water is recommended for infant formula?
French health guidance and infant formula manufacturers recommend using water with sodium below 20mg/L and nitrates below 50mg/L. In this collection, Mont Roucous (sodium 1mg/L, calcium 2.4mg/L, total dissolved solids around 18mg/L) is specifically sold for infant and baby use and is among the most commonly specified waters in French paediatric guidance. Evian (sodium 5mg/L) and Volvic (sodium 11.6mg/L) are also widely used. Contrex, Hepar and Courmayeur are not recommended for infant formula preparation due to very high calcium, magnesium or mineral loading.