Carte Noire
Carte Noire is one of France's most popular coffee brands, known for its pure Arabica coffees roasted in France. Epicerie Corner stocks Carte Noire in every format French coffee drinkers use: ground coffee, coffee beans, instant coffee, soft pods, espresso capsules and ready-to-drink organic cappuccinos, delivered across the UK.
What Is Carte Noire?
Carte Noire was launched in France in the late 1970s and became a household name with its elegant black packaging and its focus on 100% Arabica coffee. Arabica beans are generally considered smoother and more aromatic than Robusta, with less bitterness. Carte Noire is now part of the Italian coffee group Lavazza and continues to roast its coffee in France. Its range is organised by intensity and format, using numbers such as N°5, N°7 or N°9 to show how strong each coffee is.
Carte Noire Coffee in Our Range
Ground Coffee and Beans
For filter and cafetière coffee, choose the Carte Noire Ground Coffee twin pack, the decaffeinated ground coffee, the organic ground coffee, or the Sélection Bio Honduras single-origin ground coffee. For bean-to-cup machines and grinders, there is the Carte Noire Classique 1kg coffee bean bag, the Arabica Espresso Coffee Beans 1kg and organic coffee beans in 500g.
Soft Pods
Carte Noire soft pods (dosettes) are designed for soft-pod coffee machines. Choose Classic N°5, smooth and balanced, in packs of 36 or 60; Full-bodied N°7 (Corsé), a stronger roast, in 36 or 60; or the decaffeinated N°5.
Espresso Capsules
Carte Noire capsules are compatible with popular espresso machines; check each product page for the compatible system. Options include Espresso N°7 Classic, N°9 Intense, N°11 Powerful, Lungo Classic and Lungo Intensity 6, Espresso Classic N°8, an organic espresso, and a pure Arabica espresso in capsules for Dolce Gusto-type machines.
Instant Coffee and Ready-to-Drink
Carte Noire Classic Soluble Coffee is a quick option for a cup of coffee in seconds. The organic ready-to-drink bottles include a Pure Arabica Cappuccino, a Cappuccino with almond milk and a Mochaccino, to drink chilled.
How to Choose Carte Noire Coffee
- By machine: ground coffee for filter or cafetière, beans for bean-to-cup machines, soft pods for pod machines, capsules for compatible espresso machines.
- By strength: lower numbers such as N°5 are smoother; N°7 to N°11 are stronger and more intense.
- By cup size: espresso for a short coffee, lungo for a longer cup.
- Decaffeinated: decaf ground coffee and decaf N°5 pods.
- Organic: organic ground coffee, beans, capsules and bottled drinks.
Brewing Tips
- Cafetière: use coarse to medium ground coffee, about one rounded tablespoon per cup, pour water just off the boil and press after about four minutes.
- Filter machine: use medium ground coffee and a clean paper filter; adjust the quantity to taste.
- Bean-to-cup: grind just before brewing for the fullest aroma, and adjust the grind finer for espresso.
- Capsules and pods: run a cup of hot water through the machine first to warm it, and descale the machine regularly.
- Instant: pour hot, not boiling, water over the granules and stir.
Coffee in France
In France, a morning coffee is often a large cup of filter coffee or café au lait at home, while the café serves the short, strong express. Carte Noire covers both habits. Store ground coffee and beans in an airtight container away from light, heat and moisture, and use them soon after opening for the fullest aroma. For more coffee brands and formats, browse our Coffee and Coffee Pods collections.
Carte Noire FAQs
Is Carte Noire 100% Arabica?
Carte Noire built its reputation on pure Arabica coffee, and most of its range is 100% Arabica. Check the description of each product for the exact blend.
What do the numbers on Carte Noire mean?
The numbers indicate the intensity of the coffee. A lower number such as N°5 is smoother and more balanced, while higher numbers such as N°9 or N°11 are stronger and more full-bodied.
Which machines are Carte Noire capsules compatible with?
Carte Noire makes capsules and pods for several machine systems. Each product page indicates the compatible machine, so check it before buying to make sure the capsules fit your machine.
How should I store coffee?
Keep coffee in a cool, dry, dark place, in its resealed bag or an airtight container. Avoid the fridge, where coffee can absorb moisture and odours.
Carte Noire
More About Carte Noire
Carte Noire is one of France's most popular coffee brands, known for its pure Arabica coffees roasted in France. Epicerie Corner stocks Carte Noire in every format French coffee drinkers use: ground coffee, coffee beans, instant coffee, soft pods, espresso capsules and ready-to-drink organic cappuccinos, delivered across the UK.
What Is Carte Noire?
Carte Noire was launched in France in the late 1970s and became a household name with its elegant black packaging and its focus on 100% Arabica coffee. Arabica beans are generally considered smoother and more aromatic than Robusta, with less bitterness. Carte Noire is now part of the Italian coffee group Lavazza and continues to roast its coffee in France. Its range is organised by intensity and format, using numbers such as N°5, N°7 or N°9 to show how strong each coffee is.
Carte Noire Coffee in Our Range
Ground Coffee and Beans
For filter and cafetière coffee, choose the Carte Noire Ground Coffee twin pack, the decaffeinated ground coffee, the organic ground coffee, or the Sélection Bio Honduras single-origin ground coffee. For bean-to-cup machines and grinders, there is the Carte Noire Classique 1kg coffee bean bag, the Arabica Espresso Coffee Beans 1kg and organic coffee beans in 500g.
Soft Pods
Carte Noire soft pods (dosettes) are designed for soft-pod coffee machines. Choose Classic N°5, smooth and balanced, in packs of 36 or 60; Full-bodied N°7 (Corsé), a stronger roast, in 36 or 60; or the decaffeinated N°5.
Espresso Capsules
Carte Noire capsules are compatible with popular espresso machines; check each product page for the compatible system. Options include Espresso N°7 Classic, N°9 Intense, N°11 Powerful, Lungo Classic and Lungo Intensity 6, Espresso Classic N°8, an organic espresso, and a pure Arabica espresso in capsules for Dolce Gusto-type machines.
Instant Coffee and Ready-to-Drink
Carte Noire Classic Soluble Coffee is a quick option for a cup of coffee in seconds. The organic ready-to-drink bottles include a Pure Arabica Cappuccino, a Cappuccino with almond milk and a Mochaccino, to drink chilled.
How to Choose Carte Noire Coffee
- By machine: ground coffee for filter or cafetière, beans for bean-to-cup machines, soft pods for pod machines, capsules for compatible espresso machines.
- By strength: lower numbers such as N°5 are smoother; N°7 to N°11 are stronger and more intense.
- By cup size: espresso for a short coffee, lungo for a longer cup.
- Decaffeinated: decaf ground coffee and decaf N°5 pods.
- Organic: organic ground coffee, beans, capsules and bottled drinks.
Brewing Tips
- Cafetière: use coarse to medium ground coffee, about one rounded tablespoon per cup, pour water just off the boil and press after about four minutes.
- Filter machine: use medium ground coffee and a clean paper filter; adjust the quantity to taste.
- Bean-to-cup: grind just before brewing for the fullest aroma, and adjust the grind finer for espresso.
- Capsules and pods: run a cup of hot water through the machine first to warm it, and descale the machine regularly.
- Instant: pour hot, not boiling, water over the granules and stir.
Coffee in France
In France, a morning coffee is often a large cup of filter coffee or café au lait at home, while the café serves the short, strong express. Carte Noire covers both habits. Store ground coffee and beans in an airtight container away from light, heat and moisture, and use them soon after opening for the fullest aroma. For more coffee brands and formats, browse our Coffee and Coffee Pods collections.
Carte Noire FAQs
Is Carte Noire 100% Arabica?
Carte Noire built its reputation on pure Arabica coffee, and most of its range is 100% Arabica. Check the description of each product for the exact blend.
What do the numbers on Carte Noire mean?
The numbers indicate the intensity of the coffee. A lower number such as N°5 is smoother and more balanced, while higher numbers such as N°9 or N°11 are stronger and more full-bodied.
Which machines are Carte Noire capsules compatible with?
Carte Noire makes capsules and pods for several machine systems. Each product page indicates the compatible machine, so check it before buying to make sure the capsules fit your machine.
How should I store coffee?
Keep coffee in a cool, dry, dark place, in its resealed bag or an airtight container. Avoid the fridge, where coffee can absorb moisture and odours.