Evian
Évian is sourced from the Cachat spring at the base of the French Alps in Évian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie. The spring is named after Gabriel Cachat, the landowner on whose property it emerged; its curative reputation dates to 1789, when the Marquis de Lessert drank from it while passing through the town. The water filters through glacial geological layers over an estimated 15 years before emerging at the source. Évian was first incorporated as a public company in 1859 as the Société anonyme des eaux minérales de Cachat, and the French Ministry of Health authorised bottling of Cachat water in 1878. Évian holds natural mineral water status. The brand is owned by Danone.
Mineral composition
| mg/L | |
|---|---|
| Calcium | 80 |
| Magnesium | 26 |
| Sodium | 7 |
| Sulfate | 14 |
| Chloride | 10 |
| Bicarbonate | 360 |
Compositions can vary by season and source. Read our methodology.
Mineral character
Évian is a calcium-and-bicarbonate-dominant water with moderate-to-high hardness. Bicarbonate is the highest ion at 360 mg/L, with calcium at 80 mg/L and magnesium at 26 mg/L giving a total hardness of 307 mg/L as CaCO₃. Sulphate (12.6 mg/L), chloride (6.8 mg/L), and sodium (6.5 mg/L) are all low. The defining feature is the combination of high bicarbonate and high calcium with very little else: it has strong buffering capacity and sits firmly in the hard range, but without the sulphate or chloride levels that would complicate blending. TDS is approximately 309 mg/L.
Documented use and context
On the Home Barista forum (“Bottled water mix suggestions for espresso machine”), contributors have discussed diluting Évian with distilled water to bring its hardness and alkalinity down to a usable range for espresso. One documented approach uses a ratio of approximately 15% Évian to 85% distilled water.
The SCA water quality standards (SCA Standard 310-2021) recommend a hardness range of 50–175 mg/L as CaCO₃ for brewed coffee. Évian’s hardness of 307 mg/L as CaCO₃ is well above that range.
Use-case suitability
- CoffeeAppears in blends for Rao Ideal Coffee and SCA Ideal Coffee.
- TeaNot used in any current tea recipe. Hardness 307 mg/L is above the 37–59 mg/L range of these targets.
- BrewingAppears in blends for Munich and Vienna.
- BakingAppears in blends for Neapolitan Pizza (Naples).
- AquariumAppears in blends for African Cichlids, Axolotl, Betta Splendens, Neocaridina Shrimp, and Planted Tank (CO2).
- HorticultureNot used in any current horticulture recipe. Hardness 307 mg/L is above the 12–54 mg/L range of these targets.
Used in these recipes
African Cichlids
Lake Malawi / Tanganyika
50% in blend
FR, UK, US
Axolotl
Lake Xochimilco
27% in blend
FR
Betta Splendens
Freshwater tropical
20% in blend
UK
Munich
Munich, DE
68% in blend
FR, UK, US
Neapolitan Pizza (Naples)
Neapolitan Pizza (Naples), IT
32% in blend
FR, UK
Neocaridina Shrimp
Freshwater shrimp
25% in blend
FR, UK
Planted Tank (CO2)
Freshwater planted
25% in blend
FR, UK
Rao Ideal Coffee
Rao Ideal Coffee, XX
7% in blend
FR
SCA Ideal Coffee
SCA Ideal Coffee, XX
19% in blend
FR, US
Vienna
Vienna, AT
42% in blend
UK
Where to buy
UK
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons
£0.67-1.00 per litre
US
Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Kroger
$1.50-2.50 per litre
CA
Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart CA
CA$2.00-3.50 per litre
AU
Woolworths, Coles
A$1.50-2.50 per litre
FR
Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, Intermarché, Lidl FR
€0.40-0.60 per litre
CH
Migros, Coop CH
CHF 0.60-0.80 per litre
Évian is widely available internationally. In the UK it is stocked by all major supermarkets. In France it is available at Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, Intermarché, and Lidl at substantially lower prices than the UK. It is positioned in the mid-to-premium segment of the bottled water market. Sold in still format in a range of sizes from 330 mL to 1.5 L, with a distinctive pink label and cap.