Hépar
Hépar is a natural mineral water from Vittel in the Vosges department of Lorraine, France. The source is in the same geological area as Contrex and Vittel. The brand is owned by Danone. Hépar’s mineral composition is among the most extreme of any mainstream commercially available still water.
Mineral composition
| mg/L | |
|---|---|
| Calcium | 549 |
| Magnesium | 119 |
| Sodium | 14 |
| Sulfate | 1530 |
| Chloride | 11 |
| Bicarbonate | 384 |
Compositions can vary by season and source. Read our methodology.
Mineral character
Calcium is 549 mg/L, magnesium 119 mg/L, sodium 14 mg/L, sulphate 1,530 mg/L, chloride 11 mg/L, and bicarbonate 384 mg/L. Hardness is 1,861 mg/L as CaCO₃ — the highest hardness figure in the TWD database. The calcium and sulphate concentrations both set records among still waters in the database; the magnesium at 119 mg/L is also the highest among still waters. The extreme sulphate and calcium reflect intensive gypsum dissolution in the Vosges evaporite geology. Despite this, sodium is only 14 mg/L.
Documented use and context
Hépar has been documented in French medical and pharmacological literature as a laxative mineral water, recommended for hepatic and constipation conditions. The very high magnesium and sulphate concentrations are consistent with the osmotic laxative mechanism associated with magnesium sulphate. The brand is stocked in French pharmacies alongside supermarkets, and clinical references to Hépar appear in French nutrition and gastroenterology texts.
Use-case suitability
- CoffeeNot used in any current coffee recipe. Hardness 1861 mg/L is above the 9–266 mg/L range of these targets.
- TeaNot used in any current tea recipe. Hardness 1861 mg/L is above the 37–59 mg/L range of these targets.
- BrewingNot used in any current brewing recipe. Hardness 1861 mg/L is above the 26–922 mg/L range of these targets.
- BakingNot used in any current baking recipe. Hardness 1861 mg/L is above the 46–390 mg/L range of these targets.
- AquariumNot used in any current aquarium recipe. Hardness 1861 mg/L is above the 35–212 mg/L range of these targets.
- HorticultureNot used in any current horticulture recipe. Hardness 1861 mg/L is above the 12–54 mg/L range of these targets.
Where to buy
FR
Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, Intermarché, Lidl FR
€0.55-0.75 per litre
Available in France. As of March 2026.