IN SEARCH OF THE HOLY GRAIL | TF1 | Reportages

It is the ultimate prize — the rare object, so difficult to obtain that its pursuit can sometimes turn into obsession.

It may be large or small, trivial or vital — and most often, as expensive as it is rare.
Some travel the world, dig deep into the ground, or scour auction houses to find it.
We followed professional seekers, ready for any adventure to satisfy their clients, in their quest for the holy grail.

In Nantes, Stéphane practices an extraordinary profession. He is a fragrance raw-material hunter for some of the world’s leading perfumers.

To create a new infusion with an iodized, animal scent, he is searching for two materials as rare as they are unusual: a shell operculum known as onycha, and a substance expelled by sperm whales called ambergris. He hopes to find them in Oman and Dubai.

In Cannes, Virginie is a classic car broker. To make a name for herself in this very closed circle, she is searching for an exceptional automobile she wants to showcase at a highly anticipated trade show. To accomplish her mission, Virginie will crisscross the French Riviera.

In Gannat, in central France, François is an independent paleontologist. With his team, he spends his time searching for fossils and reconstructing skeletons of long-extinct species. At the request of a museum, François sets out in search of creatures even older than dinosaurs — animals that lived 300 million years ago: Discosauriscus.

In Paris, Caroline is an art dealer at the famous Paul-Bert–Serpette market. One of her clients, a major collector, has tasked her with finding a remarkable ceramic piece signed by Pablo Picasso. To acquire one of these extremely rare works, Caroline scours antique shops and auction houses.

For nearly a year, we followed these women and men driven by the same desire: to uncover treasures.