Cavaillon melon season hits France

It was a warm sunny July afternoon when we stumbled upon a small fruit vendor alongside the road heading south from northern France to Nice. He caught our eye from the side of the road with his famous French melons. From the town of Cavaillon in Provence they're as anticipated as the summer berries in Germany or the lemons in Sicily.

The Cavaillon melons – so named for the town where they originate – are best enjoyed in the warm summer months of July and August. Before selecting any melon, you should smell it for ripeness. Ripe melons are also heavier than unripe ones and should have a sweet fragrance.

Cavaillon melons sold in Europe today are still grown in Provence. To be sold as such they must be certified by the Cavaillon melon consortium and bear the label Melon de Cavaillon. The musk melons found in the United States are not really comparable to their French counterparts in sweetness or flavor.

Cavaillon melons celebrated

Every June, the town of Cavaillon celebrates with a three-day festival of events marking the season’s first harvest. In addition to simply eating them, Cavaillon melons are served roasted, fried, and candied. Some local chefs even use them to make a kind of liqueur and syrups. There’s even a Knights of the Order of the Melon to help organize the events!    

The Cavaillon melons are believed to have been transported to Provence when the papacy moved from Italy to France in the 14th century. The papal summer residence was in Cantalupo, Italy – renowned for its cantaloupe melons. It seems the melon seeds were easily transplanted by the popes, eager to enjoy their summer favorite, to the climate of Provence.

Historically, the melons were even a currency of sorts in Cavaillon. They were given to foreign dignitaries and religious leaders who visited.

To be labeled a Melon de Cavaillon the melons must be inspected for density, sugar content and appearance. Those bearing imperfections are excluded. So few melons pass the test, that to find them outside of France even in nearby Germany can be difficult. There aren’t enough for export and they’re really best enjoyed while traveling through the sun-drenched south of France in the summer months.

The Cavaillon melons are grown from seed rather than plants and take around 80 days to fully mature. Knowing when to pick them comes with time and experience; their growers tend to them like children in their final days so they’re not picked too soon or late.

If you’re traveling through Provence in the summertime be sure to check out the markets and roadside vendors. In addition to the melons, they often have a selection of delicious white peaches.