Southwest France has one of the country’s best climates with mild winters and hot summers, providing perfect fruit-growing conditions. It’s therefore unsurprising that there are some seriously delicious fruits from Southwest France waiting to be discovered and devoured. To get your tastebuds truly watering, we’ve compiled a list of eight of the most succulent to add to your must-try list when you’re next in Southwest France. Bon appetit!
Did you know? France grows over 2.75 million tonnes of fruit a year, 70% of which is for domestic consumption.
Scrumptious apples from Southwest France
France ranks as the world’s third-largest producer of apples and around a third of the crops grow in the Southwest. The nation’s favourite fruit thrives in the southern sunshine, home to vast orchards of Reinette, Pink Lady, Elstar, Jonagold…
But just one apple boasts an appellation d’origine protegée (AOP): the pomme de Limousin. According to the official tasters, this green fruit with a reddish hue has a unique combination of sugar and acid, making it the perfect accompaniment for sweet and savoury dishes.
Did you know? You can take a guided walk around the Limousin orchards in August to discover this AOP apple growing in situ.
Good to know: fruits from Southwest France are almost always on the dining table abroad our luxury barge cruises. Find out when and where
Flavoursome kiwis from Southwest France
It may come as a surprise to discover that these hairy green fruits flourish in this part of France and the southwest is home to some of the world’s most extensive kiwi orchards.
The region also produces a mini kiwi, grown on the banks of the Adour River in Pays Charnégou, not far from Bayonne. This tiny fruit, smaller than your thumb, is more like a berry than its bigger kiwi sister and has edible skin.
Did you know? France is one of the world’s top kiwi farmers and 75% of them grow in Southwest France.
Read our guide to what’s in season when in France
Plump prunes from Southwest France
There are prunes and then there are Pruneaux d’Agen rated as some of the world’s finest. Production centres around Villenueve-sur-Lot in the Agenais area where around 42,000 tonnes of plums grow every year. Those from the Ente variety of plum boast IGP-certificates and are easily distinguishable from the competition as they shine glossy black and come super plump.
Did you know? The prune harvest takes place between mid-August and mid-September, but only those plums that are ripe enough to fall off the tree are picked at a time. So, each orchard is harvested three or four times a season.
Good to know: you can stock up on delicious fruits from local markets when you take a self-drive boating holiday in Aquitaine. Find out when and where
Gorgeous greengages from Southwest France
Known in French as plums, but in English as greengages, the Reine Claude thrives in Southwest France, particularly in Tarn et Garonne and Lot. It boasts a Label Rouge, denoting full ripeness. The season is short but labour-intensive since greengages are picked by hand for two weeks at the end of July.
Did you know? The Reine Claude greengages originated in Armenia and arrived in France 500 years ago.
Read our guide to French wine so you know which to pair with the delicious fruits from Southwest France.
Crisp Chasselas grapes from Southwest France
Most grapes in France end up in the country’s fine wine, but not those from Moissac in the Midi-Pyrénées. The Chasselas grapes grown here are famed for their fresh, crisp taste and highly prized by gourmets.
The white, almost translucent grapes are harvested entirely by hand and each bunch is delicately cut from the vine just before the seeds begin to form.
Did you know? Chasselas de Moissac grapes have had AOP status since 1971 and was the first fresh fruit in France to gain this recognition.
Good to know: cruise the Garonne on a river boat cruise and you’ll taste the best local fruits and wine from Bordeaux. Find out when and where
Juicy melons from Southwest France
All that summer sunshine is perfect for growing melons and two varieties are favourite fruits of Southwest France, where they’ve been cultivated since the 18th century.
The Lectoure melon, grown at Gers, has yellow puckered skin and bright orange flesh. With a highly fruity scent, it partners perfectly with Bayonne cured ham as a starter.
The Quercy melon, grown between Montauban and Cahors, looks very similar to its Lectoure sister. But melon connoisseurs claim that the Quercy outranks when it comes to taste. Not for nothing does this melon have IGP status.
Did you know? Quercy melons are harvested at dawn to ensure they come packed with their full honey flavour.
Read our guide to what to eat in Southwest France for starters, mains and dessert.
Sweet strawberries in Southwest France
Fraises take centre stage in France’s Southwest fruit basket in late spring and early summer, particularly around the village of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, considered by many to be the country’s strawberry capital. The local fruit has site du goût taste recognition and the area celebrates its annual strawberry festival on the second Sunday in May.
Did you know? 70% of strawberries in France come from the Southwest with most grown in the Dordogne.
Good to know: you can cruise the waterways in Southwest France and discover the orchards from on board a luxury hotel barge. Find out when and where
Crunchy walnuts in Southwest France
Not quite a fruit, but near enough and definitely delicious, this nut has deep roots in Southwest France where walnut trees form lush forests in the Midi-Pyrénées. The best have Noix du Périgord AOC denomination and come in four varieties: Corne, Franquette, Grandjean and Marbot.
Did you know? The Walnut Route takes you through four départements visiting the woods, farms, walnut oil mills and restaurants along the way.
And then there’s the cherries dangling temptingly over the canal, ready to be picked…
Visit Southwest France and try these lush French fruits yourself
We hope our eight delicious fruits have got your tastebuds tingling, but this article is no substitute for tasting the real thing.
All our trips on the French waterways include dining on local cuisine with seasonal fruit creations often the stars of the dessert trolley. See and try them yourself when you join us on board for a fruit-flavoured holiday next year.
