The Melon Festival in Cavaillon

Everything you ever wanted to know about the melon :

The melon is considered a vegetable-fruit ; it is classed in the gourd family.

It has its own mode of reproduction, but for that all conditions must be met.

Two types of flowers can be found on one and the same plant : true male or female flowers or hermaphrodite flowers.

Only the female and hermaphrodite flowers yield a fruit.

Furthermore, the assistance of insects is essential for the pollination of the ovules.

The different melon seasons :

Melons can be eaten at different times of the year according to the way, or rather the place where they are grown :

* from April to May, for hothouse melons,

* from May to June 15, for melons from greenhouses,

* from June 15 to September, for melons from the fields, which are by far the best because they ripen in the natural, regional sunshine.

How to choose a good melon ?

The main gauge is the weight : the melon should be heavy, a sign that it is full of nectar, sunshine and sweetness.

If you see a slight scar, a small rupture in the rind, that's even better ! It is indeed a sign that the melon is bursting with ripeness.

Something else to look for : the peduncle or stem should be easy to pull off.