Spring delights: strawberries take centre stage

Spring colours the Luberon and this delicious red fruit awakens the taste buds of fine gourmets with its sugary sweetness. These sweet spring delights take centre stage on the stalls, captivating passers-by with their bright red colour and bewitching fragrance.

In the heart of Provence, the Vaucluse region boasts a rich agricultural palette, with strawberries taking pride of place. This juicy, sweet fruity treasure, bursting with flavour and freshness, with its generous shape, is the epitome of spring fruit and a gentle harbinger of summer. It ripens in the Vaucluse, taking on its most beautiful red colour.

Did you know? The strawberry is France's favourite fruit, ranking 3rd after apples and bananas!

A little history of strawberry growing...

In the early days, the wild strawberry reigned supreme, growing small, wild and tasty in all the undergrowth of France. In the 14th century, 2,000 plants were planted in the gardens of the Louvre. During the 16th and 17th centuries, after the discovery of the American continent, strawberry varieties of unrivalled size from Canada and Chile laid the foundations for large-scale strawberry production in Provence.

Strawberries were first grown in the Comtat Venaissin in the 19th century. The Carpentras Canal facilitated the irrigation of more than 10,000 hectares of land in the Comtat Venaissin between Mont Ventoux, the Rhône, the Durance and the Luberon.
Historically geared towards shipping, strawberries from the Vaucluse are very much in evidence at our local farmers' markets.

The Vaucluse is the 4th largest strawberry-producing department in France: almost 5,000 tonnes (5% of French production)!

Strawberry varieties in Vaucluse

From the Gariguette to the Ciflorette, the Luberon and Vaucluse regions grow a wide variety of strawberries with very tasty flavours. Makes you want to try some, doesn't it?

• Gariguette: much loved for its sweet, slightly tart flavour, this is often one of the first varieties available in spring. It can be recognised by its elongated shape and bright red colour.
• Cléry: popular for its large size and very sweet taste. Harvesting begins early in the season.
• Ciflorette: recognisable by its conical shape and bright red colour, ciflorette has a good balance between sugar and acidity. It is generally harvested early in the season.
• Pajaro: recognisable by its dark red colour and imposing shape.

The "Carpentras strawberry" is produced in large quantities around Carpentras, but extends as far as the plains of the Luberon. It is a brand name that is only available to strawberry growers who are members of the Confrérie de la fraise de Carpentras et du Comtat Venaissin (Carpentras and Comtat Venaissin strawberry guild), set up in 1999 and produced in the Vaucluse region.

Where to find strawberries in the Luberon

You'll find local strawberries on our shelves between March and June. The first ones, grown in cold tunnels in the ground, develop completely in open fields, while the second ones develop completely outdoors without shelter.

Discover the list of markets and producers

Markets

Cavaillon, Lourmarin, Lauris, Gordes, Coustellet, Les Taillades (...)

Producers/retailers (non-exhaustive list)

Plateau Ratatouille - Bernard Avy, Cavaillon, EARL Gardiol - Gérald Gardiol, Yves bosq, La Corrée - Isabelle et Pierre Avon Lourmarin, Ls chaudrons d'Isabelle Lauris, Naturellement Paysan Maubec - Les Paniers de Didier à Cheval-Blanc, Cosy fruits à Cavaillon, Happy saison à Cavaillon.

Producer members of the Luberon Confrérie des fraises de Carpentras

Amoros SA Cavaillon
AVY EARL Cavaillon
AVEPH - ESAT La Roumanière (jams)
Kookabarra - Juice
Cheval Blanc Les grandes terres
Saint Louis EARL Le Thor
FSL EARL

Strawberry-based products from Carpentras

La Roumanière jams

Discover Carpentras strawberry jams from La Roumanière, awarded a silver medal at the Concours Général Agricole in 2024. Savour local excellence with these traditional jams, cooked in a cauldron and made with local strawberries for an explosion of authentic flavours!

Carpentras strawberry syrup from Sénanque Abbey

Traditionally made in Carpentras, the birthplace of the Provençal strawberry, the strawberry syrup from the Abbaye de Sénanque has an unrivalled fragrance and flavour. This syrup can be drunk with still or sparkling water, or used in patisserie: as a topping on ice creams, faisselles, yoghurts or in a strawberry salad. Guaranteed to contain no preservatives, additives, colourings or artificial flavourings.

Kookabarra fruit juices

Kookbarra is committed to producing juices of exceptional quality and to working as closely as possible with its local produce. We invite you to discover this delicious treat that will tantalise your taste buds. An incomparable flavour, the fruit of Kokabarra's traditional know-how!

You now have a tantalising glimpse of the strawberry season in the Vaucluse and Luberon. Soak up the intoxicating atmosphere of the local markets, meet the passionate producers and taste freshly picked strawberries for an ultra gourmet experience!