Provence’s Tasty Cavaillon Melons Achieve IGP Protected Status

After a complicated process that took eight long years, on February 12, 2025, the European Commission granted the Melon de Cavaillon its coveted IGP designation. IGP laws (Indication Géographique Protégée) mean that only products from a certain geographic area, following strict rules, can carry the label. It guarantees quality and authenticity for the consumer and means higher prices for the producers.

In the case of the melon de Cavaillon, the geographic limit is the southern French départements of Vaucluse and Bouches-du-Rhône, as well as parts of Var and Hautes-Alpes. To use the IGP label, producers must also follow practices like drip irrigation, crop rotation, and green manure and limit their use of pesticides.

©Wikipedia

A Long History

The melon de Cavaillon has a history that goes back over 500 years to the days of the Avignon Papacy. The popes in Avignon needed good melons to eat, so seeds were brought from Italy to Provence, and the magic began.

©Luberon Coeur de Provence

The melon de Cavaillon (technically the Charentais) remained a local secret until the 19th century when the expanding railroad system allowed them to be quickly shipped to Paris. The Parisians went wild, and the melon de Cavaillon became the most popular melon in France.

©Keith van Sickle

A Fourth Musketeer?

One particular fan was Alexandre Dumas, the celebrated author of The Three Musketeers. In 1864, the newly christened library of Cavaillon solicited books from authors throughout France to fill its shelves. Dumas agreed to send hundreds of his books and manuscripts but on one condition: the city had to send him 12 melons a year for life.

©Luberon Coeur de Provence

Why So Good?

What makes the melon de Cavaillon so good? It benefits from the weather in France’s south, with over 2,800 hours of sunshine per year, perfect for ripening. It is dense, sweet and fragrant, so fragrant that it’s one of the first things you smell in a Provençal market.

The outside of the melon is greenish-gold with dark green stripes. Local lore has it that a ripe melon has 10 stripes, with 9 stripes meaning it is not yet ripe and 11 meaning it’s overripe. The inside is vivid orange…and irresistible.

Cavaillon Loves its Melons!

Cavaillon treats its melons with reverence. The melon has its own festival in July, the Féria du Melon, which culminates in running 100 white Camargue horses through town. The official Brotherhood of the Knights of the Melon (Confrérie des Chevaliers de l’Ordre du Melon de Cavaillon) ensures top quality through a rigorous testing and evaluation process.

You know a town is crazy about something when they erect a statue in its honour, and that’s precisely what Cavaillon has done. It’s hard to miss their 9-ton statue of a giant melon de Cavaillon, the best melon in the world.

More Reasons to Visit Cavaillon

Try the Via Ferrata. Meaning’ iron way,’ a Via Ferrata is a series of scrambles along the mountainside linked by metal ladders, handholds, bridges, and ropes. The one in Cavaillon has two loops, one of which goes through a tunnel tight enough to require taking a backpack off.

In 2024, the Cavaillon synagogue celebrated the 250th anniversary of its construction, the 100th anniversary of its classification as a Historic Monument of France, and the 40^th anniversary of its restoration. Provence was the centre of this religious community in France for centuries, thanks to a surprising protector: the Pope.

A long history: Cavaillon has roughly 25,000 people, making it one of the larger centres in the Vaucluse. However, long before the autoroute and big box stores arrived, the location was settled by Greeks and Romans. During the Roman era, human settlement began on Colline Saint-Jacques, the hill north of the city. While not much evidence remains of the Roman’s presence, the Marius’ Arch (named after a Roman general) dates from the 1st century AD and was classified as a Monument Historique in 1840.

Tourist Office:
Office de Tourisme Luberon Coeur de Provence (website)
Place François Tourel
84300 Cavaillon

Recipes with Melon

Cold Melon Soup Starter

This is one of my preferred recipes: it's very simple and easy to make but incredibly good, and all your guests will enjoy it so much. Now, as the main ingredient is melon, you should choose a really good one, as that will make the difference. You might be tempted to add something. Well, I did initially, and then I just reduced the ingredients to the minimum, and that's simply perfect.

Check out this recipe

My Provençal Salad

This salad plate is a cross between carpaccio and salad. Prepare the tapenade and pesto in advance. Shop for the fresh melon, lettuce leaves and tomatoes at the market in the morning and then plate the ingredients in time for lunch.

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Watermelon, Melon and Feta Cheese Salad

This recipe serves 4-6 people. It is refreshing balance of sweet and salty. Serve alongside some barbequed meat or fish for an easy summer dinner.

Check out this recipe