Fruit and Vegetable Festivals

Menton Lemon Festival

The Riviera town of Menton creates citrus sculptures during its February Fête du Citron. This unique festival uses 145 tons of lemons and oranges to build massive displays, combining agricultural celebration with artistic spectacle.

"We started honoring our lemons in 1934," recalls festival organizer Sylvie Péronne. "Now it's our identity – Menton means lemons. The festival generates income allowing farmers to maintain groves despite real estate pressure."

Recent themes address contemporary issues through citrus art – climate change, cultural diversity, technological innovation. The festival shows how agricultural celebrations can carry broader messages while maintaining local focus.

Cherry Festivals in Provence

Villages throughout Provence celebrate cherry harvests with May-June festivals. Céret in Pyrénées-Orientales sends first cherries to the French President, maintaining a tradition begun with the Third Republic.

These festivals combine orchard visits, picking competitions, and culinary demonstrations. Traditional clafoutis competitions sit alongside innovative cherry uses in savory dishes, showing how classic ingredients inspire contemporary creativity.

Garlic Festivals

Arleux in the North and Lautrec in the South celebrate garlic with festivals reflecting regional differences. Arleux's smoked garlic requires special preparation techniques demonstrated during the festival. Lautrec's pink garlic celebration includes garlic-braiding competitions where speed and beauty are equally valued.

"Garlic festivals celebrate patience," notes producer Marie Augé. "In our instant world, we still cure garlic for months. Festivals remind people that good food takes time."