The Ampuis sweet pepper is a small-sized variety (about 5cm in diameter and about 4-5cm long), ribbed, shaped like a lantern, with a thin skin and red when fully ripe. As its name implies, it is originally from the Ampuis region (a municipality in the Rhône district). The plant is low (it does not grow higher than 50cm), highly productive between June and October; its production stops with the cold weather. Its flesh is known for being especially crisp, thin, sweet and very fragrant. It is a variety particularly suited to hot, dry climates.
The peppers are eaten in a salad or stuffed, but also pickled; it is renowned for its ability to be preserved, especially long-lasting if dried.
It is not known for certain when the Ampuis pepper cultivation began, but probably in the period prior to the Revolution, when the pepper was widespread in the areas neighbouring the Ardèche and Drôme districts. It is however certain that its cultivation was not stimulated until the end of the 19th century, with the spread of gardening in Ampuis. According to local memory, cultivation of this variety certainly goes back to the 20th century.
Until about forty years ago, every vegetable grower in Ampuis kept a part of his garden for this pepper, overseeing seed propagation. Pepper growing has probably felt the development of a large fruit variety, whose production is prevalent.
Back to the archive >Il se consomme notamment en farcis ou en salade, mais aussi confit au vinaigre. Il a également la réputation de se conserver longtemps et de pouvoir se sécher.
On ignore à quelle date la culture des poivrons à Ampuis commence, peut être avant la Révolution, période où le poivron était déjà connu dans les départements voisins de l’Ardèche et de la Drôme. En revanche, on sait que cette culture n’a pris de l’ampleur qu’à la fin du XIXème siècle, période qui vit se développer à Ampuis le maraîchage. De mémoire d’habitants, la culture de ce poivron remonterait à coup sûr au début du XXème siècle.
Il y a encore une quarantaine d’années, chaque maraîcher d’Ampuis avait son carré de poivrons dont il multipliait lui-même la semence. Sa culture a probablement pâti du développement de la production de variétés à gros fruits.
