The Délice de la Table (""table delight"" Cucumis melo) melon, is an old French variety that has now become very rare. The melons are white with green marks that become yellow-orange when mature after around 85-90 days and marked ribs that make them look like small pumpkins. The fruit is rather heavy, 500 grams – 2 kilos, and the orange pulp is very sweet, particularly delicate with a soft consistency. This melon was mentioned in “Les plantes potagères” (The plants of the vegetable patch) by Vilmorin-Andrieux in 1885. Current production is difficult to estimate as it is now mainly grown for self-consumption. The seeds can, however, still be bought.
Even though melon is a very popular summer fruit, and there are more than 265 varieties registered in the European catalogue of cultivated species, the market offers just 4 main varieties: Cavaillon, smooth, also called Charentais or Cantaloup, “charentais brodé”, “vert olive” and “galia”. These are all hybrids, more resistant to disease than traditional varieties and have been selected by farmers through the ages for their taste.
Back to the archive >Ce melon est mentionné dans l'ouvrage de Vilmorin-Andrieux "Les plantes potagères" de 1885.
Sa production actuelle est difficile à estimer, car sa culture est plutôt assurée par des particuliers, mais la semence est encore disponible à la vente.
Si le melon est un fruit très consommé en été et s'il existe plus de 265 variétés de melons en France inscrites au catalogue européen des espèces et variétés cultivées, le marché propose essentiellement 4 types variétaux : les melons de Cavaillon (type lisse) dits aussi "Charentais" ou "Cantaloup", le "charentais brodé", le "vert olive" et le "galia". Ces melons sont des variétés hybrides, donc vigoureuses et plus résistantes aux maladies que les variétés paysannes sélectionnées elles sur des critères gustatifs.
